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Xhaka’s Enormous Influence The one thing that every Sunderland fan feared came true on Friday evening, as rumours swirled throughout the Sun’lun social media echochamber that Granit Xhaka would miss the game. That was confirmed when the lineup was announced – and in spite of travelling down with the team, the captain was missing from […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
How Much Did We Miss Granit? The loss of Captain Xhaka for this game was a contributing factor to the disappointing result, but it was not the be-all and end-all in my view. The midfield in the first half just wasn’t quite at it, apart from the first five to ten mins. If Sadiki’s shot […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Ciaran McKenna says… Brian Brobbey’s goal Another brilliant finish from Brobbey — although it did turn out to be something of a consolation goal. The build-up play to find Nordi Mukiele was terrific and so was the ball into the box. It was a class header from the Dutchman, but just a shame that was […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Today, Sunderland welcome Southampton to Eppleton for a fixture that feels far more significant than the table alone suggests. On the surface, it’s eighth versus sixth in a mid‑season meeting between two sides who’vw shared enough history in recent years to make the fixture familiar, if not outright fierce. But beneath that surface lies a […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
I don’t think any Sunderland fan who watched that performance today will claim to be happy about it, but there’s certainly one or two ways you can choose to go with your reaction to it all. I’m choosing to be a little bit more reflective than reactive, I’d say, given that it’s not too often […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Unfortunately, Sunderland didn’t turn up and West Ham did, with the Premier League strugglers scoring three first half goals to earn a deserved victory, despite a consolation header from Brian Brobbey. Join Gav, Andrew and Jonny as they react to a dramatic afternoon at the London Stadium. On today’s show: All of this and more […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Robin Roefs: 6/10 Didn’t do anything wrong today, had a good attempt to save all three goals and generally did well. Nordi Mukiele: 6/10 Had a difficult time in the first half against Summerville and got beaten in the air for the opening goal, thought he battled well though and came back into it. Ended […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Social media may have upsides and disadvantages but Facebook Memories has a way of bringing back moments that may have been forgotten or intentionally consigned to the deeper reaches of your mind. One of the latter cropped up in my feed a few days ago, from January 2019 when my boys and I travelled the […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
It’s the reverse fixture of our fantastic opening day of the season as the Lads travel to the London Stadium to take on Premier League struggler West Ham United in today’s early kick-off – so Gav, Bomber & Chris got together to talk all about that and everything else! All of this and more – […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
With Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi back from AFCON, Sunderland have a full strength squad to choose from… or is that HAD a full strength squad to choose from? Last night, rumours were swirling around on social media that Granit Xhaka had an injury that would keep him out for a couple of months – although […]
about 2 months ago | 4 reads
Though this draw against Doncaster Rovers made it eight games without a defeat, the away side’s impressive rearguard performance ensured that we did not get the much-sought-after three points. After a miserable run up until the Christmas fixture list which left Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson under immense pressure, they appeared to be now finding their […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Martin Wanless predicts… Score prediction: West Ham 0 Sunderland 2 Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brobbey There’s a lot of stuff going on around this game – West Ham’s win at Spurs last week sets them up nicely, but a planned fan protest could set the scene for a strange opening 15 that we should take advantage […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
Back in August Sunderland beat Graham Potter’s West Ham 3-0. What were the key factors that led to him losing his job just a month later? An amalgamation of factors. I don’t think he was helped with the squad he inherited, weak in different areas all over the pitch and the summer window compounded that. […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Saturday 24th January 2026 West Ham United v Sunderland – Premier League London Stadium Kick-Off: 12:30 Tickets & Match Coverage Tickets: Tickets are sold out. TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available on TNT Sports. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
What’s going on at West Ham?! Well it’s lucky we had James Obern from The West Ham Way to tell us everything that is going on and the plans for protests this weekend as the Lads travel down to the capital to hopefully makes things a little worse… All of this and more – get […]
about 2 months ago | 5 reads
The 0-0 draw between Wolves and Newcastle was the second goalless game of the weekend, and the 17th of the season. This is already more than last season, and six more than in the whole of the 2023-24 season. Stalemates are often dull and are usually examples of strikers having off days or goalkeepers having […]
about 2 months ago | 6 reads
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, I just caught myself checking this weekend’s Liverpool and Manchester United fixtures to see if we’ll overtake them with a win at West Ham. I’ve supported Sunderland for over five decades and this […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Ahead of Saturday and our return fixture against West Ham, I can’t help but cast my mind back to August 16th 2025. The Stadium of Light was absolutely pulsating and West Ham were the unfortunate souls tasked with welcoming us back to the Premier League. That 3-0 demolition job, with Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
During the build up to our home game against Arsenal, I was browsing various forums and came across an article on an Arsenal fan website which assessed the quality of their next opponents. It used the (now familiar to us, whether we like it or not) variable of “xG difference” — something we’re reminded of […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
In January 1954 Sunderland were struggling towards the lower reaches of the first division table and – as was the perennial solution to any problem at the time – the board splashed the cash to try to resolve it. This time, it was Birmingham’s South African born striker Ted Purdon who arrived at Roker – the […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
A short, sharp precursor to a January exit? Something and nothing — or the beginnings of a transfer saga that could cast a wholly unwelcome shadow over the remainder of Sunderland’s season before a summer move is eventually ratified and rubber-stamped? However you view it and regardless of which side of the “sell or keep” […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
Roll up, roll up… it’s time for another roundup of all the Sunderland AFC news, and there’s plenty going on as the end of the January Transfer Window creeps closer and closer. Join Gav, Ant and Andrew as they run through it all, including: All of this and more – get subscribed to Haway The […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
When the transfer window opened, the focus was very much on the futures of one home-grown promotion-winning hero and one who we acquired in League One, and who has developed hugely since. Dan Neil and Dennis Cirkin are both out of contract in the summer and it appears likely that Neil will depart. Cirkin has […]
about 2 months ago | 4 reads
This was Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland team at their very best. I recall this game like it was yesterday, and yet it is in fact three years since we dismantled Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light. Littered with attacking talent in the shape of Ross Stewart, Jack Clarke, Patrick Roberts, and Amad Diallo, the […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
Sunderland returned to the Stadium of Light for the first time in a fortnight as they looked to end their successive spell without a win against a struggling Crystal Palace side who themselves hadn’t won in nine matches across all competitions. With news surrounding the departure of two of Palace’s most influential figures – their […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads