While the finger of blame was pointed squarely at West Ham United’s central defensive trio, their sluggish midfield and debutant goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, Tony Cottee could not help but feel sympathy for some of Graham Potter’s other Sunderland starters.
In their first match back in the big time since the nightmarish David Moyes era in 2017, Sunderland cruised to a 3-0 thumping of West Ham in front of a jubilant Stadium of Light fanbase.
Having spent heavily on some high-profile acquisitions – Granit Xhaka, for instance, while £30 million dynamo Habib Diarra was on West Ham’s radar ironically enough – an opening day obliteration did little to change the minds of those who have identified the Black Cats as dark horses and the Hammers as relegation material.
Understandably given the nature of Sunderland’s first two goals, Graham Potter wants more from Max Kilman, Nayef Aguerd and Jean-Clair Todibo at the back.
Three central defenders, and not one of them picked up Eliezer Mayenda or Dan Ballard in the box.
And, while backing the £18 million signing to come back stronger, Leicester legend Gary Lineker accepts that this was an ‘awful’ debut for Mads Hermansen between the West Ham United sticks.
El Hadji Malick Diouf will not look back on his own Hammers bow with much fondness.
But Tony Cottee feels that Diouf, and particularly Niclas Fullkrug, can only play the hand they have been dealt.
Niclas Fullkrug in action for West Ham United
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
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Tony Cottee defends West Ham United duo El Hadji Malick Diouf and Niclas Fullkrug
Had Ballard not performed heroics at either end, Diouf could have been a goalscorer on his Premier League debut. The rampaging left-back saw a goalbound effort cleared off the line at 0-0.
The Senegal starlet’s bright start dissipated once Sunderland took control, however.
Cottee hailed Diouf’s ‘unbelievable’ delivery following that pre-season victory over AFC Bournemouth, but those pinpoint crosses were at a premium on Saturday. The movement ahead of him was largely non-existent, while the lack of runners in beyond meant Sunderland could mark him out of the game throughout the second-half.
Cottee also saw Fullkrug – so ruthless over the summer – barely register a touch of note in attack with Lucas Paqueta failing to provide the ammunition required.
“[The recruitment has been] dreadful. The players don’t always seem to fit into the system. I mean, they paid a lot of money for Fullkrug and he didn’t look like scoring at the weekend,” Cottee sighs, speaking to talkSPORT.
“Paqueta had one of those games. He’s a wonderful player but sometimes he gives the ball away and doesn’t get involved. Fullkrug, he just wasn’t involved in the game but they didn’t get the ball wide!
“Modern day football! Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Just get the ball wide and get some crosses in! The earlier the cross comes in, the better it is for the centre-forward.
“I felt sorry for Diouf. He was screaming for the ball and he just didn’t get the ball in a position where he could cross it!”
Ally McCoist agrees with Cottee’s Fullkrug argument
To think, Fullkrug couldn’t wait to play alongside Diouf on the Premier League stage for the first time.
The understanding they appear to have struck up on the training pitch was absent on Wearside, however, thanks partly to Sunderland’s well-drilled defence but also Graham Potter’s seemingly ill-fitting system.
“The one thing about Fullkrug, I think somebody like Fullkrug needs service,” agrees Ally McCoist, the Rangers icon and another prolific former centre-forward like Cottee.
“[Fullkrug needs] crosses into the box.”
While captain Jarrod Bowen is capable of creating and taking chances all on his own, Fullkrug is a different sort of forward. One who can easily drift into anonymity if the team does not play to his strengths.
The German now has just one goal in 10 league matches under Potter.
“Bowen is an absolutely tremendous, he will score you goals,” McCoist adds. “But the centre-forward, I think he needs service, particularly from wide areas.”