Calum Mills says…
Zero positives
…
Sunderland’s tactics
Abysmal from start to finish and if this is how we’re planning on playing during the playoffs, we’ll get walked over.
There was absolutely zero attacking intent from us and we only looked to do anything positive after we went a goal down, but up until then we were happy seeing out a bore 0-0 draw.
To some fans, that might be alright as I’ve seen replies on articles this week accepting that not conceding or losing is good for morale — but it isn’t.
The fans left short changed
Mathematically, we have a chance to go up automatically — albeit an outrageously slim one — but before kick off and with our position in the playoffs guaranteed, we should’ve been going out and trying to tear Swansea apart.
Instead, we went down without a whimper, and passing sideways or backwards to Patterson is just grim to watch. Players were just coasting through the game and trying to get to half time or full time unscathed or with a point in their pockets.
Fans had travelled from around the world and were watching in their respective countries —myself included — and we witnessed an absolute s**t show. Honestly, my concerns for the playoffs and the manner we’re approaching them are justified.
Awful, awful performance.
Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images
John Wilson says…
Some justified rotation
You could argue that it’s a very measured and calculated approach to the playoffs.
International Fans’ Day delivers
A proud initiative and a great weekend for our fans around the world.
A sunny day, but a pity the game was disappointing.
Slow, slower, slowest from Sunderland
Playing across the back is tedious, slow and predictable.
Roy Keane said that something’s not right when the centre backs have more touches of the ball than the skilled players further up the pitch, and he’s not wrong.
A dull and lifeless display
We’ve discussed to death the best approach to closing our season.
We all know what’s going on and that we’re trying to protect players and keep everyone ticking over, but especially on International Fans’ Day, it isn’t fair on those who come to enjoy a game and are served that tripe.
Lars Knutsen says…
Minutes for young players
There are no easy games in the Championship and this fact was illustrated very starkly.
Swansea did rain on our International Fans’ Day parade but this was a great run out for Harrison Jones and Tommy Watson, as well as Enzo Le Fée getting some valuable game time.
With Jobe absent, this wasn’t our strongest team but despite the result it’s clear that we’re planning for the playoffs — which we’ve qualified for on merit.
This defeat didn’t help, but we need to learn from such lows.
A successful International Fans’ Day
This is one event that emerged from our four years of exile in the third tier and I was present at the inaugural game versus Ipswich which we won 1-0 just over five years ago.
They’re spectacular occasions and they show that we do have a huge international following — and not just because of the Netflix series.
This all bodes well for match atmosphere and general feelgood positivity if we do make it to the Premier League next season.
Signs of sloppiness
Early on, we didn’t respond well to the high back line and upfield press by Swansea. We gave the ball away a few times, notably in the sixteenth minute when Lewis O’Brien missed a good chance.
Some sloppiness has crept into our side, which needs to be cut out. This was also illustrated during their goal build up, which was really just a half-chance from a rebound off the bar.
Until that Swansea goal, I felt Anthony Patterson had shown confident handling, but he reacted badly to the follow up.
Another blank for Wilson Isidor
Isidor was just slightly mistiming his runs and often being caught offside.
Both he and Patrick Roberts were a bit off colour and not quite clicking in their interplay, but the opposite was true of Dan Neil, who showed again what a reliable performer he now is as captain.
This game, the home defeat to Hull and the stuttering performance versus Preston have me worried that we’re being found out — at least at home — but we’re playing well away from the Stadium of Light so that may be our salvation, and especially if we make it to Wembley.
Photo by Michael Driver | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Tom Albrighton says…
A fairly meaningless defeat…if that’s possible
Like many there yesterday, it’s impossible to get worked up over whatever that was, but it’s a real worry how dull we’ve become in recent months.
If there was to be a positive, it was perhaps another reminder that this new-fangled, over-coached, insipid, slow-paced tippy tappy nonsense doesn’t bring out the best in anyone
Some tragicomic officiating
As I’ve said before, yesterday was utterly dull but as the sun disappeared behind the clouds, a new star shone in the form of the officiating teams.
I can only assume such a performance was pre-planned on the proviso of providing some comic relief in a dead rubber classic.
No style or substance
Touched on above, but this style really doesn’t suit us at all.
The complete abandonment of almost all the qualities that had the fans bouncing and appreciation from teams aplenty has been bizarre and I can’t help but feel the mid-season switch of coaching staff may well be a reason.
Whilst coincidence is not causation, it’s been presided on and subsequently continued without change for long enough. Over the years, I’ve seen far worse football, but I’ve not seen much as boring as this.
Poor game management from Régis Le Bris
It seems as though it doesn’t matter who Le Bris brings on, he just can’t change games.
I don’t know whether this is a new ‘Sunderland curse’ but it’s of going concern that you can count on one hand how many times Le Bris has made a substitution and the effect has been a positive one.
With the playoffs looming, that worry only worsens when you consider ties can well be won on the back of positive substitutions.