Joe Nicholson is joined by Matthew Drewett from fan site Hoops & Dreams to preview Sunderland's Championship fixture against QPR.
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00:43 Hello and welcome to the RAW podcast brought to you by the Sunderland Echo.
00:48 We're back for another preview podcast and today we're going to be looking ahead to
00:52 Sunderland's Championship match at QPR this weekend.
00:56 So to preview the game, joining myself, Joe Nicholson, we are joined by Matthew Drewitt
01:02 from QPR fansite Hoops and Dreams.
01:05 Matthew, looking forward for football coming back after the international break?
01:10 Absolutely, absolutely. Sometimes international football can be quite drab, quite boring.
01:18 It's quite nice seeing England beat Scotland. It's always nice to get a win against them.
01:23 Seeing us, Scotland, were so confident of beating us, but that was nice.
01:27 But in general, when domestic football comes back, it's a great feeling.
01:33 Hopefully QPR can kick on where we left off.
01:37 Well, QPR and Sunderland both went into the international break on the back of good results.
01:42 QPR won 2-0 at Middlesbrough, Sunderland winning 5-0 against Southampton.
01:47 So just looking at QPR's start to the season, before the season kicked off,
01:53 reading a lot of reports that a lot of people kind of writing QPR off were saying that
01:57 the manager's style doesn't suit the players.
02:00 Then they went and lost 4-0 against Watford on the opening day.
02:03 But since then, it's been a bit better, hasn't it?
02:06 As you said, they beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in their last match.
02:10 They narrowly lost against Southampton and Ipswich and they got another win against Cardiff.
02:14 So how would you assess QPR's start to the season?
02:19 I'm relatively happy with the start.
02:22 If you asked me after the Watford game, I'd be like,
02:26 "OK, this is going to be a very, very long season."
02:30 Ainsworth said after the game, he had a plan for Watford,
02:36 but you can clearly see it was all over the shop.
02:40 But when the Cardiff game came around, he had a certain plan.
02:44 He sort of let the players have an idea of how they would play.
02:48 And you can see in recent games, we've had a lot more good football,
02:54 a lot more entertaining, a lot more one-touch, two-touch.
02:58 We've sort of captured teams by surprise.
03:02 I felt, especially Middlesbrough, away from home,
03:06 I felt that we took the game to them.
03:09 I think a lot of Middlesbrough fans expected them to easily beat us.
03:14 But I thought we surprised them very well.
03:17 I thought we outplayed them for most parts.
03:21 But the two away games have been definitely the highlights so far this season.
03:28 I felt we have a certain game plan away from home,
03:32 where we stay solid defensively and use Sinclair Armstrong,
03:36 who's got a lot of pace, as sort of the outball,
03:40 and just catch teams on the counter-attack with our creative players.
03:44 At home, I think we're sort of finding our feet still,
03:48 in terms of the game plan and how to work your position out.
03:53 But it's just the home form that we need to improve on in the future.
03:57 But away from home, I think we have a certain plan,
04:00 where we can have a good plan against teams.
04:02 So, pretty happy so far.
04:05 We'll come on to the home form and how you think that QPR might set up
04:08 against Sunderland this weekend.
04:10 But I just wanted to ask you about Gareth Ainsworth, the manager.
04:14 Obviously, he came in last season, kept the team up.
04:17 They finished six points above the relegation zone in the end.
04:21 But what is the kind of view on him among QPR fans with his style of play?
04:26 Looks like it's quite different to the style of play.
04:28 For example, QPR were trying to play under Michael Beale
04:31 at the start of last season.
04:33 But obviously, he was a very popular player at QPR.
04:36 So, what is kind of the view on him among the fan base?
04:41 I think as a fan base, especially as a former player,
04:45 we definitely try and support him as much as we can.
04:48 There was definitely some concern and some, I would say,
04:55 it was a very cautious approach of what he tried to do last season.
05:00 I think when he came in, we were about 10, 12 points clear of the
05:04 relegation zone.
05:06 With his style of play, he didn't really suit the players at the time.
05:10 A lot of the players sort of downed tools, I would say,
05:13 towards the end of last season because of Michael Beale leaving.
05:17 And the players that we had at the time last season didn't really suit
05:22 what he wanted to do.
05:24 And we couldn't get results.
05:27 There was a huge chance of us getting relegated.
05:30 But somehow we managed to pull out a massive win against Burnley
05:34 away from home.
05:35 No one expected that.
05:37 And we managed to stay up.
05:40 This season, like I said, Watford, again,
05:43 it was very much the same as last season.
05:45 But from the kind of game, I think he's just changed something.
05:50 Definitely tactically, but I think more for the players rather than
05:54 what he wanted to do.
05:56 I think he's just had to move away from what he knows best and sort of
06:00 look at the squad that he has now and let them know, you know,
06:05 get them used to the football that they're used to playing for the
06:08 job that they've been at the time at the club.
06:10 So if we keep playing the way we are, I think we'll be okay this season.
06:16 You say that he's changed some things tactically,
06:18 just looking at the kind of formation graphics from QPR's games,
06:22 it looks like the side have switched from a back four to a back three.
