Sunderland dropped points at home again this weekend, with a 2-2 draw all they could muster against Watford on Saturday afternoon.
Regis Le Bris’ men twice came from behind to rescue a point at the Stadium of Light against Tom Cleverley’s Watford side.
While the draw saw Sunderland maintain their unbeaten home record this season, it’s a disappointing result in the grand scheme of things when it comes to their promotion hopes.
Le Bris made some changes to his lineup for the clash with Watford, and the Frenchman has received some criticism for a couple of players he handed minutes to.
- READ MORE: Sunderland player ratings vs Watford as Salis Abdul Samed and isolated attacker receive 5/10
Salis Abdul Samed and Ian Poveda need more time and patience
Speaking to the Northern Echo after the game, the Sunderland manager was asked about the performances from Ian Poveda and Salis Abdul Samed in particular, as the pair continue their comeback from injury this season.
He said: “It’s always a question of building different steps. It’s not easy for Salis to find his best rhythm after six months out. He and Ian will need time. It’s a question of building new layers, and to be consistent will take patience. We want to be dominant but it’s never easy to keep this dynamic for a long period.”
| Statistics | Ian Poveda vs Watford |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 31 |
| Touches | 30 |
| Pass success | 73% |
| Dribble success | 66% |
| Key passes | 1 |
| Possession lost | 12 |
In particular, Poveda received some negative attention from fans after the game, but Le Bris preferred to focus on the positives when it comes to the winger’s progress.
“Ian has good qualities but he’s not played for a long period,” he said. “When he came in against Middlesbrough, he had an opportunity [to score] and this was a good reminder that at this level, we have to be humble because even if you are very talented it is tough to build a good connection.”
“This was another step for Ian today and so I hope that he will be better and better in the future,” Le Bris added.
Sunderland should persist with Poveda, but Samed is a lost cause
Ultimately, in pursuit of promotion this season, Le Bris will need to lean on every member of the Sunderland squad, and both Samed and Poveda will get more opportunities to show what they can do.
But, at the end of the day, Poveda is a Sunderland player. The club invested in him, and frankly, they need to get the best out of him to avoid the risk of having wasted money, and he should get more minutes with the long-term gain in mind.
| Statistics | Salis Abdul Samed vs Watford |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 59 |
| Touches | 20 |
| Pass success | 82% |
| Duels won | 66% |
| Possession lost | 3 |
| Rating | 6.4 |
For Samed, on the other hand, the club really doesn’t stand to benefit from using him more, unless he’s about to find good form. He is only on loan, has failed to impress so far, and Sunderland are unlikely to want to keep him beyond the end of the season.
In that respect, they owe Samed nothing, and patience must surely be running thing. He should be bottom of the pecking order in that central midfield area, considering Le Bris has the likes of Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, Enzo Le Fee, and the returning Alan Browne to choose from.