Sunderland boss: don’t “lose the plot” against Chelsea FC
By George Perry
Chelsea FC face Sunderland in Saturday’s fixture, where the Black Cats find themselves in two very familiar places: their home stadium and the precipice of the drop zone.
For the second week in a row, Chelsea FC take the pitch for a match that means nothing to them but has major significance for the opposition. Last week, Tottenham attempted to prolong their hopes of a Premier League championship. This week, Sunderland will attempt to prolong their stay in the Premier League by escaping relegation for another season.
Three teams remain in the relegation Hunger Games. The Black Cats are in 18th place with 32 points and three games remaining. One point and one place below them is Norwich City. One point and one place ahead is Tyne-rival Newcastle United. Crucially, Sunderland have a game in hand over Newcastle. Only one of these teams will return to the Premier League next year.
Sunderland’s manager Sam Allardyce implored his players not to go Spursy against Chelsea on Saturday. To recap (because it’s quite entertaining for us), Tottenham not only gave up a two-goal lead in a London derby, but they surrendered the Premier League title to Leicester City, beclowned themselves with a league-record nine yellow cards and lost the services of Mousa Dembele for the remainder of the season.
"I think, on Monday night [they] lost the plot. We can’t afford to do that… [A]ll the talent they have in that side just went by the way and they ended up not only losing the game, but doing the strangest thing I’ve ever seen a Tottenham side do, and that’s get nine players booked and make some quite ferocious tackles at the same time. – Sam Allardyce (Evening Standard)"
Unlike Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, Sunderland still have control over their destiny. Two wins and a draw in their final three games will keep them up for the 2016-2017 season. Newcastle play an already-relegated and chronically helpless Aston Villa this weekend, and then closes their regular season against – appropriately enough – Tottenham. Spurs will come to St. James Park on the final day of the season with little or nothing to play for and without Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli, the latter of whom was suspended after punching West Bromwich Albion’s Claudio Yacob.
As often happens with derbies and relegation scraps, one club’s dream scenario plays out against the other’s worst-nightmare. Rafael Benitez could hardly ask for a better run-in as he tries to salvage Newcastle’s place in the Premier League. Allardyce was probably thrilled at Chelsea’s form earlier in the season, knowing that the Blues, the other under-performing Blues (Everton) and Watford were at the end of his schedule. Now he’s facing the very real possibility that Chelsea will play the spoiler two weeks in a row.
Chelsea proved against Tottenham that even though (because?) they have nothing left to gain from this season, they pack a formidable threat when they choose to show up. Allardyce was probably equally jarred by the re-emergence of Eden Hazard and Chelsea’s offense in the second half as he was by Tottenham’s conduct and collapse.
Allardyce is likely joining the chorus of Chelsea fans and pundits in hoping that Guus Hiddink uses the end of the season to offer playing time to young, inexperienced players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jake Clarke-Salter. The Stadium of Light will be much happier seeing Premier League debuts for Charlie Colkett and Jay DaSilva than the continued re-invigoration of Hazard and Diego Costa.
Allardyce is one of the Premier League’s best managers at taking a team from the brink of relegation (or the Championship) to a position of stability and respectability. He brought West Ham United back to the Premier League in his first season with the Hammers, and departed the team when they were in 12th place in the top-flight. Two seasons later, West Ham are vying for a spot in Europe.
The Black Cats escaped relegation on the final day of the season last year under then-manager Dick Advocaat. Allardyce is looking to repeat his predecessor’s achievement in his first year of a two-year contract. He knows the importance of the Newcastle-Sunderland rivalry, having managed the other side in 2007-2008. Allardyce will give the Blues a fight on Saturday if he can keep his players steady and focused, regardless of which team Chelsea puts on the pitch.
Next: Eden Hazard Finally Meets Chelsea FC Fans' Expectations
How do you think the teams will line up at the Stadium of Light? Will Guus Hiddink contribute to the future of both teams by playing Chelsea’s younger players against a pack of Black Cats desperate for the win?