The Lads fought back to secure a point after Reinildo’s first half dismissal. What did our writers make of the game?
Calum Mills says…
Isidor to the rescue
He didn’t have much of the ball or many chances in front of goal, but he did the business when it mattered most — the sign of a quality centre forward.
He had a chance about ten minutes earlier and his attempt at what appeared to be a scorpion kick baffled me, but that attempt was quickly forgiven with his late equaliser!
The Lads show their mental fortitude
The whole team came together to keep us in that match, and even with ten men, we were the better team.
Granit Xhaka was a real leader on the pitch as he was constantly cajoling the team and encouraging the Lads to keep pushing.
The endeavour paid off and I do think with eleven men, we’d have comfortably beaten Villa.
The referee….oh dear!
What an absolute shower of shite that was from the muppet in the middle.
The less said about him the better as I don’t want to give him in any more airtime.
Reckless Reinildo
Stupid from an experienced player.
Whether he made contact with Matty Cash or not, the intent was there and in this day and age, it’s all the referee needs to whip out a card and in this case, it was a red one.
He better have gotten his wallet out and bought the lads a drink for bailing him out!
John Wilson says…
A battling performance
Another fighting display by the Lads, made more impressive after going a goal down and a man down.
The silly reaction by Reinildo could’ve cost us the game, but another battling display was superb. Another game when the crowd played their part, too.
Noah Sadiki impresses
What a little terrier he is!
He hassled and chased all over the pitch, and no wonder he got cramp towards the end!
However, that in turn allowed Dan Neil to get his first Premier League minutes and it was telling that when Dan made a last ditch tackle in our penalty box, Granit Xhaka and several others came over to pat him on the back or put an arm around him.
Great stuff!
Silly Reinildo
He was fouled, but his kick out could’ve spoilt the game and our unbeaten home record.
Still, with ten men, at times I hardly noticed!
The referee’s performance
What a surprise!
My Villa mate said the same — inconsistent, erratic and generally poor. Enough said!
Jon Guy says…
Defensive determination!
Down to ten men for a hour, we showed amazing grit, determination and no little skill to ensure we kept Villa at bay.
There were some magnificent performances and Dan Ballard was immense when he came on.
That takes nothing away from the rest of the team. who’ll be thinking “With eleven men, we would have another three points in the bag”.
Sunderland show they belong at this level
This team is a joy to watch.
They’re so comfortable in possession, boast quality in every area and don’t know when they’re beaten. Eight points after five games, unbeaten at home, and we’ve been more than a match for the likes of Palace and Villa — both of whom are in European competitions this year.
Things are looking good and Régis Le Bris is proving he’s a tactical match for his peers.
A rare error from Robin Roefs
Yes, it moved in the air but why did he attempt to punch it rather than get a strong hand on it?
Having said that, he was solid throughout so I can’t be too harsh.
Reinildo gets it wrong
Yes, the Villa player left one on him but it wasn’t hugely heavy and there was no defence for the two deliberate kicks he aimed at the player’s midriff.
We were on top and growing into the game, and he’s experienced enough to know better. We don’t need a player who’s so important to the side becoming a target because of his short fuse.
Lee Morrison says…
Sunderland: mentality monsters!
The character the entire squad showed after the red card was remarkable.
Again, I left the stadium feeling proud of the entire team and how they responded — not only to going down to ten men but to be 0-1 down.
We’ve taken eight points from fifteen and a big factor is the character of the squad.
Noah Sadiki delivers again
I’ve heard rumours that Sadiki is still running now — even as this is typed up — as he put in a brilliant shift.
If he isn’t pressing his opponents, he’s opening up space for his teammates. Before kick off, I was concerned about the loss of Habib Diarra, but you can’t underestimate the impact that Sadiki has on this squad.
Another class performance.
Lower league refereeing standards
Red card aside, it was a horrible flashback display from the referee, right back to the despair of League One.
Decisions for both teams were baffling and it felt like he was particularly card-heavy.
In a campaign where the officiating hasn’t taken centre stage, this felt like a minging return to the status quo.
Reinildo loses his cool — but he’ll be back!
Not much to say, really, as Reinildo will have regretted kicking out as soon as it happened.
Regardless, we’ll miss a player of his quality and I’m looking forward to Reinildo returning after the international break.
We always look stronger with his physicality and pace, although Arthur Masuaku did well to cover.
Category: General Sports
