Calum Mills says…
Granit Xhaka is back!
Granit entered the pitch.
Romaine Mundle’s miss
Sat in the south east corner, I was celebrating before he shot but before I knew it, I was caught inadvertently celebrating a goal kick to Fulham.
Until I see a replay, it honestly did look harder to do what he did than score.
I was baffled by his introduction over Chemsdine Talbi when Jocelin Ta Bi went off.
Further injury concerns
With Reinildo, Ta Bi, Nordi Mukiele, Dennis Cirkin and possibly Brian Brobbey all out of action, we’re counting the wounded.
It’s a big concern as we’re struggling to create
from out wide as we’ve done throughout the season. What do we fall back on now?
Predictable and passive football
I’ve felt that during the last seven games, we’ve been found out.
Yes, we enjoyed good fortune against Crystal Palace and Burnley, but the recycled balls to the wings or hoping Enzo Le Fée picks the pass of his dreams to a runner in behind have been scuppered.
Régis Le Bris’ usual ability to solve a problem has been well and truly nullified. Is it time to change from the off? I think so.
John Wilson says…
Enzo Le Fée stands tall
Le Fée is often the one player that doesn’t deserve any criticism that might be aimed at the team.
Always involved and always trying to affect the game.
Granit Xhaka returns
I’m not sure what goes on in players’ heads; why they don’t turn up for certain games and indeed where this leaves our season, but at least the return of our captain will mean everyone will be getting his instructions and motivation for the remaining games.
Another Sunderland injury crisis?
My first negative concerns the injuries to both Nordi Mukiele and Jocelin Ta Bi in the first half.
As we started to approach a full strength squad, we could’ve done without losing players and especially someone as influential as Mukiele.
Hopefully they aren’t out for long as it didn’t help the flow in a very poor first half — possibly the worst of the season?
A lethargic Lads’ display
I was interested to see how we would approach this game — would it be a fast and committed approach to push us as high up the table as possible, or would it be a negative “It’s only Fulham” approach?
Unfortunately, it was the latter.
We lacked energy and passion, and save for a brief moment after our penalty, we were often a shadow of the team we can be, which certainly wasn’t conducive to a team fighting for the highest finish possible.
Fulham have done the double over us this season. That’s a damning fact.
Lars Knutsen says…
Nobody gave up
The sides were quite evenly-matched overall and I have to say that Fulham took their chances well, but despite the tide of goals going against us, the period before and after Enzo Le Fée’s goal were pretty uncomfortable for the visitors.
We’re a team that doesn’t give up, and that’s the hallmark of this group — regardless of which formation we’re playing.
The season isn’t over!
We are still competing in the FA Cup and need only one win to be safe, with eleven games to go.
Last August, all Sunderland fans would have taken that.
A lack of intensity
We just didn’t play with the required intensity — especially in the first half.
Fulham played well and were very competitive, but we didn’t show enough dominance in midfield and penetration in attack, and allowed the Fulham forwards too much space. We definitely missed the drive and organisational awareness of our superb captain Granit Xhaka in the first sixty nine minutes.
The change after he came on was noticeable but he can’t be the solution all over the pitch, as we normally enjoy defending.
Sunderland get caught on the break
Sunderland came back with some intent at 0-2 and dominated the game before and after the penalty, taken expertly by Le Fée.
The Londoners were very good on the break, with excellent play from Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi, and the third goal definitely deflated us and a lot of fans left early.
We had off days — both on Sunday and at Craven Cottage when we lost 1-0 — and Fulham are the only team to have done the double over us this season.
Nic Wiseman says…
A glorious Wearside afternoon!
It was a nice sunny day — a great day for watching football.
The crowd were expectant and the two teams produced a ponderous spectacle. Both teams were even if you look at the stats, and Granit Xhaka improved things.
A poor game to watch
It was an awful sight for the television audience.
Two mid-table teams not producing much in terms of end product.
A variety of issues for Sunderland
The loss of Nordi Mukiele was a big blow, as it ruined the attack down our right hand side.
Both teams were evenly matched, but our lack of cutting edge is getting increasingly concerning and as soon as Romaine Mundle missed his chance, I said to my neighbour that they would go and score. I said it mainly to jinx it from happening but that ploy didn’t work.
That’s the second home game in a row where the opposition has scored with an unmarked header from a corner, but their VAR-gifted penalty was a joke — not least because there were at least four Fulham players in offside positions.
0-2 down was always going to be a huge ask but when Enzo Le Fée narrowed the deficit, I wondered if a comeback a-la Arsenal or even Bournemouth was on the cards.
The crowd didn’t play their part and it was disappointing to see everyone leaving in droves when Alex Iwobi impressively slotted home their third, whereas in previous games, the crowd would’ve driven the team on.
It seemed that no-one — the crowd or the players — had the appetite for a fight. And Fulham were allowed to steal the three points.
Stay together, everyone!
This team and the fans need to stick together, so it’s absolutely despicable to hear of the online racist abuse that’s been sent to Mundle.
We win as a team and we lose as a team. If you don’t like that, get the hell out of here and don’t dare to call yourself a Sunderland fan. How dare you!
As Dan Ballard said, days like this were always going to happen. We need to stick together no call each other out. All for one and one for all.
If you don’t like it, get lost.
Tom Albrighton says…
No surprises from Sunderland
As has been the case since Christmas, Sunderland have been a predictable beast.
Whilst Régis Le Bris’ pragmatism was a welcome change at the start of the season, the predictability it brings in a division where teams are constantly in a state of evolution is starting to bite — and bite hard.
A lack of creative spark and a lot of sideways movement that concludes in not very much isn’t enough to establish yourself at this level for a prolonged period of time.
Another challenging day for Romaine Mundle
As soon as he came on, the groans were audible and the predictable proceeded to happen.
Whilst the result wasn’t on one individual, he simply isn’t good enough for this level and his missed sitter was a ‘sliding doors moment’ in a game devoid of quality until then.
A worrying goals scored/conceded ratio
Since Christmas (someone please fact check this) we’ve conceded an average of two goals per game in the league whilst boasting a brilliantly low xG.
In short, we’re conceding around twice as many goals as we score, and it doesn’t need a genius to explain why that is objectively bad news.
Hume’s hybrid role continues
Another game where Trai Hume was neither a full back nor a midfielder — an experiment which needs to end.
Hume’s inclusion out of position softens us in defence and attack. It’s been coming for weeks and is visible to all except those who make the decisions on the team sheet. At this level, we need eleven men playing at full throttle, yet at the moment we choose to play with 9.5 every time we play Mundle and Hume out of position.
Brutal it may be, but for a team that’s taken plenty of plaudits, they’re also not immune from criticism — especially when the issues are so obvious to boot.
