Lynden Gooch at Stoke City

I watched the entire series of Sunderland Til I Die on Netflix, and really enjoyed... I was a little bummed Gooch was not envolved much, but it was enjoyable anyway.

Here is a preview...

 

Starts:

Today's team news, in association with @aphrodite1994...#SAFC pic.twitter.com/PirloW4nmM

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 26, 2018

 

Awesome? I know I'm channeling my inner Grinch, but it's Boxing Day (which is a public holiday) and it's Sunderland, with a side that's gunning for promotion and has had a new-broom feel all season. I'm actually surprised they didn't sell the damn place out!

In any case, it's a great club to be at right now. Gooch should enjoy every minute while he can.

 

Yes, that's Grinch-y. Sunderland fans are good at showing up, but a league record is nothing to sneeze at, and it's great for Gooch that there's energy around the team and he gets to be an important part of a promotion push.

 

They were playing Bradford City in League 1. 46k is a massive crowd for the quality of the product on the field.

 

I just watched a bit of the Netflix series. That is one depressing series. It really show how the inertia of a big club going the wrong way is not something that can be turned around without a massive change, and it ain't just a new manager.

The thread with Darren Gibson and his issues was really interesting.

I agree with the above poster that I wish Gooch was featured more, and if they make something this year I bet he will be.

 

Series really wasn't about the players, of the limited player feature stories, Honeyman was always going to get the limited academy boy turned senior pro spot over the kid from Santa Cruz, CA.

Thought it was pretty you could still catch a glimpse of Gooch in the background training in just about every episode.

Also shout out Jozy Alitdore making it in episode 1 lol.

 

say what now about Jozy?

 

That he wasn't very good.

What else???

 

Starts:

How the Lads line-up today, in association with @aphrodite1994...#SAFC pic.twitter.com/HEnsiNP0Bm

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 29, 2018

 

Yea right, this Netflix series started in fall of 2017... Jozy was not even on the Sunderland team that got relegated in the epl the season before this entire series.

 

BINGO.

 

You guys should watch the series. The episodes are all under 40 minutes and it's one of the better pieces of television to feature the sport.

It was a joke, no one thinks Jozy played for Sunderland at any point during the 2017/18 Championship campaign, come on.

There is indeed clear footage of Jozy celebrating a goal with teammates in the first episode of the series. Obviously from a past season.

 

I did watch... I must of missed the clip with Jozy.

 

Signed a new contract:

🗞️ #SAFC is delighted to announce that @LyndenGooch has today signed a new contract, keeping him at the @StadiumOfLight until at least 2022.

Full story 👇https://t.co/Ojew8z9Kmt

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 31, 2018

 

signed at League 1 wages (which would then rise drastically when promoted) ?

 

Starts:

Today's line-up, in association with @aphrodite1994...#SAFC pic.twitter.com/NKTJvxQPYy

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 1, 2019

 

Hello all! Sunderland fan here keen to laud our long-time American winger.

Lynden has lived in my home region (sadly I now live away from home) and has been on the books of my football club since 2012, when he was a fresh-faced and wide-eyed 17 year old. Since that time he has slowly but surely edged himself into the Sunderland first team.

Like most Sunderland supporters I do take a keen interest in our reserve and youth teams so was aware of Lynden when he signed a youth deal back in 2012 but aside from knowing his name and reading the occasional article most of my interest, understandably, was with the first-team.

That was the case until September 2015 when I saw this:

Lynden's hybrid American-Wearside accent not only raised eyebrows but the occasional chuckle on this side of the Atlantic. As a native Wearsider I can reluctantly admit that we do have one of the more specific and identifiable accents in England and most people who come into the region from abroad do so speaking or having learned a more standardised version of English, so to hear Lynden seemingly embrace the local dialect was not only endearing but genuinely heartwarming. I can say without any doubt that to embrace the local dialect is to truly embrace the local area and culture. I feel confident in saying from that moment he deeply endeared himself to the supporters.

Fast forward a little and Lynden has been through the wringer with our football club, from getting a taste of the Premiership under Moyes, which ultimately led to relegation. To playing a rotational role in our subsequent Championship season which also sadly led to relegation.

When you suffer two consecutive relegations it can be the death of players - let alone football clubs, that habitual feeling of losing can become normalised, the passing of the buck, the shirking of responsibility can become the done thing when under the cosh.

I will be honest with you, after our relegation to League One was confirmed I wasn't convinced Lynden and quite a few others were the players we could rely on to get us up the table and into contention for promotion. There was hope ofcourse but not confidence.

Here we are in 2019, just days after Christmas and the New Year, Sunderland doing very well - certainly in contention for promotion back to the Championship, Lynden has signed a new contract and the footballing landscape for a Sunderland fan looks pretty good.

I always felt Gooch possessed good qualities, a low centre of gravity, decent pace and running, strong - both mental and physical, and perhaps most importantly an eye for a goal or cross when in dangerous areas. This season has proved all of that true, 21 games with 5 goals and 8 assists, he can play either side or through the middle and we're only half way through the season.

Here's a prediction so allow me to be bold. Sunderland will win promotion this season, Gooch will hit double figures and the momentum and confidence built from this season will see Sunderland place in top-10 of the Championship next season with Gooch once again playing a vital role.

This is my first post so I'm sorry if this is TLDR.

 

I have always wondered why we don't have more potential players of British/Irish descent. You'd think we would have tons more. Same with say those of Italian descent.

 

Two points.

1. The majority of British and Irish immigration to the US occurred prior to 1900. Although football/soccer has a long history over here in the UK, most people who came at that time probably had other priorities. Additionally those Americans who are British and Irish are fully assimilated so might not likely consider themselves British and Irish anymore - sadly.

2. There ARE many American soccer players who are in fact ethnically Anglo or Celtic. Please see the image below of the latest USA national team squad, I have highlighted the names that I recognise as British or Irish with a red dot. Admittedly they might just have surnames and not lineage to Britain/Ireland.

 

Great post and glad to have you aboard. We have an unhealthy attachment with Sunderland here give the..gulp..Jozy days and more recent Yedlin loan.

But black cats are a great spot for Gooch. Blue collar player in a blue collar town (pardon me), but it plays really well with supporters.

Still can't get over that he started vs Man City on opening day a few years ago. Always looked a bit out of his league.. thought he could be the Catermole replacement, disruptive enforcer #6, but just not his skill set. He's a put your head down and drive down the touch line. Love seeing him score all the goals the past few years, couldn't be happier for him.

Honestly think League 1 is the right level for him, and the relegation was only way he'd play. Love seeing you guys potentially make it back to the Championship. Haway the lads...or whatever it is you guys say.

For the national team...just not sure if he makes it. (Not that we are very good) but there are some games this summer which could see him back in the fold.

Tell all the crazies on RTG we said hello, and will say I miss the Roker Report, always solid post game analysis.