Cutting Down The Blades: A fitting end to a year of highs, lows, and hope
12/31/2024 01:00 AM
As 2024 draws to a close, Sunderland are likely to deliver a New Year's day performance that will sum up the past 12 months.
What a year it has been for Sunderland AFC and all who support the club.
Many of us are still recovering from the mother of all footballing hangovers after an abject outing at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.
However, on a weekend when none of the Championship's top eight teams managed to secure a win, we remain in fourth place, just five points from the automatic promotion spots. Crucially, we have the chance to close that gap significantly with a win against second-placed Sheffield United on New Year's Day.
Despite shipping two very late goals in our last two games, our destiny remains firmly in our hands. But how secure are those hands at present?
Most of us are probably shuddering at the thought of a repeat of last season, when the wheels came off during the second half of the campaign. Realistically, we were fortunate that the season ended when it did, as the way we were playing made it hard to see where the next point was coming from.
At the end of last term, hopes for this season were modest — a steady campaign with a mid-table finish would have been seen as a decent result.
Then came the arrival of Regis. He arrived with high praise but off the back of a challenging season with Lorient, leaving many of us wondering what he could bring to the table.
The team got off to a flyer, delivering scintillating performances that saw us race to the top of the league and build a promising buffer. However, a few disappointing losses and draws in winnable games saw that cushion slip away.
Some decisions around substitutions — or the lack thereof — and tactical plans that left many scratching their heads didn't help matters. Yet, until Sunday, we were grinding out points and wins, even when performances fell short of the high standards set in August and September.
Our next opponents, Sheffield United, started the season as favourites for promotion. They've been efficient, and at times ruthless, in their pursuit of a quick return to the Premier League.
However, they arrive at the Stadium of Light off the back of a loss and a draw—the latter requiring a comeback—which will have dented their confidence.
Once again, we'll be live on Sky Sports, and quite frankly, we owe Sheffield United after an undeserved loss at Bramall Lane earlier this season, in a game where we were dominant for long periods.
As we head into this crucial match, we wonder which version of Sunderland will turn up. Given the way the season has played out, I expect Regis will have worked some magic, the lads will bounce back to their best, and we'll start 2025 on a high note.
