It's back to back defeats for Sunderland after an horrendous second half display saw us lose 2-1...
Earlier on in the week I sung our praises in this section of the report, only for us to then put in arguably the worst performance of the season and make me look like a complete idiot. Sunderland lost 1-0 to struggling Huddersfield on Wednesday, and the attitude shown by our players was appalling. Plus, Michael Beale's system was all over the place.
It made me question whether this team still has the fight it did last season. Despite, our injuries and setbacks you could see that the players were giving it their all. But, this season we’ve seen so many underwhelming displays, particularly away from home. All I ask is we show more heart, grit, and determination. Give the travelling fans something to get behind.
Birmingham have hit the self destruct button this season. They were sitting 6th under fan favourite John Eustace, but for some reason their new flashy owners decided to change things up and bring in Wayne Rooney. That appointment will go down as one of the worst decisions the Championship has ever seen. Of course, our old friend Tony Mowbray is at the helm now and their fans are happy with how he's done so far.
Starting 11: Anthony Patterson, Leo Hjelde, Luke O’Nien, Dan Ballard, Trai Hume, Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah, Romaine Mundle, Jobe, Jack Clarke, Mason Burstow
Beale hinted at starting Mundle in his press conference, and he did just that. He also brought in Mason Burstow for Nazariy Rusyn. A change we’ve seen plenty of times this season because neither of them have been consistent goal scorers. To be fair, Rusyn received no service on Wednesday but he seems to be the better option up front generally.
Birmingham had a whole song and dance display before the game, the ground was sold out and the flame throwers were in full force. The home side got the game underway and Burstow was immediately pressing them.
It was a sloppy start from both teams, but we found a way to concede a corner from our own throw in. The delivery came in and fell to Miyoshi who had a shot that deflected up into the air. Patterson should have claimed it, but Ballard was able to head it out.
The game was scrappy, but Sunderland were in control of possession. We were trying some long balls, and Burstow was able flick one on to Jack Clarke who squandered his effort on goal.
As time was going on, we looked like the better team. We were pressing well, and Jobe picked up the ball, drove down the left flank and won a corner. We took it short and Ekwah had a shot that deflected of Stansfield’s back, but for some reason the referee gave a goal kick. Welcome to the Championship.
Blues were struggling to play out from the back, and Jack Clarke had a very similar effort to Jobe. That was followed by a lovely delivery from Romaine Mundle, unfortunately Burstow tried to take it on his right and messed it up. He should have done better.
Jobe was having a good game and made a great interception on Connor Roberts. Mundle was looking lively and he had a long ranged effort that went straight at John Ruddy. The winger wasn’t wasting anytime.
Jobe was then shown a yellow card for a foul on Tyler Roberts, much to the delight of the home support. At the 15th minute mark, Birmingham had a little bit of a spell in possession. Trai Hume put in a good challenge to stop Ethan Laird’s cross. Jay Stansfield also had a long range strike tipped over the bar by Anthony Patterson. Luke O’Nien charged down Koji Miyoshi on the edge of the box and gave away a free kick. Thankfully, it was put straight over the bar by the winger.
Out of nowhere, Paik Seung-ho miss placed a pass, so Jack Clarke quickly intercepted and slotted the ball in the bottom right corner. Jack scored his 15th goal of the season, but appeared to have picked up a knock, so he went off the pitch for some treatment. The goal was totally self-inflicted by the home side and thankfully Clarke was able to play on. Where would we be without him?
Although we went 1-0 up, Birmingham were immediately on the front foot. Miyoshi put in a few good balls that ended up in our penalty box, one of which was pinged around by Cody Drameh and Tyler Roberts.
After that, we regained possession and Dan Neil was looking tidy. Mowbray’s men were looking loose and every time we drove into their half they looked shaky. Paik Seung-ho was shown a yellow card for a foul on Mundle on the edge of the box. Jobe took the free kick and it looped way over the bar. There were a lot of mis-placed passes in this game, but a good chunk of them were coming from Birmingham's backline, who were struggling with our press.
From the 30-40 minute mark not much happened. We had a few corners that came to nothing, but despite that we looked in complete control. Romaine Mundle pressed well, won the ball and had a good shot on goal that was narrowly saved by Ruddy. Cody Drameh also fizzed a ball across our penalty box that easily caught by Patterson. Luke went down in the Birmingham’s penalty box, after a collision with Tyler Roberts. He eventually got up and continued.
