Roy Keane said he wants points not plaudits after the defeat at West Ham at the weekend so I’ve got a point to make with no plaudits. Shouldn’t Sunderland be a little braver away from home against teams like the Hammers?
The Black Cats certainly held their own at Upton Park and, had it not been for a wonderful instinctive save from Robert Green to deny Grant Leadbitter after Kenwyne Jones had headed in an equaliser, they might have taken something back to Wearside with them.
Instead, they left east London with no points for the third game in a row - it was also their 20th in London without a win - and have failed to win a single game away from the Stadium of Light so far this season. Things are certainly better than they were under Mick McCarthy, but Keane’s right, they need to start taking points, not collecting hard luck stories.
But does the manager have to take some of the blame for the 3-1 defeat by West Ham? After all, it was the Irishman’s decision to go into the game with a 4-5-1 formation against a team who, while certainly more established in the top flight, have considerable injury problems and had only won one game at home before Sunday.
Did the five-man midfield send out a negative message, suggesting to their hosts that Sunderland had come with a point in mind? Certainly the Black Cats looked out-of sorts in the first half, although Keane spotted the problem and had changed back to a more fluent 4-4-2 just before half time. Would the result have been different if he had been a little bolder from the start?
It is, therefore, ironic that Sunderland should end up conceding two goals and lost the game in a second period that, with the formation changed, they probably shaded on the balance of play. So much for formations!
Bad luck played its part, I mean, how often does a shot hit the post and then hit the back of the goalkeeper and go in as Nolberto Solano’s did for West Ham’s crucial second goal? You hope that luck evens itself up over the course of a campaign, but I’m never sure if that ever actually happens. There are lucky teams and unlucky teams for whatever reason and the Black Cats look an unlucky one at the moment.
But, Keane is right, there is no point winning friends and admirers if you’re not winning any football matches and Sunderland, with just under a quarter of the season played, are already facing up to a battle against relegation. It certainly doesn’t look as though Sunderland will repeat Reading’s heroics and push for a Uefa Cup place in their first season after promotion from the Championship.
It sounds simple - and I suppose it is - but they are conceding too many goals and the defence will be the manager’s major headache at the moment. As, perhaps, will be Michael Chopra’s nine games without a goal. The former Newcastle striker, most worryingly of all, does not look like scoring either.
Thankfully Jones is proving to be rather more successful at finding the net, but Keane could do with Andy Cole finally recovering his match fitness to provide an alternative option up front. Either that or give last season’s top goalscorer David Connolly a try!
Saturday’s game against Fulham will be a pivotal one and, as Alan Shearer - not someone normally renowned for his support for Sunderland it has to be said - commented on Match of the Day at the start of the season, Sunderland’s home form will be crucial in determining whether they are gearing up for another trip to Old Trafford next season or an away day in Scunthorpe.
For me, Keane’s squad, with a few new additions in January, will be good enough to stay up, but they need to improve quickly and maybe, dare I say it, be a little bolder away from home against teams like West Ham.
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