Phil Smith: Three observations after Sunderland’s loss, plus five things you could have missed.
On Saturday afternoon, Sunderland suffered their first loss of the Championship season at Plymouth Argyle.
Here are some of the main points Phil made during the game that you might have missed.
A DISAPPOINTING SHOW, BUT DO NOT GET ACCUSED
with their rivals still ahead. On the eve of the competition, Regis Le Bris was chosen manager of the month due to his exceptional performance, which garnered attention from the national media. Those who have been following this team for a considerable amount of time would have anticipated this outcome. Sunderland’s success this week will depend on how well they absorb the lessons from their underwhelming performance while holding onto the optimism from the four outstanding performances that came before it.Undoubtedly, Sunderland did not perform at their best in this game. Nonetheless, Plymouth Argyle deserves praise for displaying vigour, commitment, and some real talent in crucial parts of the pitch. On loan from Toulouse, Ibrahim Cissoko posed a continual threat off the left wing.Even in the first half when the Black Cats were largely in control, Le Bris admitted he felt the shape wasn’t quite right and they were punished ruthlessly in the second half. They didn’t retain the ball well enough, made mistakes in possession and lost too many second balls.
Still, they were by no means totally outclassed. As to the statistics provided by fotmob, Sunderland had a total of 17 shots against 12 for Plymouth, and their predicted goals tally was 1.77 against 1.70 for Plymouth. The game was wide open and might have gone either way, but Sunderland rallied in the second half after falling behind for the first time this year. Wilson Isidor missed a clear opportunity to score off a cross from Romaine Mundle, then moments later, he was unable to score from a shot from Patrick Roberts, suggesting that they might have even won.Undoubtedly, the greatest worry for Sunderland and Le Bris is how exposed and susceptible to the counterattack they were, with Plymouth’s XG nearly as large as Le Bris’ side have to improve quickly but this was still a long way ahead of what they were producing towards the end of last season and the players deserve the space to put it right.
ROMAINE MUNDLE IS A REAL FIND
You don’t have to search far to find any true positives despite the heartbreak of Sunderland’s first league loss. On the right side, Patrick Roberts maintained his positive play, converting his penalty and setting up several opportunities. Before his late goal that should have sealed a point, Romaine Mundle, on the other flank, gave what was possibly his best performance since joining the team in January. Though you wouldn’t anticipate that at this point in his career, Mundle doesn’t always make the best choices. He generally finishes well, can carry the ball far, puts dangerous crosses in the box, and is relentless from the first to the last minute.He’s been a huge help and has given the club and himself less credit for taking advantage of the opportunity to sign him in January and for his preseason efforts. Although he is still relatively new to senior football, his experience from the previous three seasons tells us to expect a slump and some weariness at some point throughout the season. Nevertheless, he is becoming a valuable member of the team and is just as entertaining to watch as his predecessor.
LE BRIS’ BENCH ISN’T WHERE SUNDERLAND WANT IT YET
There was a little bit of frustration for some Sunderland fans that Le Bris didn’t turn to his bench earlier in the second half, with Plymouth Argyle dominating pretty much from the whistle. Alan Browne did have a real impact when he came and helped wrestle back some control, while Wilson Isidor added some presence and energy late on. It is clear from the opening games of the season that Le Bris is not going to be a head coach who makes wholesale changes early in the game, and this very methodical approach is likely something fans will have to get used to. It’s also true that at the moment, he doesn’t really have too many game-changing options. With Salis Abdul Samed not yet fit and Ian Poveda missing out due to a thigh niggle, the bench still didn’t quite have the depth you’d ideally like.
And the moments you might have missed…
DAN BALLARD’S BIG INJURY SCARE
While too early to know for sure, there are fears that Sunderland might have another injury issue to contend with. Ballard fell heavily after winning a header in stoppage time and wasn’t able to get back on his feet after the full time whistle was blown. He needed the help of two physios to limp off the pitch and left the ground on crutches. We’ll have to wait for a full prognosis but Chris Mepham’s debut might be on the horizon.
MISTAKES COST SUNDERLAND DEAR
Although Plymouth performed well, Sunderland gave up goals quickly due to uncharacteristic blunders. When Anthony Patterson mishandled his kickout, it went right to a Plymouth player, inviting additional pressure. This led to a move down the left flank, where they equalised. In the second instance, they attempted to pinch possession on the edge of the Plymouth box, but were caught with too many men ahead of the ball, which allowed the hosts to break fast. They still need to have cleaned up their lines before Ballard fouled and handed away the penalty even then. Regarding the third, Patterson could have done a better job with the first effort as well as the follow-up.It is evident that Le has a few structural problems.
Though Le Bris insisted that the closing of the transfer window represented a clean slate for the whole squad, there was still no Adil Aouchiche or Abdoullah Ba in the squad. The two look to be some way off being involved and have a battle to ensure they don’t face a winter without regular football.
YOUNGSTER GETS WELL DESERVED CALL UP
The absence of Aouchiche and Ba did mean a very well deserved call up for young striker Trey Ogunsuyi, who had played a big part in rescuing a point for Sunderland U21s against Athletic Club de Bilbao in midweek. The 17-year-old Belgian youth international may be a little behind Tommy Watson in realistically pushing for senior minutes but he’s a huge prospect for the future and one to watch closely.
THE MONTH CURSE’S MANAGER IS BACK!
While too early to know for sure, there are fears that Sunderland might have another injury issue to contend with. Ballard fell heavily after winning a header in stoppage time and wasn’t able to get back on his feet after the full time whistle was blown. He needed the help of two physios to limp off the pitch and left the ground on crutches. We’ll have to wait for a full prognosis but Chris Mepham’s debut might be on the horizon.
THE MONTH CURSE’S MANAGER IS BACK!
Le Bris was told following the game that the dreaded manager of the month curse had claimed another victim. With a sardonic smirk, he said, “Ah, so it was written?”
There was never a chance that Le Bris, who views this first loss as a crucial step in his young team’s development and a teaching opportunity, would have overreacted to it because he hasn’t been visibly excited by Sunderland’s four victories.
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