06:26 So how do you think they'll set up against Sunderland?
06:29 And what has he kind of changed?
06:31 And what's the approach been in the last couple of games?
06:35 Yeah, so like I said, at home,
06:37 I think we've tried to be on the attack as much as we can.
06:42 Similar to away from home, but I think at home we tried to be more
06:46 further up the pitch rather than just sitting back.
06:48 I think when you're at home, you don't want to sit back for most of the game.
06:53 Okay, it's exciting having a Paisley striker up front who could be
06:57 our out ball, but home fans expect you to be on the ball,
07:00 attacking the opposition.
07:02 And I think we're still trying to find that at home.
07:06 Away from home, I think we're just fine just sitting back.
07:09 And then once the opposition make a mistake or lose the ball in their field,
07:14 we have playing like seeing Kano Armstrong in his chair,
07:18 Paul Smith to go on the counter attack and attack the team.
07:21 So I think for Sunderland this weekend, I think, I guess attacking wise,
07:27 it's quite similar in terms of the pace of the strikers and attacking players.
07:34 I don't think we'll sit back as much like we did against Millersborough,
07:38 but we should be hunting for the win and go out on the attack
07:43 because we need that first home win of the season just to get that monkey
07:47 off our backs really and just kick on from the Millersborough result.
07:52 It's always a bit, you know, it's always a bit you don't know how it's going to go
07:57 after getting a win before the international break, but it's been two weeks.
08:02 So you don't know how the players are going to feel,
08:05 especially coming back after an international break.
08:07 So yeah, I'd like us to be on the front foot, but I have to wait and see.
08:14 You mentioned a few of the players there, Tony Mowbray as well,
08:17 and he's pretty much press conference mentioned.
08:19 Sinclair Armstrong, it looks like he's had a good start to the season.
08:23 QPR's top scorer at the minute is actually former Sunderland midfielder,
08:26 Jack Colbeck, who's got two goals scored in the last two games.
08:30 So who would you say are the key players for this QPR side
08:34 and the players that will really be important against Sunderland on Saturday?
08:39 Definitely Jack Colbeck will be crucial to that midfield.
08:42 We have two supporting midfielders in Samuel Field and Andre Desil,
08:47 but Jack Colbeck is that sort of rocking midfield.
08:51 He's not normally a player that scores any goals, but getting two in two is quite impressive.
08:57 He's coming at a very, very key time.
09:01 I think it's crucial to get the likes of Jack Colbeck and also Morgan Fox and Steve Cook at the back as well.
09:08 We just have a solid spine, especially our goalkeeper Ben Evic.
09:12 So to get those full experience players in, I think puts us in a good stead for the rest of the season.
09:21 Chad's normally the one that stands out in our sort of attacking plane.
09:27 And we've seen Karam Shah up front. We always shout out for that ball in behind
09:32 because he's one of the quickest players in the Championship, in my opinion.
09:36 I think once he gets in behind, he can rough up a few defenders.
09:41 He can really cause the two centre-backs to summon some serious problems.
09:45 If we get him on the ball, give him the right service, he'll be quite dangerous.
09:49 And he's done that so far this season.
09:52 Do you think it will be a 3-4-3 formation then for QPR on Saturday?
09:58 Yeah, I don't see no reason why to change it.
10:02 In the last couple of weeks, I think we've seen an 11. That's not how many changes.
10:08 I think we have, like I said, full experience players that are just going to be in the starting 11 for most of the season now, I'd say.
10:16 And with the attacking areas, I think we're going to switch now and then.
10:20 But I would say, yeah, there's no need to change it for me.
10:25 We've just got to try and keep that momentum as much as we can and get that first-time win.
10:30 That's what's key.
10:32 You mentioned a few of the experienced signings that have come in during the summer.
10:36 People like Kolbeck, people like Begovic in goal, Steve Cook, another one, the defender who I think he went off injured against Middlesbrough at half-time.
10:44 But I don't think Ainsworth mentioned him in the press conference, so assuming that he's going to be OK for the game.
10:49 But how important have those players been to, as you say, build the spine of that team?
10:55 Absolutely massive. Absolutely massive.
10:57 I think just those signings alone, I think, just puts us in a good position to be OK this season.
11:05 I think before then, if we didn't make those signings, we'd be definitely down there so far this season.
11:13 But I think getting those players in, I think it just helps the mentality of the players.
11:19 If we go a goal down, we have Steve Cook and Kolbeck, for example, to put us in good stead to try and keep our heads in the game and just keep the belief going.
11:32 I think what we lacked last season, especially, was just a lack of leadership and a lack of belief and getting results.
11:39 But I think this season, mentality-wise, young players like Dezel and Field and Midfield, they can look at Jack Kolbeck and they'll go,
11:48 "You know what? We've got a solid rock behind us. If anything goes wrong in Midfield."
11:53 So there's definitely some trust there. I think that spine will just be absolutely massive for the rest of the season.
12:02 In terms of other team news, Gareth Ainsworth said that Jimmy Dunne is back in training, the former Sunderland defender.
12:10 He's not played this season after dislocating his shoulder in pre-season.
