Another incredibly dull display from the lads ended in defeat to Watford in the final away game of the season. Here’s how I rated the side (please end the season).
ANTHONY PATTERSON: 5
Distribution was poor throughout and maybe could have done better with Watford’s goal, the ball creeping underneath him and into the far corner. Made a decent save earlier denying Kayembe from close range.
TRAI HUME: 6
Hume didn’t do much wrong but didn’t have awfully much to do in the game. Was caught out a couple times lunging into a challenge too early. A decent chance to get himself a goal in the first half went missing when Bachmann got down well to deny him from close range.
DAN BALLARD: 6
Had a header cleared off the line in the first half and was solid enough defensively throughout the game.
LUKE O’NIEN: 6
Could, maybe should, have seen red for a deliberate handball in the second half. Got away with that but was generally okay aside from it.
AJI ALESE: 6
Didn’t really have any say in the game. Maybe, similar to Styles, could have done more to track the run of Andrews for their goal.
CALLUM STYLES: 5
Got caught out a couple times and one of those led to Watford's goal when Andrews found a route through on goal. Was fairly tidy on the ball in possession but didn’t really do much with it.
JOBE: 6
Tidy in possession, unlucky not to get an assist when nodding a ball over the top to Hume in the first half. Kept things simple and ticking in midfield. He’s capable of offering a lot more going forward than he demonstrated today however, similar to Ekwah, didn’t take any risks.
PIERRE EKWAH: 6
Again, almost ghosted the first 20 minutes of the game but grew into it slowly. Keen to get on the ball but not willing to take many risks when on it.
CHRIS RIGG: 5
Squandered a great chance to give Sunderland the lead in the first half and it was his only real involvement. Which given he was again played out of position, doesn’t come as much as a surprise.
ADIL AOUCHICHE: 6
Again, always looked to make things happen and created the space for Rigg’s chance In the first half that led to nothing. Started as the furthest forward, which doesn’t make any sense as a creative player.
JACK CLARKE: 5
Clarke was a threat throughout but his end product was very poor. First half he was dispossessed far too easily and second half just failed to take any of the chances that came his way.
SUBS
PATRICK ROBERTS: 4
Just had no influence on the game after coming on. Only time he was involved in the game was when he missed an absolute sitter, falling over the ball.
ABDOULLAH BA: 4
Had a great chance to put it on a plate for Styles after coming on but went for goal instead, barely troubling Bachmann.
HEMIR - NA
Did well to set Roberts up for that one chance but not enough time to properly get into the game.
CORRY EVANS - NA
See above - not enough time on the pitch to give Corry a rating.
MIKE DODDS - 3
Another side set up to avoid defeat. At least that’s how it looked, and it didn’t even work. Multiple players playing out of position. An incredibly tedious watch yet again. A 21st league defeat this season.
