Roker Report Score Predictions 2022-23: Game 19 - Sunderland vs Cardiff City

Last time around...

We resumed winning away days in the week with a hard-fought but in my view marginally deserved 2-0 win away at Huddersfield. That win through goals from Pritchard and Amad lifted the lads up to 12th in the table, with a nice five point buffer from the bottom three. The drop zone (which is pretty irrelevant right now for me) consists of Wigan, West Brom and our opponents from midweek, ‘The Terriers’.

Points were awarded for all of our Predictions lads as a result of the midweek game, though no maximum was claimed, as a combination of right score and correct first scorer eluded us all.

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Predictions League Table - after 18 games

After having a comfortable leader just a couple of weeks ago, Will is now only a point ahead of Matty as we start to approach the half season point, and the World Cup recess.

The astronomical rise up the table for Coach Foster has been enabled through predicting both the 1-1 and the 2-0 results we just played out. Two from two… let’s hope the Lads can mirror that this afternoon with a win at home to Cardiff.

Bomber and Jack are battling it out for joint third, and Martin has also risen pretty strongly in the last two games, levelling up with Malc to regain some self respect after his slow start (ahem, 16 games or so).

He could have been higher up too - after getting the Luton score right, Martin narrowly missed a perfect score for the Terriers match - he called 2-1 and Pritchard to score. So close, we have to assume he was hoping for them to score one back!

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How the points are awarded...

Just a quick reminder on how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = 3 points
• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = 1 point
• Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = 1 point (no goal scorer is a valid call)
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = TBC at Malc’s discretion…

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Malc Dugdale predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 3 - Cardiff 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

After a rest in the midweek our wonder winger will be busting at the seams to get back out there and resume his place in the starting lineup.

While the result in midweek was great, we certainly looked less threatening down the left side without Jack, and at times we looked likely to concede too. Cardiff will likely be gutted it was only a one match suspension for Clarkey.

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

I was toying with Ellis Simms being my first scorer option, as he is getting closer to full fitness and a starting berth too. With no midweek minutes I just know Clarke will be unplayable and on fire though.

Cardiff are worse away than we are at home, and the fans will be out in huge numbers after a win in the week resumed some momentum.

I am giving Cardiff the benefit of the doubt saying we may let one in, but it may be another clean sheet, and we may well get 4 or 5…

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Matty Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - Cardiff 0

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

Beyond EFL highlights, I can’t say I know a great deal about Cardiff this season.

Looking on paper their away form isn’t particularly great, with only two wins out of nine on the road.

Meanwhile, we earned a 2-0 win after what the gaffer described as our worst performance since his arrival.

Photo by John Early/Getty Images

Given the injuries we have, I’m pleased we’re still able to underperform and get points on the board.

I’m going with another three today, but for it to be a close one.

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Bomber Davies predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 - Cardiff 0

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ellis Simms

A terrible home form meets a tragic away form. Whilst it’s easy to look at the league table and say that “Cardiff are 18th and so we should beat them at home”, you don’t need to scratch very hard to see that they are only 3 points behind us and that we are 19th in the ‘home game league table’ with 2 wins in 8!

It’s only tipped the balance due to the fact that Cardiff have been even worse away this term.

Photo by John Early/Getty Images

Away from home they are 2 wins in 9, scoring only 7 goals.

With that I’m predicting a tight win with a clean sheet, and the second coming of Simms to win the match for us.

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 3 - Cardiff 0

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

After a clean sheet and a good - if unconvincing win in midweek - we have another good chance of adding more points on the board this afternoon.

Photo by Cardiff City FC/Getty Images

Cardiff have had a funny old season - inconsistent is the polite way to describe them - but backed by a good crowd and buoyed by four points from two away games, I think we’ll get a decent win, with the returning Jack Clarke bagging the opener.

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - Cardiff 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Patrick Roberts

After another Jekyll and Hyde performance midweek, resulting in our first win in a while, the lads return to Wearside to try and make it back to back wins for the first time this season.

Cardiff have been very hit and miss this season, and I believe if we need wins, beating the teams around you needs to be the way to go with this being one of those games.

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Hopefully Simms can get another 45, alongside Clarke returning and hopefully one more can make the bench, just for us to see that our squad is returning to normal. A win and no injuries and I’ll be a very happy man come 5pm.

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - Cardiff 0

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Amad Diallo

After a few days off celebrating my wedding (thanks for the write up, Malc, much appreciated) I’ll be back at the SoL with my wife at her first game and hopefully the lads will bring it for her!

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Ending the winless streak was excellent and I think we can get into Cardiff if we keep up where we left off against Huddersfield. Having Simms in from the start would help with this and we also will have Jack Clarke to call upon again.

I fancy us to go back to back for the first time, and another clean sheet beckons.