Conceding 16 goals in their first seven matches, Sunderland look destined for relegation this season as they sit bottom of the Premier League ladder. As Josh Mazza writes, there have been ominous signs for Advocaat.
Dick Advocaat has some big decisions to make up in the coming weeks as he desperately attempts to resolve his sides considerable problems at the back. Sunderland currently sitting in last place in the Barclays Premier League, having only managed two draws and four losses amounting to a meagre two-point total.
During that period Sunderland have conceded the most goals out of any side, 16, while only managing to score six.
The last three games have seen the Black Cats register just one goal, conceding eight and so the pressure mounts on Advocaat to turn this dismal start to the season around.
Extremely alarming results include their recent Capital One Cup match against Manchester City and away trip to Dean Court. It was just last week that Sunderland’s fell to a 2-0 loss at the hands of newly-promoted, AFC Bournemouth.
Again it was their appalling start to the game, defensively, which saw Advocaat’s side concede a goal within 10 minutes as centre-half Younes Kaboul was turned easily by Callum Wilson who fired into the back of the net. Kaboul’s dismal first half continued as he was later sent off for diving into a challenge carelessly receiving his marching orders.
The introduction of Jack Rodwell at half time meant a shield to protect the back four and Sunderland did improve albeit with one less player. Advocaat, however was left bitter with his sides lacklustre first half.
“It is a big problem because mentality is difficult to change. Last week, we thought in training that it was getting better and better. But if you see what we did in the first half, it was unbelievable. I am very, very angry with the players because this is not the first time. After the game I said I will start thinking about myself. What did I do wrong? What are we doing during the week?” Advocaat said after his sides loss.
The only positive was that they had a game in a few days where they could aim to improve their performance and kick start their campaign. Though they faced a near impossible task in league leaders, Manchester City.
And the task was impossible. Sunderland suffered a Capital One Cup thrashing at the hands of City, losing 4-1. It was again Sunderland’s issues at the back, particularly in the first half which saw City feast on their vulnerabilities. In a devastating 11-minute period during the first half City smashed in three goals to kill off the game.
The three goals conceded before the interval meant that the Black Cats have now shipped an astonishing 17 goals in eight games thus far in the first 45 minutes of their fixtures.
There is mounting pressure on Advocaat to now address and rectify these issues going forward or else the season may be over before it has even started.
Things must change, and quickly too.
One change that Advocaat might make to his back four is the introduction of Jack Rodwell into the centre-back spot. The young midfielder has all the attributes to play as a centre-half. Tall, good in the air and using both feet well, could Rodwell save Sunderland’s season? Well, he could go along way to improving Sunderland’s terrible defensive performances so far.
“It was something I thought about last season when he was not in the team. In principle, he is a centre-half in origin. He is good in the air, he has got two good feet,” Advocaat told the Sunderland Echo.
“Football-wise and passing-wise, he is what I am looking for in terms of giving the ball to his team-mates. We have too many players who just kick the ball away” he continued.
With Kaboul misfiring, Advocaat must find a solution before his time runs out.
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