Liverpool vs. Sunderland – What we Learnt

Article by e-Sunderland Correspondent Ben Mummery

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After an interesting encounter with a buoyant Liverpool side last night, Sunderland fans are once again left with mixed emotions about their team. Yet another game has gone by in which Sunderland have put up a good fight, and played good football, but not managed to come away with a result; a frustrating cross to bare for fans, as points are all that matter now, especially as the club finds itself down in the doldrums of the Premier League table with time, and fixtures rapidly running out.

There is no way around the fact that inconsistency has been the sticking point for Sunderland for the entirety of the season. The only consistent facet of the side all term was their losing so many games in a row under the tyrannical dictatorship of Paolo Di Canio, a start to the season from which any side would struggle to recover, and it is testimony to the abilities of Gus Poyet that Sunderland still have a fighting chance of surviving.

The team has baffled fans all season with their ability to win a difficult game, such as a derby, Everton, Manchester City etc, only to take that form into the next fixture and fail so miserably. The league cup run aside, Sunderland’s league form has been drastic throughout, so looking at last night’s Anfield tie, what can we learn about Poyet’s men going into the closing games of the season?

Fans have pulled their hair out all season about Sunderland’s dire lack of creativity in attack, there is no escaping from the fact that we struggle to find goals in any fixture. The manager changed his formation last night to accommodate for Liverpool’s fantastic ability with the ball in attack, a tactic which for the most part, worked.

There can be no denying that since the Uruguayan has been in charge, his men have kept the ball a lot better, and played some attractive possession football. With a packed backline and a holding midfield approach last night, we were well capable of repelling all invaders Brendan Rogers threw at us, as well as playing some neat football ourselves at times through Cattermole and Bridcutt’s presence and passing in the center of the park. However this is not the real problem Sunderland have, as there is nowhere near enough football played in the final third.

The attacking players that Poyet has at his disposal are proving to be simply not up to the task of finding those all important goals, so let’s take a look at some individuals:

Altidore – Fans have been bemused since the burly American’s arrival, at simply how a striker of 6’1, and probably fourteen or fifteen stone, can have so little impact on a defensive line. One casts one’s mind back to a certain Mr. Kenwyne Jones, or a certain Mr. Lukaku, or Carroll. Strikers who have center halves cowering in fear, surely a man on Jozy’s size should inflict the same upon defenders? Apparently not.

Giaccherinni – The little Italian clearly possesses talent, but looks like he’s really struggling to adapt to the premier league. He’s pushed off the ball far too easily, and gave the ball away far too many times last night.

Wickham – A big ask for the young striker to walk straight into the team and do a very hard job, but along with Altidore, offered little the men in behind him to latch onto. These two might have had their chance at Sunderland.

Johnson – Changed the game when he came on. Clearly possesses ability in abundance, which Poyet is bringing out the best of, but needs to back himself more and be braver with the ball.

Ki – Looked our most likely source of a goal to be honest, and was!

Having gone a second goal adrift early in the second half, the boss introduced Ki and Johnson, and looked to revert a little to type, using the young winger in wide positions and stretching Liverpool’s back line thin. There was a definite improvement, but fans are left asking – why can’t we play like this every week, in every game?

West Ham will offer a different threat altogether, with Andy Carroll as a spearhead. John O’Shea and Wes Brown will have to use all of their experience and know-how to keep him under wraps, as Virgini was worryingly poor last night in central defense. Mo Diame and Mark Noble offer a more direct threat on the ground, which will bring Cattermole and Bridcutt more into play, but Sunderland must chase goals – this is now the most important game of the season. Sunderland players must now take that step up that they have been threatening to do all season at home, and win – ugly if needs be (so often the case against a Sam Allardyce side), as one gets the feeling this is all or bust for Poyet’s Black Cats.

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