Sunderland fell to a 3-1 defeat to Fulham at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon
The irony of this Sunderland defeat was that in their best spell of the game, they conceded twice.
The Black Cats had produced a relatively insipid first half, but stepped it up in the second and pushed their impressive opponent back. In the Premier League, though, you have to take your chances. Substitute Romaine Mundle missed Sunderland’s best and within ten minutes, the Black Cats were 2-0 down from two set piece goals. There was some good in their second half play, but they erred on the fine margins where games are decided.
After such a dizzying first half of the campaign, Régis Le Bris now faces a major challenge to prevent the league campaign from fizzling out. Sunderland’s form has dipped, and for the second time this campaign they were beaten by a smart, well organised Fulham side who perhaps demonstrates the gulf that still exists between the hosts and many of the teams around them in the table.
This was not a dismal Sunderland showing by any measurement, but it was that highlighted their current struggles in both boxes. To add insult to injury, it was a day in which Le Bris was handed three fresh injury concerns.
While taking the cautious approach in not bringing Granit Xhaka straight back into the starting XI, Le Bris had taken just about the most positive options possible elsewhere, bringing Jocelin Ta Bi in for his full debut with Nilson Angulo on the other flank. The intention to get on the front foot was clear, but in truth Sunderland laboured to really get going in the game aside from one or two promising moments where Brobbey pressed aggressively from the front.
In fairness, Sunderland were not helped by an early injury to Nordi Mukiele, who tried to play through a knock but came off after breaking down for a second time inside the opening exchanges. It was a big blow for the Black Cats, losing not just one of their best defenders but also a key attacking threat from recent weeks. While not free flowing themselves, Fulham were enjoying the more incisive moments in the game and wasted the best early chance when Kevin blazed an effort out for a throw in on the far side after finding space on the left side of the box. The visitors then had the best chance of the half with a quick move of genuine quality, Andersen finding Smith Rowe who in turn found Sessegnon making an underlapping run. It was a huge chance for the left back, but on his weaker foot he drove an effort wide of the far post.
As in the return fixture in November, Sunderland were finding a well-organised Fulham side difficult to play against. They were getting into decent positions at times and did win a lot of set pieces often through the good footwork of Angulo, but the delivery too often was poor and cleared by the first defender at the near post. It was a drab half all round, the rhythm of the contest not helped by further injuries to Ta Bi and Fulham winger Kevin. This also left Le Bris with a real headache for the second half, knowing that he was left with just one substitution window - bringing Xhaka on early in the second half was no longer really an option.
Sunderland quickened up their passing at the start of the second half and for the first time really pushed Fulham back. It led to the best chance of the game by a distance as Geertruida jumped onto a second ball and played a nice pass into the heart of the box, Mundle gathering but firing wide of the post with the goal gaping. The winger looked distraught with his miss, and it proved to be twice as costly as Sunderland then fell behind just moments later.. Fulham poured forward on the break and though Hume made a brilliant block to prevent the first attempt, Jimenez was left unmarked in the box to head the inswinging corner into the back of the net.
Within minutes, it was two. Fulham swung a free kick from deep into the box and though initially the referee waved play on, a VAR check saw Craig Pawson summoned over to the monitor. He ruled that Brobbey had pulled Bassey back as he challenged for the ball, and Jimenez duly sent Roefs the wrong way from the spot.
Sunderland kept going, and spurned another huge opening when Diarra did well to win the ball on the edge of the box. Brobbey held off his man and slid in Angulo in space, but the winger drove his effort to close to Leno who was able to push it over the bar - albeit a goal kick was given. In Sunderland’s best spell of the match, they had spurned two golden openings and conceded twice.
To their credit Sunderland did not let their heads drop, and were handed a big opportunity when Ballard showed tremendous strength to gather a pass from Geertruida and turn into the box. Having beaten two Fulham players, he was hauled down by Sessegnon for a stonewall penalty. Le Fee stepped up with Diarra having not long been substituted and though Leno got his hand to his penalty, his decision to go high and with power was rewarded. With fifteen minutes to play, Sunderland were back in the contest.
Le Bris had brought on Isidor and Mayenda as well as Xhaka not long before the goal, and the contest now broke open as you would expect. Sunderland pushed bodies forward and had moments of promise as Isidor volleyed over from Mayenda’s cross, but there was now also a lot of space of the visitors on the break.
The question was who would strike first and to Sunderland’s agony, it was the visitors. A dangerous cross from Sadiki was headed clear and from there the hosts were caught out. There was still much for Harry Wilson to do but he did it superbly, driving from deep in his own half to the edge of the Sunderland box. His pass for the onrushing Iwobi was perfect, and his finish to the far corner delicate.
It was game over, and a lesson in clinical finishing for Sunderland. After an insipid first half there had been a fair amount of good in their second, but it counted for nothing against a well organised opponent.
Régis Le Bris issues Dennis Cirkin update
Dennis Cirkin was absent from the game despite Reinildo’s recent knee injury, with Le Bris revealing ahead of kick off that he had picked up an injury in training ahead of the game.
Le Bris said: “Yeah, a small injury during the training session, not too serious.”
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