Calum Mills says…
Red and white relentlessness
One thing we saw last season was how this team would not give up.
In that second half, we didn’t look like half the team that turned up in the opening forty five but the game never looked beyond us and that’s down to the mantra instilled within the squad.
We arguably should’ve been three or four up and out of sight, but we had to dig deep to take a point — that, for me, is great to see.
Attack, attack, attack!
Apart from fifteen minutes after half time, that’s the most aggressive and progressive I’ve seen us simultaneously.
Régis Le Bris is clearly trying to add multiple facets to our game and this one in particular took Brentford by surprise, forcing them into multiple changes at half time. On a different day, Brentford would’ve been waving a little white flag with barely thirty minutes played.
Who knows which system we’ll see in midweek, but I for one can’t wait…
A poor goal conceded
The goal we conceded was poor and not one you can class as “typical Sunderland”.
We battered them from pillar to post in the first half, but sod’s law ruled and we found ourselves 1-0 down.
A sluggish start to the second half
We didn’t come out the same team for that first period and I can’t fathom why. How do you go in at half time with Brentford wobbled against the ropes, only to end up in the position we did?
Fortunately we have some experienced leaders in the squad who know how to get a reaction from their teammates.
Daniel Crosbie says…
Enzo Le Fée has the last laugh
Le Fée never needed to redeem himself to Sunderland supporters, but I hope this felt like a small measure of revenge against Brentford.
Their fixation with his missed Panenka in January was always a bit strange — they repeatedly replayed it around the ground, mocked him on social media afterwards, and even dug it out months later as one of their moments of the season.
It was sort of tin-pottery I thought we’d left behind in League One, so there was something particularly satisfying about Le Fée returning to the same ground, facing the same goalkeeper and calmly scoring the penalty that denied Brentford victory.
After the mileage they got out of that miss, I’m glad he had the last laugh.
Standing firm at the Gtech
There were encouraging things to take from both halves — and the first contained some of our best attacking football under Régis Le Bris.
The rotations between Thomas Meunier and Nordi Mukiele gave both more freedom than either enjoyed alongside Trai Hume. Noah Sadiki looked much closer to his best, and Nilson Angulo produced his most threatening performance of the season.
The second half showed a different side to us and when Brentford got their tails up and eventually took the lead, we stayed resolute, weathered the pressure and refused to let the game get away from us.
We then worked our way back into the contest and, after Le Fée’s equaliser, were the side pushing for a winner. A point at the Gtech is a good result against a strong Brentford side, particularly with a difficult run of fixtures ahead.
Pressure needs to lead to goals
For all the quality of the first half performance, Sunderland reached the interval goalless.
There was some bad luck involved, but Premier League away games rarely allow you to dominate for long, and Brentford adjusted, took control and eventually scored, underlining the importance of making those spells count.
Brian Brobbey is still searching for his spark
Brobbey worked hard and probably produced his best league performance of the season, but we’re still waiting for him to really catch fire.
After the way he finished last season and the form he showed over the summer, I expected a sharper start.
The support around him looked much better here, which was encouraging, but three league games in we’re still waiting to see the powerful, decisive Brobbey who looked so dangerous towards the end of last season.
James Elliott says…
A devastating first half display
We were excellent in the first half and incredibly unlucky not to be 0-1 up.
The goal should’ve stood — Caoimhin Kelleher was never getting to it, and Noah Sadiki and Nilson Angulo were the standouts for me. Sadiki was an absolute engine, covering almost every blade of grass on the pitch, whilst Angulo was incredibly skilful.
Every time he got on the ball, it felt like we were about to see some magic.
Wilson Isidor catches the eye
Another week off the bench and Isidor looked lively and dangerous yet again.
He created chances, worked well with Brobbey and looked a real threat. It was great to see the two of them playing alongside each other.
Enzo Le Fée rewrites the script at the Gtech Stadium
A brilliant penalty from Le Fée brought us level, and he was very unlucky not to have a couple more goals.
His earlier strike rattled off the post, and he was a live wire throughout the game.
We need to be more clinical
My only real frustration from today is that we aren’t taking enough of our chances. There were plenty of opportunities to go ahead, but we just couldn’t find the net.
All in all, it’s hard to complain about taking a point away from home. Haway the Lads!
John Wade says…
An impressive defensive display
The entirety of our five-man defence were excellent.
Kevin Danso fitted in to the starting eleven like a square on a two-year-old’s shape board. His range of passing was so impressive, setting Nilson Angulo away down the left on a number of occasions. We looked assured and with very few moments of danger given away during an all-around very solid display.