12:14 And Lyndon Dykes, I think, has missed the last few games for QPR, but he played for Scotland during the international break.
12:20 If either of those two are fit, do you expect either of them to come back in?
12:24 Or do you think it would be an unchanged side or trying to keep the side that has done well in the last game against Middlesbrough?
12:31 For me, I would keep the same side that beat Middlesbrough. I know Dykes, yeah, there's a possible chance he will come back into the squad.
12:42 He did get about half an hour against England, so he's in good shape.
12:48 But I wouldn't really disrupt that momentum that we're having at the moment.
12:53 OK, we lost against Ipswich and Southampton before, Middlesbrough, but they were still good performances.
12:59 So I think in the last three games, I think we've been having that momentum.
13:04 I think getting that result against Middlesbrough was what we deserved, in my opinion.
13:09 And I think we're just still building that momentum going into this month and in October as well.
13:15 So for me, if you're going to play against Swansea, I think you can bring Dykes back in just because of the quick turnaround in midweek.
13:28 But yeah, I think Dykes would be a good option off the bench as well.
13:32 If we are chasing the game, for example, we can get balls in the box and really challenge the Sunderland defence.
13:40 So yeah, that would be my opinion.
13:43 And just on the Sunderland game, have you seen much of Sunderland this season?
13:47 What have you made of their performances at the start of the season?
13:50 Obviously, the big 5-0 win against Southampton last time out.
13:54 Yeah, I saw the game against Southampton and for me, it's definitely a statement of intent this season.
14:02 I think last season was great for Sunderland reaching the playoffs.
14:09 Didn't make it in the end, but I think this season will be, I guess, the expectation of reaching the playoffs again.
14:17 It will be very tight this year in the top six, but I don't see any reason why Sunderland can't make it in the playoffs.
14:25 I think most of the attacking players are still there from last season.
14:29 I've been impressed with how he's played in midfield.
14:33 Jack Clarke, he had a loan to go with us.
14:37 It wasn't great, to be honest, but I think he's found the right club in Sunderland to help him head in and be in a position where,
14:45 OK, you're there, stay there and he's done wonders there.
14:50 But that win against Southampton is definitely a statement win, where you expect Southampton to be up there this season.
14:58 So, yeah, very impressive.
15:01 You mentioned about the contrast of QPR's home form or their approach at home and away from home.
15:06 Away from home, they can sit deep and try and hit teams on the counter-attack at home.
15:10 They've not quite found that balance yet. But how do you think they will approach the game against Sunderland with maybe a bit more pressure,
15:17 perhaps, to see more of the ball and try and be a bit more offensive, but also wary that they do still need to be solid at the back against a Sunderland side that,
15:26 as they showed in the last game, have got a lot of attacking talent? So how do you think QPR will approach the game?
15:32 Yeah, like I said, I think we'd like to be offensive as much as we can.
15:38 We do like to press from the front as well. So especially with Sinclair Armstrong up front, he'll chase down the goalkeeper as much as he can.
15:47 But we've just got to be wary, especially the midfield battle is going to be key.
15:51 I think the midfield is going to be quite tight. Whoever wins the contest out of that will probably edge it in the end, really.
16:00 In attacking areas, I think it's pretty much similar. And defensively, I think it's quite solid as well.
16:07 So I think that midfield battle is massively key. And whoever wins that, I think, will edge it for me.
16:15 Well, just finally, Matthew, before we round things off, we just usually finish by asking our guests for a quick score prediction.
16:22 How do you think the game is going to go on Saturday at the Cairn Prince Foundation Stadium?
16:28 I would love a win, but I would say a 1-1 draw. I think most QPR fans will be OK with that.
16:39 I think most QPR fans will look at the selection they've got and they can do bits to see if we can get a draw.
16:47 Even though it's not a win, if we can beat Swansea midweek after the same draw and get Sunderland, then we'll be happy with that.
16:55 So, yeah, 1-1 for me.
16:59 For me, I think Sunderland go into it in good form, obviously, with the 5-0 win against Southampton.
17:03 They've made a couple of good new signings as well, or new signings from abroad that we maybe don't know too much about.
17:09 But maybe some of them could be involved as well. So I think Sunderland, I'm going to go Sunderland to wedge this one.
17:14 So I'm going to go for 2-0 to Sunderland. But QPR in good form, as we've mentioned before, with that win at Middlesbrough last time out.
17:22 So two teams going into it should be with confidence. So it should be a good game.
17:26 But Matthew, thanks a lot for joining us on the latest episode of the Raw podcast.
17:31 And if you like what we do here at the Raw podcast, please consider subscribing on our YouTube channel or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
17:40 And you can leave a review. And for all the latest SAFC news, you can head over to the SAFC section of the Sunderland Echo website to find the thoughts of Sunderland boss,
17:50 Tony Mowbray. And we'll have more build up ahead of Saturday's match.
17:54 We'll also have live updates from the Caen Prince Foundation Stadium as Sunderland take on QPR.
17:59 And we'll also have post-match reaction and analysis. So once again, thanks very much for listening to the Raw podcast.
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