This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Sunderland have declined significantly in comparison to last year and the same problems have persisted regardless of who the manager is.
While Phil Parkinson has failed to reinvigorate his squad with new energy and drive, resulting in a six-match winless run, there are certain aspects which are beyond his control.
The squad is underperforming in both attack and defence, and a lack of physicality is a big factor in that. Parkinson spoke last week at a fans forum stating that he wants to add pace and power throughout the squad, which shows he is aware of the problem.
Until he is given the opportunity to address the issues it is a little unfair to judge his performance, as he isn’t responsible for the players at his disposal.
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The concern is particularly highlighted by the likes of Will Grigg and Chris Maguire, both of whom rely heavily on the service of others due to a lack of pace and strength themselves, so struggle when that isn’t forthcoming, as reflected by their goalscoring records.
In defence, there also seems to be an issue. Joel Lynch has good experience playing at a higher level but Jordan Willis’ 4.5 aerial duels won per game is only good enough to rank him 31st in League One.
Worse still, the 25-year-old is the Black Cats’ highest performing player in that area, which shows the worrying lack of physicality among the back four and the need to bring in a more commanding player.
It is a similar theme in the tackling department, with Sunderland not possessing a single player inside the top 60 for tackles made per league game this term.
Parkinson should look to address that lack of quality as soon as possible, as it is also an indication of a lack of desire. Conor McLaughlin’s 1.8 tackles make him the top performer and yet he often finds himself on the bench in favour of Luke O’Nien, which underlines the need for new faces.
Reinforcements who can add a physical edge should make the Black Cats better in both departments and more difficult to beat, and that would provide the platform needed for promotion.
A lack of physicality isn’t the only problem with the current squad, however, and Stewart Donald must back his manager in January to address the areas in need of improvement.
