What would represent a good end to the season for Sunderland?

Joseph Tulip says...

It’s becoming tiresome to hear people say that we’re comfortably midtable and have nothing to play for. Therefore I think we have to go out and try to win every game, which to be fair is exactly what Tony Mowbray has said about our end-of-season aspirations.

I hear talk of leaving out players who won’t be with us next season, or giving a run out to fringe players who might have a more significant role next season.

If certain players warrant selection, then play them. But it’s vital that we finish as high as we possibly can come May, even if we do, as expected, fall short of a playoff berth.

Therefore, I think we have to approach the remaining games as we have done since August. Full strength team, full commitment and with that mindset that we want to win.

Nobody can predict what will happen next season, but if we finish top half this time, ideally inside the top 10, it shows that we mean business and this could help with our transfer dealings in the summer when it comes to recruiting top talent.

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Jon Guy says...

We need to end the season on a high for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the team needs to take momentum into next year. Yes, we are on a journey but far better to finish on a winning streak that points to entering next year with a positive belief we can more than compete, than drift to the end of the season leaving the club limping into next year.

Secondly, ending the season on a positive run sends a message to prospective transfer targets that we are serious contenders and also to those current players we want to retain that signing a new contract will keep them at a club that is going in the right direction.

As fans, we have had more highs than lows this season, and it will be brilliant to finish on a decent run.

We can play without fear, and I’d like to see our youngsters given a chance to show what they can do in a side that sticks to its attacking style.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Malc Dugdale says...

The remaining fixtures are all about performance for me.

The results will be better across our run in as we have just gone past what was likely to be our hardest stretch of games, though the injuries we have will make any opponent a challenge at times.

Player selection is going to be pretty much predetermined by the same treatment room queue, but we do have a chance to test our strength in depth with such issues. In a weird way the injuries and our relatively safe position mean we can see more about the newer squad members than we may have with a full squad pushing for the playoffs (which I have no doubt we would be with all our busted players on the paddock).

Mowbray deserves credit for building on the start that Alex Neil gave us and for securing our safety as early as he has, so again I would like to see him try stuff, to be bold and exciting, and to confirm things he may have not expected to test until pre-season. These 8 games are his chance to refine the shopping list we need in the summer to have one hell of a bash at the playoff places next time around.

The expectations of most of our reasonable fans for me is already met - stay up, play well, develop a sustainable model we can run with long term, and do what you can to entertain us home and away. If the team can keep doing what they have been doing for most of the last 37 games, the fans will end the season happy with their lot I am sure.

Let's get behind these lads as we approach the climax of this very steady and solidifying season is my view… we have experienced way worse seasons than this many, many times, and where credit is due, I like to award it.