Sunderland had to settle for a point at home to Preston North End on Tuesday night. For a promotion chasing side, it’s a game the Black Cats should’ve really won.
Come the end of the season, there might be a number of games that Regis Le Bris looks back on and rues some missed points, with Sunderland dropping far too many of late.
Since the turn of the year, Sunderland have only lost two of 13 games in the Championship, winning seven in what’s been a decent return. But it should be so much more with dropped points in games against the likes of Watford and Plymouth.
On top of that, Sunderland aren’t putting away the teams they should be: the Hull Citys and the Prestons. Paul Heckingbottom’s side now haven’t won in six league games, but they held their own at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland fans have had questions for Le Bris throughout the last few weeks with some of his tactics and team selections having really come under scrutiny, and Marco Gabbiadini now has some words of advice.
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Marco Gabbiadini questions ‘defensive’ Sunderland and deep-lying strikers
Against Preston, Sunderland started with both Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor up front. It didn’t prove fruitful with Isidor in particular having a poor game, missing a golden chance to score his first headed goal of the season during the first half.
Speaking on Total Sport though, Gabbiadini has questioned why both strikers were so deep against Preston, particularly when defending det-pieces. The former Sunderland man said: “There some things as well which were annoying to me, and have been for a few weeks weeks. We keep talking about our defensive position and our set up of our team when we’re out of possession, and playing two strikers you expect we could leave a man up front.
“But still, Mayenda and Isidor are 15, 20 yards inside our own half, even just in open play, and definitely for set-pieces and corners.
“Second half, Preston left one, I think it was [Emil] Riis up front, and they broke on us, he should’ve scored the lad… just by leaving a man up front against the last defender, and then winning the ball in the middle of the park. One ball over the top completely sliced us wide open.
“I’m just not quite sure why we never do that. Why we always have our forwards back on the edge of the 18 yard box in those situations.”
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Eliezer Mayenda has to start on his own vs Coventry City
Speaking recently, Le Bris said that Mayenda was in form and that he had to keep that momentum going. And right now, Isidor doesn’t seem to be so in form with no goals in four.
As good a striker as he is, Le Bris needs to pick what’s best for the team right now, and that would be Mayenda playing up top on his own.
Gary Bennett hailed Mayenda’s work-rate against Preston, his ability to work the channels and fashion chances for himself, which isn’t something that Isidor is as strong at doing.
And starting with one up top might make it easier for Le Bris to tell the striker to stay up top when the team is defending, as there’d be a more defensively-capable midfielder on the pitch instead of another striker.
Something has to change to make Sunderland more consistent. Coventry City this weekend will be really tough.