The first half ended 1-0 and it was a solid first half display. We showed way more fight than we did last time out, and Mundle, Jobe, and Ekwah were having good performances in particular. Birmingham gifted us a goal, but that wasn’t our problem.
Burstow got the second half underway. Mundle fouled Ethan Laird and gave away a free kick. Seung-ho whipped the ball in, but it was quickly cleared. The second half picked up from where we left off before. Again, there was a lot of sloppy passes. Drameh put a ball into our box, but it wasn’t dangerous and it was easily cleared. We had our fair share of possession, but we weren’t looking very creative. Jordan James had a deflected effort that was easily scooped up by Patterson.
Leo Hjelde appeared to have hurt his left angle after he was fouled by Miyoshi. He eventually hobbled off the pitch for 30 seconds. Ballard was then shown a yellow card for a foul on Tyler Roberts. He is now suspended for 2 games, not what we need at all - Jenson Seelt has to step up.
Seung-ho's free kick was whipped into the box, but like all of Birmingham’s efforts so far it came to nothing. We struggled to manage the game, and eventually Tyler Roberts spun into the box had an effort saved, Miyoshi then had his effort blocked off the line by Trai Hume, and unfortunately Jordan James poked home the third chance to make it 1-1.
We had been really poor in this half, the intensity levels had dropped. Birmingham remained on the front foot, Miyoshi and Stansfield had a few efforts blocked. Laird was also shown a yellow card.
Mowbray then subbed on Juninho Bacuna and Siriki Dembele for Paik Seung-ho and Tyler Roberts. Beale was still yet to make a change.
Pierre Ekwah then won a free kick. Jack Clarke whipped in a lovely ball that was headed home by Mason Burstow, but unfortunately it was ruled offside. That’s just typical isn’t it.
In the 69th minute, Nazariy Rusyn and Abdoullah Ba were subbed on for Burstow and Mundle. Krystian Bielik was then shown a yellow card a horrible foul on Jobe. After an attack from Sunderland, where Hjelde had a shot blocked, Ba was shown a yellow card for a foul on Siriki Dembele. The yellow cards were coming out thick and fast.
Hume fouled Laird and Blues won a free kick. Bacuna rolled it to Laird who pinged in a lovely ball that ended up to Miyoshi who hit the side netting. The yellow card fest continued when Jordan James was booked for dragging down Jobe. Birmingham messed up at the back again and Jobe was through, but instead of rolling it into Jack Clarke, he took too long on the ball and messed it up.
Birmingham then went up the other end and scored. The ball was put in our penalty area and it deflected off one of our defenders found it’s way to Miyoshi who was able to put in the back off the net.
At this point, I was livid. It all happened so fast and we had well and truly thrown away our lead. Trai Hume was then shown a yellow card for a foul on Jay Stansfield. We then got forward and tried to put a few balls into the box. But, we still lacked creativity. Birmingham then proceeded to get forward, and Stansfield was causing us problems.
In the 86th minute Hume was subbed off for Hemir. In the final minute of full time Dan Neil was fouled by Andre Dozzell and win a free kick. Jack Clarke put in a good ball, but he had no one in the middle challenging for it so John Ruddy comfortably saved it.
Jay Stansfield was subbed off for Lukas Jutkiewicz. Clarke made a good run inside and had an effort on goal. Unfortunately, it was easy for Ruddy to save. Hemir went down in the penalty box, but the referee gave a free kick to the hosts.
In the fourth minute of extra time we finally start string together some passes and we won a corner. Patterson came up, but it was easily defended and the whistle was blown.
We had lost 2-1, despite being 1-0. That second half display was absolutely appalling, we had nothing going forward and looked lackadaisical. Michael Beale has to take responsibility for this, he took too long to change the game.
I'm really fed up. We don't seem to be able to string a performance together for 90 minutes, each game seems to be a game of two halves. Beale clearly can’t bring any form of consistency to this side. I’ve tried to give him a chance but it just isn’t working. It feels like there will be an inquest every time we suffer defeat with him in charge.
Final Score: Birmingham 2-1 Sunderland
ALS Man of The Match – Jack Clarke: After that second half display, picking a man of the match is difficult. But I’ll give it to Clarke, he scored our only goal and put in some good crosses.
