Sunderland secured a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a win over Oxford United
Sunderland progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup by beating Oxford United 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Phil Smith was there reporting for The Echo and these were his key conclusions...
Sunderland solid rather than sparkling - but professional second half worthy of the win
It's not a Sunderland performance that will be remembered long in the future but right from the off, this felt like a day that just called for getting the job done. A pitch suffering from an almost unprecedented amount of recent rainfall, conditions so poor that at one stage the game looked in genuine doubt, and an opponent understandably deciding their best chance in the game was by being physical and direct... there are plenty of Premier League Sunderland sides of years gone by that could have been undone here.
Sunderland were underwhelming in the first half, Oxford causing problems playing forward either into space behind the Sunderland backline. The Black Cats saw plenty of the ball, but mainly away from goal and without troubling Oxford goalkeeper Matt Ingram. Habib Diarra's penalty came from their first real spell of pressure in the final third, and the hosts had a big chance to level from a long throw just before half time. It would be a stretch to say that Sunderland were lucky at that stage to be leading, but they had a lot of work to do. What followed was a thoroughly professional second half, Sunderland defending from set pieces (and there were a lot of them) well and consistently offering a threat on the break. They forced a lot of saves from Ingram and another day could have scored another couple, in the end thoroughly deserving of their win.
You could argue that on the whole it would have been reassuring to see Sunderland be more dominant and to offer a more consistent threat from open play, but credit is ultimately due to a reshuffled side for treating the opponent and other the occasion with the respect it commanded.
Sunderland sense a major opportunity as exciting campaign rolls on
The FA Cup has for too many years been an afterthought on Wearside, the team selection and the general approach seeming to reflect its position as an an inconvenience rather than an opportunity. The mitigation is that for a League One and a Championship side, the chances of progression to the latter stages are slim and that the league therefore has to take absolute priority. Credit then to Sunderland for recognising that they have been handed a real opportunity this season. Safety is not yet secured but Sunderland are well on their way, and after the chaos of the festive period the schedule between now and the end of the campaign eases significantly. Sunderland don't have a massive squad, but equally don't have many major injuries at present. There's simply no excuse not to have a real go at this competition and Crystal Palace showed last year that if the stars align, a good side from outside the top six can achieve something special within it.
It was refreshing to hear both Luke O'Nien and Dennis Cirkin talk up the competition and Sunderland's hopes for it after the game, not just because it is giving them playing opportunities but because they understand the prospect of creating a genuinely exciting end to the campaign. Yes, Sunderland could yet get a brutal draw between now and the latter stages and that could bring a quick end to the run, but why look at that way right now? Régis Le Bris has picked two strong sides and been thoroughly rewarded. As Sunderland hopefully stabilise at this level, let's hope this marks the start of a new era of Sunderland and the FA Cup.
Romaine Mundle takes his chance to impress
Both O'Nien and Cirkin can reflect on another strong performance that will leave Le Bris with no concerns about selecting them for Premier League action if injury or suspension intervenes in the coming weeks. This was also a very important game for Romaine Mundle, even if his display lacked the headline-grabbing moment of a goal or an assist. Mundle was Sunderland's most consistently dangerous attacking player, constantly having the beating of his full back. He also offered Cirkin a lot of defensive protection, and his ability to draw fouls was crucial to breaking Oxford's occasional spells of pressure around their various set plays. It was a timely reminder of Mundle's immense talent and just how good a fit he is for Le Bris's system and style when fully fit and confident.
Can he take that into the Premier League? Only time will tell, and so far the youngster had understandably not quite been able to step up to the increased speed of the level in the final third. But as Le Bris explained afterwards, that was always going to be a process that takes time and Mundle is still on his way back from two major injuries. This win showed it's far too soon to write him off as a potential Premier League player. At the same time, with Nilson Angulo now in the building Mundle will know that Sunderland are waiting around for no one. The strength of this performance will earn him more opportunities in the weeks ahead - Mundle will be eager to step up and take them.
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But Wilson Isidor looks short on confidence
It was a big call from Le Bris to go with Isidor ahead of Eliezer Mayenda, who had been excellent in the previous round at Everton. Mayenda's strong cameo late in the game, albeit at a stage of the contest where it was opening up for attacking players, suggested it probably wasn't the right one. It appears that the transfer speculation around Isidor in January has had an impact, and the striker looks short of the confidence and intensity that he brought in the opening weeks of the season. With Brian Brobbey firmly established as the club's number nine at this stage, it is very much one to watch heading into the summer window.
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