Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has said that the team were ‘frustrated’ by their 0-0 draw away at Swansea City, putting the failure to score down to having ‘inexperienced strikers’.
The Black Cats drew after playing for 60 minutes against ten men after Swansea midfielder Charlie Patino was sent off on the half-hour mark for two yellow cards.
Mowbray’s side failed to make the most of the one-man advantage, despite having 25 shots throughout the game.
Mowbray on ‘inexperienced’ strikers
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo after the match, Mowbray was not disappointed by the performance, but instead the result down to his strikers.
“I think we were all frustrated.
“I thought we were at our best for thirty minutes when it was 11-v-11. We should have been three-up, we had a one-on-one and Dan Neil had a big chance when the ball was cutback. It’s really frustrating when you play against ten for so long but credit to them, they defended well.
“I’m not disappointed with the performance against ten, just that we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net. The performance level was total domination in my opinion, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t score. I’ve said it before, I think we do have inexperienced strikers.
“We’re not short on strikers but the goals are generally coming from elsewhere, from the wingers or the midfielders or even the defenders. We are struggling to get goals from the centre forwards and I put it down to inexperience in terms of finding space in the box. The best strikers find space, they know when to stand still, when to run to the near post and then back off and head it in, all that. We’re trying to do that work but it was just a frustrating day for us.”
Sunderland should have replaced key man in summer
Mowbray is right in saying Sunderland do have inexperienced strikers.
Nazariy Rusyn started upfront on Saturday afternoon, the summer signing still adjusting to life in England after his move from his native Ukraine.
He was brought off in the second half for 20-year-old Luis Semedo, who is also adjusting after a summer move from abroad.
Sunderland failed to replace Ross Stewart after his departure to Southampton in the summer, and results and performances like these can’t help but make you think that they should have done more to bring in an experienced striker in his place.