Ahead of today's game against AFC Wimbledon, we spoke to our friends from SW19's Army to discuss their season so far. Sunderland have won one game in eight, whilst Wimbledon themselves haven't won in 2022...
Wimbledon are 20th in the league. Are you happy with how things are going?
Not so much as I was earlier on in the season, where we looked more effective than we do at the moment. Our last win was in December 2021, at Accrington. We were denied another victory the following Saturday with a last minute equaliser at Wycombe, a feeling that Sunderland fans will recognise, and then we lost the momentum due to games getting called off. For some reason, we’ve failed to kick on after that.
What are your thoughts on manager Mark Robinson?
I still think he’s the right man for the job, because he has a plan to upgrade the whole academy-to-first-team system at the club – which will take time. However, doubts are starting to set in, along the lines of whether a lifelong Academy coach (as he is) has the right experience to get us out of the current rut. There isn't a member of the backroom coaching staff who has played professional football, and that's starting to show. He’s undeniably still popular amongst fans though, though that may not necessarily remain so if we go down.
Did you do any business in January?
Yes – good and bad. We bought in five players, the most senior of those being defender Lee Brown from Portsmouth (who has already got injured, and missed the Rotherham defeat this week) and striker Sam Cosgrove on loan from Birmingham. We also sold our main striker – Ollie Palmer – to Wrexham for £300k, a move that has made a number of our fans a touch uneasy. Goals have long been a problem, and letting the most reliable goalgetter in your squad go is a brave move, as they said in Yes Minister.
Who’s your star player?
The most notable is Jack Rudoni, who came up through the ranks, is a 20-year old midfielder and somebody who plays like he’s a few years older. Should we go down, he would be a very good purchase for somebody. And at a reasonable price as well.
Which Sunderland player worries you the most?
Any player who can run at our defence.
With Sunderland in abysmal form, are you confident of adding to our misery?
In a word – no. I don’t think we’ve ever beaten Sunderland in the AFCW era, and I’m not sure without checking whether we’ve ever got a point too. Confidence with us is low right now, it just doesn’t feel like a win is going to come from anywhere. We’ve started to score goals, but our defence has suddenly become like a wet piece of paper again. Form is temporary, although three losses in a row for Sunderland isn’t great. I would expect a new manager bounce at some point, from the newly-appointed Alex Neil. Incidentally, I would happily swap your abysmal form for ours any day of the week...
What’s your score prediction for Saturday?
3-1 to Sunderland, who will get back to winning ways.
Who will get the goals?
Two for Elliot Embleton, and one for Jermain Defoe, who will come on as sub, score in the 83rd minute and rush to the away support.
Earlier this season, you predicted Wimbledon to finish mid-table and Sunderland to finish second behind Wigan. Do you want to change those predictions?
Unfortunately, yes. For us, I think it’s now a case of finishing outside the drop zone, even if it’s just by one better in the goal difference. There’s a growing sense that if/when we go into the bottom four we’ll stay there. As for Sunderland, it looks like recent form has given a boost to both Rotherham and Wigan, so it could be playoffs again at the Stadium of Light.
