17.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR
mirror.co.uk/sport/football^9DM1STLEVEL HEADED
McGeady: People keep telling me I should be ripping
up this league.. it’s down to me to prove them right
Name v Name Name v Name
MATT SMITH loves playing at The Den –
now he is cheered rather than abused.
The 6ft 6in Millwall striker was a target
for Lions fans when he was playing for
Leeds, Fulham and QPR.
But ahead of today’s home game
with Sheffield Wednesday, Smith
(right) said: “It is really good to
have the fans on my side.
“Obviously to have been on
the receiving end quite a few
times, the noise is incredible now
I’m on the right side of it. For a 20,000
seater stadium, The Den feels like 40,000.
“They are a real passionate bunch who
just want to see positive football. You’d be
surprised how much it helps.”INCE URGES STOKE TO BOX CLEVER
BY DAVE ARMITAGE
STOKE’S Tom Ince hopes lightning
does strike twice as he prepares for
the visit of former club Derby today.
The £10million man had Rams fans
gnashing their teeth 12 months,ago
when he scored the winner against his
old side in the corresponding fixture.
Now Ince (right), on target in last
week’s 3-1 defeat at Charlton, says the
Potters must cut out stupid mistakes
to end their disappointing start.
The 27-year-old said: “We have to
get things right in both boxes. I
thought there were times at Charlton
when we were comfortable on the ball
and created opportunities.
“But the be-all and end-all was the
result and we have to do things better.
“We have to work out what we have
to do over 90 minutes – and that’s not
just to start winning games.
“It’s giving ourselves half a chance
by getting one or two-nil up or not
giving away silly goals.
“Personally, I’m working really hard
to get back to top fitness after my
troublesome groin injury last season.”Championship: 3pm Championship: 3pmSTOKE v DERBY COUNTY MILLWALL v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
IN ASSOCIATION
WITHJOE LOOKING
LOLLEY GOOD
TO LAMOUCHI
SABRI LAMOUCHI has warned
Nottingham Forest’s Championship rivals
that he will soon have loads more Lolley –
Joe Lolley that is.
The City Ground boss says the winger
(above) is ready to recapture the form
which saw him voted last season’s player
of the year. The 26-year-old’s blistering
form set him up for a summer move to
Aston Villa but it did not materialise.
Now Lamouchi thinks his star man is
ready to go on a hot streak, starting with
the visit of Birmingham today. “Lolley will
be back,” said the Frenchman. “But of
course, we’re waiting for more from him
because he’s a key player.
“I think he is physically OK. With the
ball he needs to disturb opponents more
because one-on-one he’s a fantastic
player. We need him to dribble more,
cross more and shoot.”‘ADAM’S KEY TO
ROYALS THREAT’
NEIL WARNOCK never thought he’d have
to worry about playing a team fielding
Puscas and Pele – but he’s more worried
about facing Charlie Adam tomorrow.
Royals new boys George Puscas and
Judilson Mamadu Tuncara Gomes – but
known as Pele – are among the famous
names on the Reading teamsheet.
But Cardiff boss Warnock knows
veteran Scot Adam has his own threat.
“Charlie’s a good pro and always has
been,” said Warnock. “He does it simple
and knows his limitations, he’s a leader.
He’ll be wanting to kick-start the season.”ANDRE AYEW is so good he can win
games on his own.
And his Swansea team-mates
want to see more of the Ghana
captain after his stunning return.
Ayew (below) – who has played at
two World Cups – spent last season
on loan at Fenerbahce.
He hadn’t played for Swansea for
15 months or scored for
them since May 2016,
but got a second-half
brace in a 3-1 win over
Northampton in the
EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Defender Ben Wilmot
said: “I think the fans were
buzzing to see him and as players
we are happy to have him back.”Championship: 3pmN FOREST v BIRMINGHAM
Championship: 3pmSWANSEA v PRESTON
Championship: Tomorrow, 12 noonREADING v CARDIFF
BY IAN MURTAGH
NO-ONE ever accuses Aiden
McGeady of being a prima donna
these days.
Sunderland’s Republic of Ireland
winger is now considered the best player
in League One.
And instead of having to fend off talk
about unfulfilled potential, the 33-year-
old former Celtic prodigy is asked,
“What’s someone like you doing playing
at that level?”
McGeady will be the man Portsmouth
fear at the Stadium of Light this
lunchtime when the two promotion
favourites go head-to-head after meeting
five times last season.
“It’s nice to hear compliments, but it’s
up to me to keep demonstrating that I
deserve stuff like that,” said McGeady.
“People tell me I should be ripping this
division up, so ultimately there is
pressure on me to perform. It’s down to
me to keep proving them right.”
Fit again after a foot injury which
hampered him for the closing weeks of
last campaign, the Glaswegian warmed
up for today by coming off the bench to
score a stunning solo goal whenSunderland notched their
first win of the season at
Accrington in the Carabao
Cup in midweek.
McGeady’s career took
him to Spartak Moscow
after leaving his hometown
Glasgow club before joining
Everton. He then had loan
spells at Sheffield Wednes-
day and Preston before his
move to Sunderland.
It is not been plain sailing,
especially during his first year
on Wearside when the Black
Cats crashed out of the
Championship.
“Let’s face it, it’s not nice having
that on your CV, but I was part of the
team that got Sunderland into this
situation,” he added.
“When we went down, a lot of people
thought I wouldn’t fancy League One
and couldn’t wait to leave.
“I was actually in two minds and had
Chris Coleman stayed, I’d have gone, but
I sat down with Jack Ross and he sold
his vision to me.
“The fact he was Scottish and I’d
played against him probably helped, but
I was one of those who got
Sunderland into this mess
so I want to do my bit to
get us out of it.”COME TO YOUR AID
McGeady scored a great solo
effort in midweek and is fired
up to face Portsmouth todaySUNDERLAND v
PORTSMOUTH
League One, 12.30pme
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