Ciaran McKenna says…
A good away point
I would’ve taken a point before the game, given our form and heavy injury list, and coming up against a Bournemouth team that was unbeaten in seven.
I thought we played really well in periods of the game and defended terrifically throughout. We definitely earned the point and I don’t think anyone would say all three were undeserved if we’d taken them.
Dan Ballard stands tall
To be honest, Big Dan could be in my “two up” every week, but he was especially excellent yesterday.
He was faultless, winning every ball that came his
way and it was also an exquisite pass to find Habib Diarra before Eliezer Mayenda scored.
His ‘body on the line’ approach to defending in the last few minutes was heroic and he was key to us taking a point back to Wearside.
The referee…enough said
It’s an obvious one, but equally unavoidable and it’s becoming something of a joke now.
How on earth the referee hasn’t given the penalty on the field, I just don’t know, but then the frustration multiplies when VAR doesn’t give it either. If it’s not going to get the decision right, what’s the point in having it?
The same goes for Tyler Adams not seeing red — those sorts of tackles have consistently led to red cards for the last few seasons.
Not taking our opportunities
This one is a slight stretch, but there’s something to be said about it.
In the first half, when we had all the possession and momentum, we only scored one goal. That’s not to say we didn’t take our chances, as we didn’t have too many, but I still think we should create more when we’re on top like that.
A one-goal deficit is rarely enough in the Premier League — especially away from home.
John Wilson says…
A lively Sunderland start
At last, we were back to a fast early tempo with a high press.
During the first ten minutes, Bournemouth were hardly in the game and Sunderland showed a much-improved attitude and level of commitment.
It could’ve been the ‘Granit Xhaka factor’ or that the players realised they needed to up their game, but it was a pleasing first half.
Enzo Le Fée works his magic
I’ve just sussed it out. Put black round spectacles on Enzo Le Fée and draw a scar on his forehead.
Yes, you’ve got it — it’s Harry Potter in another guise! What a magician that lad is. I love watching him.
The officials and their accompanying technology
I don’t care if it’s boring or predictable, but that referee was appalling.
VAR apparently checked our penalty appeal and said it was “normal contact” — and this is why VAR causes such contention.
The referee can plead human frailty. The VAR officials have no such excuse but Jarred Gillett has been poor every time he’s officiated for us, and that’s being very kind. Eight extra minutes developed into twelve. Inconsistencies all over. Mind boggling.
No further complaints
When I have to ponder too long for a second negative, I know there really isn’t one!
It was a battling performance and a win would’ve been superb, but we’ll take another point and head to Leeds — hopefully with no added injuries.
Malc Dugdale says…
Eliezer Mayenda makes his mark
Mayenda took his chance really well and on another day, he would’ve contributed to an away win, but that wasn’t to be — thanks once again to horrendous officiating.
Hopefully that goal will boost the confidence of ‘the Big Man’ while Brian Brobbey recovers.
Great shift, Eli!
Composure and standards resumed
The performance was strong across the park — especially away from home — and we should take a lot of positives from that.
The defence was significantly changed but only conceded one goal which was a potential handball, and which Robin Roefs maybe should’ve collected anyway.
Lutsharel Geertruida came in and did a fabulous job and the midfield clicked well, with Granit Xhaka back to his best and Habib Diarra and Enzo Le Fée once again looking connected and creating. We also had threats out wide and the subs did well, with Nilson Angulo getting more minutes — and no injuries, either.
We didn’t win but we took a point — a real positive step that we can build on in midweek.
A catalogue of officiating howlers
The referee was atrocious and VAR was no better. When will this change?
A penalty wasn’t given for a clear foul on Le Fée and a red card was ignored for a tackle on Xhaka, as well as a handball for their goal — and VAR did nothing to help us.
I thought League One officiating was grim but yesterday was even worse, and I’m looking forward to the apology (again) from PGMOL.
A Robin Roefs error for Bournemouth’s goal?
Roefs has a lot of credit in the bank but he should’ve gathered the cross that led to the equaliser.
I don’t know if he got a shout from Omar Alderete and then Evanilson got the jump on Alderete before he could’ve cleared it, but it was a rare error — either a communication issue or a goalkeeping misjudgment.
He’ll learn. He’s young and very talented, and he kept us in the game on other occasions.
Tom Albrighton says…
Granit Xhaka is back!
It goes without saying, but does one player mean so much to one club?
We looked far more assured and confident with Xhaka in the side, and his presence lifts everyone.
You can’t overstate how crucial he is to this side and how — providing we stay up — crucial he’s been to maintaining this club’s top flight status.
A good away result
You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and you don’t look down on a point away from home, especially somewhere like Bournemouth.
It stops a bit of a rot and partially puts to bed a terrible performance against Fulham.
Yesterday, the standards were better for the most part and it needs to be repeated with interest in midweek when we had to the night time fortress of Elland Road.
Jarred Gillett (again)
The worst referee I’ve ever seen was at it again, and I’ll touch on why it wasn’t entirely his fault but he was a major contributing factor in Sunderland not taking all three points.
He can’t referee a game without controversy when it comes to Sunderland and he’s seemingly beyond reproach when it comes to that. A blatant penalty, a blatant red card and more than a sniff of hand ball for Bournemouth’s equaliser? Gillett was up to his elbows in it.
When will the PGMOL step in and stop this farce?
He’s inept, incapable and an embarrassment to both his employers and himself. If I found myself in above my head as consistently as Gillett does, I would simply do the decent thing and turn myself in.
I suppose it’s fitting that between himself and his employers, the inability to make the correct decision also extends to his career.
A sloppy goal conceded
We came up against it with the referee and whilst we stood strong regarding the penalty, the way we switched off for the equalising goal was poor.
This isn’t the first time in recent weeks that we’ve reacted poorly to things going against us — which is in stark contrast to approaching the opening half of the season with the perfect “us versus the world” mentality.
With some tricky away games coming up, we need to rediscover that mental resilience in order to extract the maximum we can from those fixtures, especially with the game against the visitors coming into focus.
