Sunderland were outclassed this afternoon suffering an embarrassing four one defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the SOL. The lads were made to look like a Championship side by a very ordinary Premiership outfit but there’s no masking the fact that some of our players, on today's showing, would be lucky to be playing in the fourth tier of English football.

Step forward Nyron Nosworthy, Dean Whitehead and Danny Collins. The fact that these three survivors of the ill fated 15 point season started the game this afternoon is frightening. They weren’t the only ones to blame however as the rest of the Sunderland side lacked passion and worryingly a plan b when the route one ball to Kenwyne Jones was consistently failing to work.

This truly is the worst performance I have witnessed from a Roy Keane Sunderland team. Yet again Keane made changes to the eleven that lost last week. Craig Gordon retuned in goal whilst Anton Ferdinand strangely dropped to the bench allowing Danny Collins and Nyron Nosworthy to reunite the worst partnership since Bob Murray and John Fickling. Pascal Chimbonda replaced Ferdinand but slotted in at right back with Bardo moving to the left.

In midfield Reid and Malbranque started on the wings Whitehead and Richardson in the centre. Up front Jones and Cisse. To be fair as they did last Sunday the lads started OK and in fact took the lead after about fifteen minutes. Malbranque showed his quality and played in Djibril Cisse who scuffed his shot in off the post.

After the sublime soon came the ridiculous.

Bolton levelled soon after when Matty Taylor, yes Matty Taylor the little winger we tried to sign last January out muscled and out jumped Chimbonda to loop a header over Gordon. Bolton took the lead soon after when Danny Collins’ poor defensive header was thumped past Craig Gordon by the clinical finisher that is Bolton centre half Gary Cahill (also a transfer target for The Lads). I don’t mean to be disrespectful to Bolton but they won’t have an easier game all season, I mean how bad is it when a centre half is scoring like that against you?

Sunderland almost went three behind but Elmander was guilty of missing a good chance when he fired over after racing through on goal and rounding Gordon. The angle proved too tight for the lanky striker but alarmingly for us the defence again were nowhere to be seen. Elmander was not to be as wasteful the next time as he was gift wrapped an early Christmas present from the Sunderland defence. Danny Collins decided not to clear Cahill’s long punt forward allowing Elmander to blast the ball past Gordon. Disgraceful.

Any hope of a comeback went as the half time whistle sounded though Cisse did have a goal disallowed when Kenwyne Jones was adjudged to have committed a foul. At half time Sunderland boxer Tony Jeffries signed his first professional boxing contract. Well done to him but I would have had him in the dressing room at half time knocking lumps out of the players. Richardson was replaced by Leadbitter possibly as a precaution as he had picked up a caution but this inspirational change had no impact on the game.

The Bolton rout was finished just after half time when this time Whitehead gave away the ball allowing Nolan to pick out Elmander for his second of the game. A lot of people left at this point but those who stayed had the last laugh when Keano went all out attack by bringing off our two most defensive players in Malbranque and Reid for our two most creative Miller and Tainio. Oh wait have I got that the wrong way round?

As the full time whistle sounded those who stayed till the death rightfully booed off the team who had produced one of the most error prone performances I think I have witnessed. Bolton could and probably should have scored more than four as Sunderland consistently gave away possession in bad areas.

Let’s hope we’ve seen the last defensive lapse for a while as the form book is not looking good.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Bolton 4

ALS Man of the Match: You’re kidding aren’t ya!

Aidan Crowe

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