I loved the five across the back for many reasons — not least of which was the confidence and general assurance that it gave Dan Ballard. He looked back to his best and he didn’t put a foot wrong in my opinion from the east end of the GTech.
Nordi Mukiele looked a class above and Thomas Meunier and Reinildo didn’t look troubled at any point.
A little more spark up top
Up front I thought we looked far better.
Brian Brobbey didn’t score but his general contribution was excellent. He got nothing from the referee once again, yet battled as only he can.
No breakthrough in the first half
A bit harsh as I’d have taken a point at kick off but we really should have been three or four up at half time.
The ref, VAR, Enzo Le Fée hitting the post…I was looking at the board in the stadium wondering how it still said 0-0.
No further negatives!
Nope, you aren’t getting another one.
We were superb all day and deserved the win. The opinions of the Brentford fans I spoke to ranged from we could’ve won that to “Oh my God, your number ten was incredible.” I did try to explain that the lad who came on for him is expected to be starting ahead of him, but they weren’t having it.
I’ll say it again: this squad is an absolute monster, and expect good things ahead. We were unlucky not to take three points.
Jon Guy says…
Sunderland show their potential
Before the game the Brentford fans in the pub were simply debating how many they would win by.
The first half was phenomenal played. We with such style we could and should’ve been three up at least.
Nilson Angulo excels
Angulo was exceptional — what a performance.
He had the right back every which way. They tried to double mark him and he ran riot. A joy to behold.
The Lads weather the storm
Fair play to Keith Andrews: he sorted out his side at the break and they were a different team.
The goal wasn’t deserved and we dug in and got back into the game, and after the penalty we looked the more threatening. It’s a resilience which has come to define this team.
Chances created but not converted
We need to convert when we are on top.
We dominated the first half but failed to take any of the several chances we created. It has cost us as if we’d been two up at the break, we’d have come away with three points.
However, a really good performance on which we can build.
Lars Knutsen says…
A well-taken Sunderland penalty
The Premier League rule changes played in our favour, because Keane Lewis-Potter wasn’t even looking at the ball when he wrestled down Wilson Isidor.
This time VAR didn’t intervene and Enzo Le Fée resisted the temptation of a panenka, netting beautifully to
Caoimhin Kelleher’s left.
It was a richly-deserved equaliser, as part of a compelling and entertaining game.
Brobbey and Isidor up front together
I’ve been agitating on these pages for our main strikers to play together.
Going behind after fifty seven minutes meant that we had to make changes, and they worked as long passes into the box were a simple strategy, with the midfield picking up the return balls.
This changed, second half “route one” strategy wasn’t necessarily pretty, but it worked, and we got our reward.
First half dominance not translated to a lead
Sunderland were totally dominant in the first period and created great chances.
Dan Ballard finished very well, only for VAR to intervene. We hit the post, had accurate shots on goal blocked in the process of registering six shots on target.
It was a great attacking performance, but we did not reach the halftime break in the lead, as we were wasteful in front of goal.
Failure to turn one point into three
A point away is rarely a bad result, and fans have to be happy with the result.
Nobody played badly, and the debutants Danso from the start and Fofana from 74 minutes both impressed. Brentford were physically aggressive.
But if we had been more clinical in front of goal, nobody will have argued that we deserved all three points.
Lee Morrison says…
Mentality monsters strike again!
Much like we saw in the build up to our game “under the lights” at Elland Road, the team was written off before they’d even kicked a ball against Brentford. However, I couldn’t have been more proud of the mentality of the team, particularly in the first half.
We should’ve been well ahead, but the attacking flair and chances we created were brilliant to see.
Considering we’re supposedly going to finish bottom of the league, we hammered Keith Andrews’ media darlings…
A fantastic comeback and Enzo Le Fée’s redemption arc
Whilst there are thousands of clichés in football, it’s always nice to see someone get some redemption in a game, so step forward Le Fée and that fantastic penalty.
Although it undoubtedly turned into a catalyst for Le Fée last season, the confidence that he demonstrated at that moment was superb, and that’s without even going into the finish.
Needless to say, there was absolutely no chance for Caoimhin Kelleher. Here’s hoping he gets into a bit of a run going forward.
Hopeless officiating strikes again
Like many others have said, the refereeing was absolutely baffling.
Brian Brobbey was fouled constantly throughout the game and got very little in return.
It shouldn’t be such a surprise when he actually is awarded a free kick, given the amount of handling going on.
