Sunderland were beaten 2-0 by Burnley in their latest Premier League fixture
It’s almost impossible to talk or write for more than a few moments about Sunderland’s defeat to Burnley without using the phrase ‘reality check’.
It’s probably not quite the right phrase because deep down, everyone knew that this would be a season with more tough days than not. That the goal for Sunderland is purely to somehow get themselves just beyond the bottom three after 38 games; that finishing 17th would ultimately represent a spectacular success.
What the phrase does just about capture is the inevitable feeling of deflation that came with this second half, the Black Cats labouring to create chances against an impressively resilient Burnley backline. It couldn’t last forever. From kick off at the CBS Arena in May through to Wilson Isidor adding the gloss to that opening day win over West Ham United, it has been a generational run of competitive matches that might not be topped for years, decades even.
In that time Sunderland have been quite fundamentally transformed, the summer transfer spend underlining just how much that one win at Wembley has changed the shape of the club’s short, medium and hopefully long-term future.
One underwhelming display at Turf Moor should not detract too much from that, particularly as it was a game which could so easily have headed in a very different direction. If last Saturday’s win was surprisingly serene, then the chaos of the opening 20 minutes here perhaps more accurately reflected the intensity of life in the Premier League. Sunderland had to survive a VAR check for a disallowed Burnley goal, battle through spells of play with just nine men as the home side pushed with the crowd at their back and adapt to the loss of their talismanic centre back to injury. Even amidst all of this, they created two clear chances to take the lead. Eliezer Mayenda could and probably should have scored when Ballard nodded Granit Xhaka’s free kick back across goal, before Chemsdine Talbi dinked a clever chip just wide of Martin Dubravka’s far post after making a clever run infield to meet Simon Adingra’s pass.
These were sliding doors moments in the game. The rest of the first half was keenly contested with very little between the two sides, neither goalkeeper called into action too often. The endeavour from both was impressive, the quality in possession perhaps a little lacking.
‘Clinical’ has perhaps been the word most used across Sunderland’s pre-season campaign, Régis Le Bris hammering home the message that chances will be at a premium this season and his team simply have to take them when they come. Last week they did, this week they didn’t. Burnley missed one big opening just before the break but took their second just after, an excellent finish from Josh Cullen that transformed the complexion of the game.
Sunderland often were unconvincing trying to break down a low block in the Championship last season, so it should come as no great surprise that they have not solved this problem overnight and particularly now that they are playing at the very highest level.
Burnley now had the game exactly where they wanted it, able to sit deep and defend in numbers. This was to their credit, there has been a lot of disruption to their backline in the summer but Scott Parker has managed to maintain the resilience that made them such a force last season. Across both halves Sunderland fired many crosses into the box, but they were easily repelled by a strong back three who erred little throughout the game.
The big concern for Sunderland from their second half display at Burnley
If there is one concern for Sunderland moving forward it would most certainly be this. Across the two games so far they have created limited openings, particularly from open play. Their midfield blend looks excellent for frustrating the opposition and breaking at real pace, but slightly less so at opening up low blocks. Though Le Bris defended the decision after the game, watching Enzo Le Fée crowded out on the left wing through the closing stages was a difficult watch. Granit Xhaka’s passing abilities remain elite (though this was perhaps a little bit of an off day) but around the opposition box there is a little bit of craft missing when Le Fée isn’t there. His absence might be hard to justify and sustain if Sunderland endure too many halves like this second one. Le Bris is still working to find the right balance of this side and after a summer of so much change, that’s understandable. It might seem clutching at straws a little but a brief cameo from Marc Guiu was encouraging, his presence and physicality posing Burnley a different question until the breakaway goal that all but ended the game as a contest.
The footballing gods have undoubtedly been kind to Sunderland of late and this was the first time in a while where the fine margins have gone against them. Ballard’s injury, the inches between Talbi’s effort and the far post… This day was Burnley’s and by the end you would struggle to make a compelling case that they did not deserve their win. All three of the promoted sides have at some stage in the opening two weeks set their stall out, demonstrating that they have learned from the mistakes of recent seasons in prioritising structure and discipline both in their recruitment and team shape.
Step back and look across the opening two weekends of the season and you will find plenty to be positive about in the strides Sunderland have taken even if this was quite clearly a big opportunity missed. It was never going to be perfect or easy, and this was a firm reminder of just how ruthless life at this level can be.
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