Patrick Roberts has addressed his ‘sticky patch’ following a poor run of form for Sunderland.
Speaking to Sunderland Echo, the winger admits that he has been struggling this season but ‘will always work hard’ for the club.
Patrick Roberts was one of the Black Cats’ standout performers last season, as he scored five goals and provided seven assists.
However, the 26-year-old seems to be struggling without his trusty sidekick Amad Diallo this time round. Roberts is still waiting to get off the mark in the Championship, while his only assist came in the win over former club Norwich in November.
Roberts had initially still been playing very well and had earned his place in the starting line-up despite his lack of goal involvements, however recent weeks has seen his form drastically decline.
The attacker was ‘way below his best’ against Huddersfield Town, completing only 33% of his crosses and losing possession 13 times.
Sunderland fans are calling for Roberts to be dropped now, though he is insisting that it will eventually click for him.
When speaking about the club’s younger players, he said: “They have bright futures ahead of them but at the same time you want to win games and it’s having that balance of encouraging them and telling them when it’s not going so great, and the same with other players for me.
“I’m having a sticky patch at the minute, haven’t scored just yet but I will always work hard and give 100 per cent when selected and that’s all anyone can ask of me and I can ask of myself.
“When it clicks it should come and the same with the strikers. When you get one then the rest start to fall. We have to do it at both ends of the park and score goals and not concede them and we have to work on that as a team.”
Should Sunderland stick with Patrick Roberts?
It is a very difficult one with Patrick Roberts, because when he is on top form he is arguably our best player.
The winger is easily our most technically gifted and most skilful player and can definitely be one of the best in the Championship, but it just isn’t working out for him at the minute.
Roberts did so well last season because he had Amad Diallo to play off, and that benefitted the Ivorian too – but he seems very isolated a lot of the time now.
That doesn’t excuse his terrible performances in recent games though and he should definitely spend some time on the bench. But we should really consider bringing in more of a creative midfielder to help him and the struggling strikers out.