Roker Report Score Predictions: What do our writers predict for Sunderland v Shrewsbury?

Was a first away win of the season for Plymouth Argyle to come at the Stadium of Light not predictable? Clearly not for our panel, who all were swept up on Charlie Wyke’s magic carpet as his hat-trick at Plough Lane mesmerised them all to predict a convincing win over Argyle.

No points means it’s as we were once again in our prediction table, as we look to see if they once again have faith in Lee Johnson’s men getting all three points at home to Shrewsbury Town. Let’s find out what our panel go for in this round of predictions...

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Philip Butler predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 1 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden O’Brien

It’s getting to the point where I’m going to start using a random number generator to make these predictions, but since it hasn’t reached that point just yet I’ll go for the old faithful one-all draw.

We seem to either win 3-0, draw 1-1 or lose narrowly, but since we don’t lose consecutive games very often and we just recently won 3-0 its the turn of the Jack Ross special this weekend.

Thankfully goalscorers seem easier to predict since its almost always a striker or attacking midfielder who get on the scoresheet. Charlie Wyke was disappointing on Tuesday night after last Saturday’s hat trick, so I’m going for his strike-partner Aiden O’Brien, who took his goal well on Tuesday night, to get the Sunderland goal this afternoon.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

After a disappointing display at home to Plymouth I think the coach will have reviewed the game with the squad in depth, and I feel there will be an element of going back to basics with the games coming up.

That was nothing short of a disaster of a game certainly in terms of defensive performance, and it needs a major recovery to bounce back from with some fixtures against way more challenging opponents on the way.

Lee Johnson has brought in one addition in this window in Winchester, who played okay against Plymouth without really ripping up any trees, but he is only going to be able to add so much in the coming week or so till the transfer window closes.

In light of that, Johnson needs to quickly reinstate the basics of solid defending, especially on that left hand side of the back four. We need to return to quick and accurate movement where we convert more of the chances we create, including set pieces. Basically, he needs to find a two points per game winning formula with what he has.

Photo by Roddy Scott / SNS Group

He will maybe be able to tweak with ideally one or two more improved options before February comes around, but even if the take over goes through, league salary cap limitations will prevent much more than that.

I am backing the mystery that is Wyke to again play up front with O’Brien, but hopefully he has the boots back from the cleaners that he clearly didn’t wear last Tuesday. If O’Brien can retain his much improved assist and goal tally and Charlie can return to his Wimbledon-self, we should be OK for a narrow win against a team in good form.

In case a “break glass” moment is needed, I really want to see Mitch Curry on the bench. With Grigg and Graham injured, we need options, and week in week out we play against sides that contain lads of Curry’s age so why not?

Now is the time to give him at least a run out in the later stages if things need another gear, or even if they don’t. He and Diamond have the pace and raw talent to scare a lot of teams at this level. Let’s see it tried Johnson?

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

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Matthew Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

In my prediction for Tuesday, I said there would only be one goal separating the sides, but our appalling home form continues to plague us, leaving us with only three wins out of eleven so far.

We really must nip this in the bud, and soon. We cannot rely being solid on the road, to come anywhere near finishing in the play-offs.

Up next is Shrewsbury, who played their first game of the year in a 2-0 loss to Southampton in the FA Cup on Tuesday, due to COVID sweeping through the Shrews.

It’s left former Sunderland assistant manager Steve Cotterill in hospital receiving treatment - who’ll be missing from the dugout today - and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Before their suspension of games, they were unbeaten in eight matches, but it’s worth noting four of those were draws, and all the wins came by one goal to nil. In fact, all five of their wins in the league have been by that score line.

Usually when I don’t think we’ll win, we do. So against my better judgment, I’m predicting we’ll end their unbeaten run, and grab our first home win since 3rd November in a close game.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Diamond

The ability to predict anything with a degree of certainty this season has been nigh on impossible. Tuesday’s disappointment against Plymouth is fresh in the memory and you wonder if we can bounce back.

Shrewsbury have been ravaged by Covid-19 and haven’t had a league game since the 29th December, which they won 1-0 vs. Blackpool. Prior to this, they had beaten Hull, Lincoln and Doncaster by a goal to nil, so despite their lowly position, they will be no pushovers.

Veteran Shaun Whalley leads Shrewsbury’s scoring charts with 5 goals, and he’s ably supported by the likes of Oliver Norburn, Aaron Pierre and Daniel Udoh. Sunderland will need to remain cautious, as they will be well organised and are capable of stealing games by fine margins, which can be seen by their recent glut of 1-0 wins.

Sunderland need to get back to to basics. Tuesday’s game was one of the most frustrating of the season with Sunderland regularly failing the simplest of tasks such as passing short and marking a man - this has to change and hopefully we will get a good response.

I still fancy us to win against a side that has barely played any football in the last month, though will have some added sharpness due to their FA Cup tie against Southampton in the week. As long as we can pass a ball ten yards consistently, and actually defend like our record suggests we can, we should pick up the win.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 1 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Bailey Wright

No idea what to say. Win or no win we look lost. Progression? Unsure. Will we win? Who cares. This is just the thoughts of a man who does not know what this team is going to do, how we will set up or how we will cope with OUR OWN PITCH.

It infuriates me to hear LJ speak about our pitch like we were playing at Tranmere or Fleetwood. Thank god there wasn’t a slope.

I think there will be a few changes. LJ will hopefully have told them to buck up their ideas. Shrewsbury are a big threat, great form but will not be match fit and without the manager, the catalyst for this form. Perfect time to play them.

If we start the game well we win.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 1 Shrewsbury Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Grant Leadbitter

Shrewsbury. What joy awaits us this weekend? My first memory of us playing Shrewsbury is Thomas Hauser scoring an early goal in a narrow win against them. Turns out their centre half that day was David Moyes. Go figure.

Steve ‘notepad’ Cotterill is their gaffer and while I wish him all the best in his battle with COVID-19, I sincerely hope he’s feeling pig sick with the result on Sunday.

He’s overseen a dramatic upturn in form at Shrewsbury, and deserves credit.

I hope we stuff them. But I don’t think we will. 1-1. More pressure on Lee Johnson.