Frustrating commentary bias
Obviously because the game was a 3:00pm Saturday kick off and I reside in the UK, I didn’t actually watch the game, opting instead to rely simply on Ceefax and text updates.
Had I actually watched a stream of the match, I imagine I’d have been baffled by the commentary on offer.
Claiming that Robin Roefs was fortunate to get a foul when he clearly had both hands on the ball, Dan Ballard’s goal being absolutely fine to disallow despite the ridiculous five-minute VAR deliberation that would suggest otherwise…I could go on.
Is it too much to ask that someone who commentates on our games has actually seen us play before?
Mark Ryan says…
Sunderland’a reshuffled defence impresses
Like Omar Alderete a year ago, Kevin Danso was immediately better than advertised on the ball, chipping balls over the press and hitting diagonals to the wing.
Dan Ballard played his best match of the season, and Reinildo and Nordi Mukiele kept things mostly quiet on the wings.
Brentford have been dangerous throughout pre-season and the start of the campaign, so allowing only one goal on the road is nothing to apologise for.
A lively display from Nilson Angulo
Angulo had an excellent first half after an indifferent sixty five minutes against Fulham.
He was aggressive in space and set up several early chances for the Black Cats. He was so dangerous, in fact, that he forced Keith Andrews to pull right back Michael Kayode at half-time
He wasn’t much of a factor in the second half, but the first half was an encouraging sign of what he’s capable of.
Can we become more clinical when it matters?
As fluid as the attack was in the first half, all that dominance has to be converted into goals.
Sunderland showed in the back half of last season an ability to create more chances, and this was a continuation of that. But we’re just not ruthless enough in front of goal.
Too many opportunities are left wanting — often because indecisiveness leads to unnecessary touches that allow opponents the extra moment to recover. Noah Sadiki, Thomas Meunier and more should’ve made more of the opportunities given to them in the first half.
One or two points shy of a par score?
Four points from the first three matches aren’t a terrible return, particularly given two were on the road. But there was every opportunity to get at least five, and it wouldn’t have been crazy given the game states if we’d taken all nine.
There are chances there for great rather than simply good, and the team needs to start taking them.
Owen Sara says…
Nilson Angulo ups his game
A much brighter performance from Angulo.
He went past Michael Kayode a number of times and threatened when at the byline.
For the last few weeks, he’s looked scared to go past his man but looks to have some confidence creeping in, which is great to see.
A solid debut for Kevin Danso
Danso impressed at the back, handling Igor Thiago very well and not giving him a sniff.
He’s going to be a very shrewd operator at the back for us and will give us that extra bit of nous.
Chances not taken in the first half
Despite a positive first half we did not take our chances.
We got punished with a Brentford goal and we quickly need to learn that games can be taken out of sight if u don’t finish your dinner.
More consistency of performance needed?
Once again, we can’t play well over more than one half of football.
We either finish really strongly or come out of the blocks sharply and take our foot off the gas in the second half. This needs to be sorted over the course of the season.
Tom Albrighton says…
A sensual Sunderland back five
Régis, I never knew how much I wanted it until you gave it to me.
The back five was bold, it was brave and it was tremendous (for the most) — balanced, aggressive and playing to almost all our strengths.
To paraphrase Guide Me Thou I Great Redeemer, “Feed me ‘til I want no more”.
Nilson Angulo’s South American spin cycle
It was a delight to see Angulo come to life and it was due in no small part to a change in system.
With Angulo able to be squared up to his man, rarely receiving the ball standing still and with space to work with, we saw what he was capable of: making good full backs look like chumps.
Of course there’s refinement needed but after last week, this should be a timely boost to his confidence as well as a reminder to fans that sometimes players just need time.
A weird second half display
For some reason, we stood off for the first ten minutes of the second half and then lost our way for another ten around the hour mark.
In part, that was down to Keith Andrews changing the game with some astute technical changes but when we were so comfortable, our slow start handed more impetus than perhaps those changes delivered.
One thing we need to perhaps work on going forward in this style would be asserting pressure on teams over longer periods, especially if they let us dictate terms.
Shooting boots needed
xG a flick away from two away from home is always good and if anything, it’s a bit harsh given what we created.
One thing we have to do is start converting our chances — we can count ourselves unlucky here but in the previous two games, we simply couldn’t.
Keeping building the attack, lads!
With how we attacked yesterday and the solid foundations resulting in Sunderland conceding a meagre number of shots on target in our opening three games, if we can turn the tide in front of goal, things could really change in our favour in the short term.
