Sunderland V Fulham Betting: Sunday, 28th February

Sunderland V Fulham

Sunday, 28^th February – 15:00 GMT

Sunderland

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: LDDDL

It was yet another drab weekend for Steve Bruce and his Black Cats side as they crashed to their eleventh defeat of the season when losing 2-0 at The Emirates to Arsenal. It was a fixture no-one was giving them much hope in before kick-ff but Sunderland almost defied the odds and should of at least got on the score sheet after creating some glorious opportunities. However, their defence was at sixes and seven, so with every silver lining and all that, there’s a whacking great negative waiting at the end as far as Sunderland are concerned.

For a team that hasn’t exactly excelled in front of goal of late, Sunderland performed very well from an attacking sense. It was mainly from the counter-attacks where Sunderland caused Arsenal problems. With Kieran Richardson’s keen vision and the pace of both Kenwyn Jones & Darren Bent round the back a nuisance to keep tabs of. However, true to form the pair fluffed the good few chances that did come their way. Sunderland really should of bolstered their goal tally last Saturday, but now their goalscoring form looks even more abysmal, with Sunderland scoring just two goals in 450 minutes of football. Moreover, just one of those was actually from open play, meaning while Sunderland do create very good goalscoring chances, they haven’t been creating anywhere near enough to actual have a good conversion rate.

However, while Sunderland did have their moments in attack at The Emirates, their defending was a complete mess. Arsenal just ran through their defence at will, even managing to walk past some of Sunderland’s lethargic defenders. Their was absolutely no organisation or positional discipline back there, next to no communication and their attempts at trying to jockey their opponents in a bid to hold up the play was terrible. What’s more alarming, perhaps even hilarious, is that Sunderland shown no signs that any homework had been done on the Arsenal forwards. Theo Walcott’s pace was battering them down the right, if there was a player charging down the right who was right footed they’d let him wander inside to have a pop. It was laughable at times to think that Sunderland should be a Premiership team but are currently defending like Durham City, a side who were given the worst team in England tag, but we feel we might be doing Durham a discredit as Sunderland were that bad.

We personally couldn’t touch Sunderland right now, not even if our Irish friend Paddy wiped a £100 Bob in our face, such is the pointless act in backing Steve Bruce’s men at this moment in time. Their forwards aren’t taking their chances while their defence is gifting them up on a plate for the opponent. They’ve not won in thirteen league games after that defeat to Arsenal, with Sunderland having gone more than three months without a Premiership victory on Sunday. Ouch!

Fulham

League Position: 9th

Recent Form: LWDWW

A Fulham side with one of the worst away records in the league try their luck against a Sunderland side who couldn’t buy a win right now, although Steve Bruce could do with buying a few new defenders right now a whole lot more than one solitary victory. Sunderland’s poor defensive form gets Fulham through the door on Tyneside, but can they go the whole nine-yards by recording just their second away win of the season, what would be their first since the opening day of the season, over half-a-year ago.

There are a few fixtures on the calendar where Roy Hodgeson will give an honest assessment and say those few games are definitely winnable. They are a of these fixtures around for Fulham these days but not too many away ones. This trip to Sunderland, however, does present the Cottagers with a fabulous chance to end their baron away run in the league of twelve games without any away success. Lowly Portsmouth, a side rock-bottom of the Premier League, are the only team Fulham have beaten on the road this season, which is hardly a confidence booster heading into yet another away fixture. Fulham’s form away from Crave Cottage this season isn’t good, far from good in fact, with an away record of 1-5-7. With their shy looking away record in mind, surely Fulham can’t afford to pass up what appears to be their best opportunity to win an away fixture to date. Since their win at Portsmouth back in August last year.

Fulham have always had somewhat of an away voodoo hanging over them ever since they joined the Premiership in their first ever season. Their solid home form has been the only reason why Fulham haven’t been relegated from the Premiership, and their form at Craven Cottage this season is what’s keeping them alive at the moment because their away form is their Achilles heel. The Cottagers have lost just one of their last eleven games at Craven Cottage in the league, a staggering statistic for a small club like Fulham, but it’s in stark contrast to the five defeats they suffered in seven on the road. For one reason or another, Fulham just cop out when playing away from home, with their shy away attitude costing them so many points and possibly a big push for another season of European football. Their poor away form is holding the club back from challenging for honours further up the league table, and while Roy Hodgeson has been wracking his brain for sometime over how to squash this away curse of theirs, he just hasn’t found any answers.

The goods news is that Fulham do have a win under their belts after beating Birmingham City 2-1 last Sunday. However, as you’ve probably already guess that was at Craven Cottage. Still, a win is a win and that was their third on the spin at home. A run which should breathe confidence into the side. In their last away venture, though, Fulham could only manage a 0-0 draw at Bolton. However, while draws aren’t particularly pleasing, Roy Hodgeson probably won’t be too disgruntled with a point at The Stadium of Light as he knows his Fulham side don’t perform to the high standard he expects away from London and will be fully aware that Sunderland are scraping near the bottom of the table and will put up a fight for the three points on offer in Sunday’s contest.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.30 WilliamHill

We wouldn’t feel right nor have much confidence in backing any of these two teams in this fixture, with Sunderland not winning a league game in twelve games and Fulham going the exact same length of games without an away victory. Fulham can’t win away from home while Sunderland simply cannot win a game of football, so surely the draw is a stunning bet. Moreover, Fulham did end their three match losing streak on the road with a draw at Bolton in their last outing, while Sunderland have drawn their last thee fixtures at The Stadium of Light. Yet more evidence to back up my case for a stalemate up North. I’ll faint if either team manages to win this affair.

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 2.25 Boylesports

Draw – 3.30 WilliamHill

Fulham – 3.50 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Under 1.5 Goals – 3.00 WilliamHill