FITNESS VS FORM

Since mathematically securing a play-off spot in a 0-0 draw with Norwich City, Sunderland have lost three games in a row with the overarching aim of protecting our key players. With two league fixtures remaining, is this the point where we bring the big boys back into the side and try to build some momentum?

The team is in a really strange position. Our flying start meant that even though play-offs were confirmed on April 8th, we all realistically knew since probably Christmas that we’d end up in the top six. But the gap between the top three teams and the rest of the division means that we never had a massive chance of gaining automatic promotion. This pretty much leaves us with nothing to play for - just like last season, but for an entirely different reason.

The last handful of games have proved useful in getting minutes in the legs of the whole squad but at the cost of killing any sort of good feeling in the fanbase going into this upcoming play-off campaign. It is very rare that the team who go into the play-offs on a downward spiral are able to turn things around and earn promotion. Today’s lineup was pretty laughable. The pre-match atmosphere was one of a pre-season friendly at best which is understandable. There were plenty of empty seats, more than the announced attendance suggested, and this is to be expected. I don’t blame season ticket holders for not showing up in these meaningless games, especially when the football is particularly dire. If RLB isn’t going to show these fixtures any respect, why should the supporters?

Joe Anderson started his first league game for Sunderland 811 days after signing for the club. He didn’t have a particularly bad game but it’s symbolic of the way Regis Le Bris has written off these remaining games. Out of the 11 who started the match, I reckon five will be starting for us in the play-offs (Patto, Mepham, O’Nien, Jobe, Isidor).

RLB got everything right at the start of the season, and maybe we should just trust him to get this spot on too, but right now the good feeling around the SoL has totally been deflated. The plan for the squad going into the semi-finals is obvious for all to see but it’s a pretty risky blueprint. If it backfires, the fans will let Le Bris know of their frustrations.