Tony Mowbray has explained why Bradley Dack started up front instead of Hemir. The gaffer has seen plenty of positives in Sunderland's two league defeats to open the season...
CHANCE CREATION
“People have their opinions, I think possession of the ball doesn’t mean anything but chances created, shots on goal, corner kicks, let you know generally where the game has been played. Generally I thought it was played more around their goal than our goal and yet we didn’t find a way to put the ball in the net more than once. I think it’s a bit harsh on the team that we lost that game, but I’ve said to them it was the naivety of the performance, to even give them some opportunities because in my mind they weren’t really in the game to create chances - other than the set plays that they earned. So we’re really disappointed but we have to keep going, keep believing that what we’re doing is right, that we can dominate the ball and we do have more shots and opportunities around the box. A number of times we got behind their team today and it was about trying to pick somebody out in the six yard box for a tap in, and we kept hitting the first man of course. It was really frustrating for us, but all areas to keep working on. I thought there were lots of positives but ultimately you get judged on the result and the result is negative. That’s two negative results for us in the league this season, but it’ll turn around."
MISSING INGREDIENTS
"If you have as much possession and domination in games home or away, you’re going to end up putting the ball in the opposition net more often than they put it in yours and you’re going to win plenty of games. Of course every game is different and we have to prepare for each game as it comes along, but as I said I thought there were enough positives today to feel that we’re on the right track and we’re just missing some ingredients at the moment. When we have those ingredients I’ll stand in front of you after games hopefully talking about victories and great goals.”
DACK CRAIC
“I thought it was a gamble worth taking. I looked at the game towards the end of last season (v Preston) and the domination of the ball in that game, and it was really created by not having a centre forward down the middle getting marked by their three big centre halves and so we could overload in the middle of the pitch. Amad obviously played that position and he bent one right into the top corner of course, pretty early on in the second half there. So we just thought it was better to not have a big centre forward for three big centre halves to mark and fight, but in other games Hemir will be important for us to put balls into the box, and be the guy in between the sticks and hopefully when things fall he can put it in the net. Today was just a game where we wanted to keep the ball off them, and try and dominate and create chances with our wide players getting in behind. We did that numerous times and yet we couldn’t find the answer to a cut-back and a goal.”
DON'T PANIC
“The first goal today was almost identical to Broadhead’s goal for Ipswich, he was just running across the box and the ball hit him on the shin and went in. We want to win games so we’re not happy, but we do feel as if in these two games we’ve shown more than enough that we’re going to win plenty of football matches and dominate lots of football matches and hopefully give the fans lots to shout about as the season unfolds in front of us. We’re two games in. of course we’re disappointed but let’s look after a dozen or 20 games in, before anybody starts thinking what’s good, what’s bad.”
