Beating all Comers in the Cup, but why can’t Sunderland Buy a Point?

Article by Sunderland Correspondent Ben Mummery

Southampton? Chelsea? Manchester United? They’re not even that good! After three nice and easy cup ties for the Black Cats, it should all be plain sailing from here shouldn’t it?

With Poyet’s side reinvigorated and dispatching all who dare to enter the SOL in the League Cup and FA cup, the fact remains they are still propping up the league table, and with games looming against the teams only just above them, the feeling is it’s now or never for Sunderland.

Tuesday night’s home tie against David Moyes’ English champions showed that Sunderland can compete against anyone at home, and previous results have stood to back this up. Gus Poyet has his team playing positive, possession football, and with his first choice defensive pairing of Brown and O’Shea fit and playing, there are few worries about the spine of the team. Even though they could not muster a goal from open play last night (does this count if it’s an own goal?) one could be forgiven for saying, “it’s OK, we were playing Man Utd, the English champions!” However, attacking creativity is the most glaring absence in Poyet’s side, and without “that special player” with the ability to create chances to score goals, Sunderland are still going to struggle.

There were some fantastic performances on Tuesday night, with Ki, Bardsley, the centre half pair, and Fabio Borini all standing out, however it was two players who dominated the headlines; Adam Johnson’s return to form, and debutant left back Marcos Alonso shining on his first appearance.

Johnson, such an exciting proposition at Middleborough and Manchester City, has been nothing short of an enigma since arriving at Wearside. His form has come and gone in the most dramatic of fashions, but last night was the wide man at his best. Explosive, attacking, and brave with the ball, Johnson backed himself to run at defenders and proved what all the fuss was about when he was signed. Sunderland will need him to be at his sparkling best, and up for a fight if they are to pull themselves out of their current predicament in the league, which is undoubtedly where their problems lie.

It simply isn’t enough to beat the big boys in the cup, the Black Cats need to learn how to win ugly in the league too. This weekend’s away fixture at Fulham is now more than ever a must-win game, with all three points being enough to lift Sunderland two spots to 18th place. However Craven Cottage can be an extremely hard place to go, and the West London crowd will be baying for Wearside blood. It is on the experienced players in the Sunderland ranks to rally their troops, and the newer signings to rise to the occasion, as one gets the feeling this is do or die for Poyet’s men.

Their league worries aside, the Sunderland players can take a huge amount of confidence from last night’s superb win against a side expected to sweep them aside, as can the fans, who have seen in the league cup that their side are capable of rising to a difficult challenge. The win against Manchester United, all be it a team in transition who are not playing up to the club’s usual high standards, can act as a spring board for these players, who must take their form from Tuesday night into a tricky away fixture. As long as they play their brand of passing, possession, neat and organised football, there is still hope of avoiding the dreaded relegation trapdoor!

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