Michael Beale spoke to the press following Sunderland's 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle today.
GAME OF TWO HALVES
"Well we only played in one half to be honest. We started the game well, but we really fell away. There were too many individual errors, we went really bold with our line up and it certainly in terms of our cohesion early in the game... I wasn't pleased with our pressing."
SECOND HALF MUCH IMPROVED
"We had honest words at half time, got out there early and I thought from the moment we kicked off, we were much much better. We scored three excellent goals and we're mixing around the goal scorers now as well. It was three special goals."
PRESSED WELL
"I think we went and pressed really well, Trai Hume jumping out his slot to press and make challenges, Naz pressing tirelessly didn't get a personal reward but his energy for the team was fantastic. In that fifteen, twenty minute spell we looked a really good team. It's incredible when you compare the level of performance in the two halves, but I guess that's what it's like managing a young team at times. I just said to them, it's a really important win when you look at the table tonight."
MAINTAIN THE LEVEL
"We're a young team and so we always can get better. In that first half there weren't too many in a Sunderland shirt who did themselves justice and we spoke about that. We spoke about wanting to excite our fans at home, to run, play front-foot football and for people to express themselves. I could have made five subs but I told the players that I thought it was the right team and they had to put it right. We didn't want any regrets and I expected more. The second half was fantastic and we have to stay at that level."
DAN NEIL IS CLASS
"We made a tactical change and got Dan free by tying up their midfielders. For a fifteen, twenty-minute period Dan had a lot of freedom. He had a really influential second half in all aspects, he won duels, he drove us forward, he played passes."
