Sunderland AFC – It Is Time To Turn Things Around

By Amlan Majumdar
12 years Ago

Things look grim at the Stadium of lights, and now Sunderland need their big players to deliver besideAi??a tactical change from Martin O’Neill.

Things have gone from bad to worse for Sunderland and Martin Oai??i??Neill in the last month or so, and just when you thought it couldnai??i??t get any sorrier, Steven Fletcher limped off during Scotlandai??i??s match against Wales. Sunderlandai??i??s top scorer will now undergo tests to determine the severity of his injury and it is fair to say that Sunderland fans and Martin Oai??i??Neill will keep their fingers crossed.

The Black Cats are just four points above the relegation zone, but Wigan, who are 18^th in the table, have a game in hand. It would be fair to say that Reading and QPR are the favourites to be relegated this season, with Wigan, Aston Villa, Southampton and Sunderland likely to be involved in a battle to avoid joining the duo in the Championship next season.

Sunderland arguably has the toughest fixture list among the four clubs mentioned above. The Black Cats will face the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham (clubs which are in the top six at the moment) in the remaining eight matches. But perhaps the biggest clashes would be the upcoming away match against Aston Villa and home match against Southampton.

Sunderland will be looking to attain the 40 point mark as that is generally considered adequate for survival in the league, which of course means that Martin Oai??i??Neillai??i??s side will have to pick-up nine of the 24 points on offer between now and the end of the season, which in all fairness looks achievable. But it should be pointed out that we are talking about a Sunderland side, which has underperformed for most of the season. In fact when one takes a look at the names in the starting eleven, it is a surprise that they have allowed such a perilous situation to arise.

With the investment that has taken place on the squad at the start of this season and also during the winter transfer window, Sunderland should have been a mid-table club had they lived up to their potential. But big names have flattered to deceive, while Martin Oai??i??Neillai??i??s tactical impuissance has been exposed far too often.

Last weekend, Sunderlandai??i??s inability to score goals was once again at the forefront during their match against Norwich. The Canaries were down to 10-men after just 30 minutes and yet the Black cats failed to score from open play for over an hour ai??i??Ai?? in fact if not for the penalty, which was converted by Gardner, they would have lost all three points.

The match against Norwich was not an anomaly ai??i?? Sunderland have managed to score only 16 goals from open play in 30 league matches so far. This of course points to the obvious fact that the team lacks creativity in midfield. Steven Fletcher hasnai??i??t had adequate service or support from the midfield and at times the Scottish striker has fought lonely battles upfront. This is also proved by the fact that Sunderland have taken 45% of their shots from outside the box, which reflects their inability to get in behind defences.

The side has mostly depended on Sessegnon, Larsson and Adam Johnson to provide them the creative spark and most of the time the trio havenai??i??t been consistent enough. Johnson has perhaps been the biggest disappointment this season as big things were expected of him. But despite starting in nearly every match, the former Manchester City winger has failed to have a massive impact on Sunderlandai??i??s season.

Johnsonai??i??s stat tells its own story. The Englishmanai??i??s pass success rate is only 79.8% – least among all the other midfielders. Also, only 36 of his 189 attempted crosses were accurate. But the problem for Oai??i??Neill is the fact that his options in the wide areas are very limited. James McClean has failed to impress whenever he has been given the opportunity. Sessegnon is an exciting talent, but will require sometime to full his potential. In fact, it seems like Oai??i??Neill is still unsure about Sessegnonai??i??s best position on the pitch. The youngster has looked more effective in a central creative role than Larsson, but at the moment Oai??i??Neill seems content to be playing him out wide.

This lack of a consistent creative force in the midfield raises the question as to why Sunderland didnai??i??t invest the money the spent on Danny Graham to sign an attacking midfielder? Graham and Fletcher are similar in nature and although Martin Oai??i??Neill has tried to fit them together in the starting eleven, they has failed to succeed.

Moreover, putting two men upfront has forced Sunderland to change their formation to a 4-4-2, which has exposed the two man midfield of Nai??i??Diaye/Vaughan and Larsson. Sunderland have been outnumbered in the center of the park as Larssonai??i??s defensive contribution is negligible and in a two-man midfield one cannot afford to field someone like Larsson who is defensively inept.

It is time for Oai??i??Neill to change his tactics. Sunderland needs a three man midfield, in order to get the best out of Larsson and also the fact that an extra man in the center of the park will help them control the game. The obvious option is to shift to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation. Given the personnel, a 4-3-3 formation would perhaps suite them the best.

With Johnson and Sessegnon starting on the either side of Fletcher or Graham and Larsson supporting them from the midfield, it can potentially form a much more fluid attack. Meanwhile Colback and Nai??i??Diaye can provide the steel in the midfield and shield the defence. Oai??i??Neill has also fielded Sessegnon in behind Fletcher and the youngster has looked effective in that role in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Either way, Graham and Fletcher shouldnai??i??t start together, they are too similar in nature to operate as partners ai??i?? moreover Sunderlandai??i??s midfield line-up is not suited to a 4-4-2 formation.

The players will need to pull themselves together as they enter the final stages of this season. The club has announced net operating losses ofAi??A?26.9million, while Ellis Shortai??i??s investment has covered most of their financial instability, Premier League status is of utmost importance as the board looks to put together a self-sustaining model at the club.

It is also time for the big names to stand up and deliver. They go into the next two matches against Manchester United and Chelsea with minimal or no expectations, but perhaps that can bring out the best among the players. The fact that both United and Chelsea will be involved in the much awaited FA cup fixture between these two clubs can act as an advantage for Sunderland. As of now, at least nine more points in the league remains their top priorities.

Categories: English Premier League, Features
Tags: Sunderland

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