Yesterday’s game at Fulham seemed a good opportunity to add to our points haul this season, however Fulham’s home record this season has been excellent – their league position affected by an awful away showing rather than their showings at Craven Cottage. After the international break, Regis Le Bris went in with an unchanged team, but the lads went down in probably their poorest display of the season. Here’s the key talking points from the game.
Was five at the back the right call?
It’s not often we can attribute a poor result or performance
to Regis Le Bris this season, but the lads’ showing against Fulham unfortunately falls into that category, for me.
While consistent personnel selection is an important aspect of a successful team, eyebrows were raised when a fourth consecutive identical line-up was announced with the lads lining up in a back five.
It has undoubtedly served us well thus far in the season, but the shape just didn’t do us any favours today – we looked flat, uninspired and devoid of ideas going forward, while uncharacteristically leaking plenty of chances at the back. While in possession, the system becomes a back four, which means Trai Hume comes into midfield – and with the greatest respect to Trai, it’s a lot to ask him to play in midfield in the Premier League. While the five worked at Chelsea, and to many respects at home to Arsenal, we were poor with it at home to Everton, and yesterday too. Hopefully, we can see a revision of the line-up against Bournemouth – and if anybody can remediate the issues of this week, it’s Le Bris.
Wing play not adding to our attacking threat
The wing play remains a sticking point for Sunderland 12 games into the season. Despite the consistent lineup with Enzo Le Fee and Bertrand Traore flanking Isidor, there remains an overall lack of fluidity and effectiveness from the wings.
Traoré was perhaps our most promising attacking outlet today, but was ultimately fruitless in his endeavours. This is not entirely his fault, but eventually we’ll have to get something out of the wide areas.
I love Le Fee, even on the wing, and would have him in any starting XI but the right wing is still up for grabs in my opinion – interested to see if Talbi or Mundle can claim a spot.
Unusually quiet game for Granit Xhaka
Our captain, Granit Xhaka, had a particularly quiet game yesterday, especially for his own very high standards. There are mitigating circumstances, having just played a couple of internationals that were tought mentally as well as physically, and we missed the drive he usually provides. Admittedly, very few of the players imposed themselves fully on the game over the 90, but in games like this, we’re used to some of the more experienced lads taking the game by the horns and dragging us through.
Unfortunately, Xhaka and the typical leadership team were uncharacteristically quiet today in that regard, and we seemed to coast through a game begging for someone to make a difference.
I also thought the lads looked unusually fatigued today, especially on the right flank with Mukiele and Hume at points. For me, it may point to a need for extra legs in midfield, and Diarra’s return will be very welcomed.
Subs failed to make an impact for Sunderland
Throughout the season, we’ve seen Regis Le Bris use his subs to great effect, and after a decent opening 15 minutes in the second half, the introduction of Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi gave hope we’d see a strong final half hour. Neither were able to impact the game. Brobbey was often isolated, with the ball rarely reaching him, while Talbi – who’s looked far better coming in off the left than on the right – struggled to retain possession and get into the game. It was symptomatic of the wider team performance, but disappointing all the same.
A reminder of the quality of the Premier League
As sore as yesterday was, it squarely falls into the category of ‘The Premier League is a very difficult league’ as we had all prepared ourselves for ahead of the season. Fulham are a strong side, especially at home, and yesterday they showed why they’ve succeeded at this level for so long.
It represented the first game of the season where we didn’t truly match up to the standards we are capable of for the duration of the match, and we suffered the consequences. It was a lacklustre display all over the field, and there’s not one Sundeland player who could come off feeling content with their own display. Fulham deserved the win today, but hopefully the lads will come back with a point to prove next week. The standards have been established at the club, and we have the personnel to enforce them.
Except in the refereeing department…
A word for Darren England, the referee who was at the centre of the Spurs vs Liverpool controversy not too long ago. We know refs have a tough job to do, and we know it’s not easy – but Mr England turned in one of the worst refereeing displays we’ve seen for a long, long time. Five fouls were given against Fulham, 14 against Sunderland – which indicated which way he seemed to go for most calls. Innocuous ‘fouls’ by Sunderland were frequently blown up for, while Fulham had to commit GBH to concede a free kick. Isidor was fouled with a strong push in the back when through on goal in the first half – nothing doing. A Sunderland break in the second half was halted because a Fulham player had something in his eye, while the free kick that was awarded in the game’s closing stages – which led to Fulham’s goal – was pathetic. We’d have likely lost regardless, as we simply didn’t play well, but the worst performer on the field yesterday was the fella in the middle – and given how poor we were for spells, that’s saying something.
Full time fracas means this could be a story that’ll be continued
At the end of the game, there was a bit of a melee, which Granit Xhaka and Brian Brobbey – among others – seemed to play a part in from a Sunderland perspective. A member of the Sunderland coaching team, possibly Isidre Ramón Madir, was given a yellow card, and the referee will no doubt include mention of it in his match report. Le Bris wasn’t happy that the team got involved – rightly pointing out there’s something amiss if they’ve got the energy to fight at the end of a lacklustre performance such as that – and hopefully there’s no further repercussions. Rent-a-quote ex ref Keith Hackett has already called for fines and suspensions – it’d didn’t look that bad from the footage – but it’s one to keep an eye on this week.
