– Sunderland have been victorious just twice and have won just eight points in eight home league matches this campaign (W2 D3 L3).
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Although Pantilimon did well to repel a low, curling strike from Etienne Capoue, Sunderland’s new look 4-4-1 configuration – featuring Ola Toivonen sitting deep and protecting the back four – ensured they saw a it more of the ball, even appearing mildly threatening at times.
Quique Sanchez Flores expressed his delight at the performance of his defence during Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win at Sunderland, praising them for taking some of the limelight from his in-form strikers. We had to change the system after 20 minutes or so because it wasn’t working because players weren’t playing to their best anyway.
“It was just the beginning of the game that was the poor bit but, because of that, we lost a game we shouldn’t have done”, he added.
SAM ALLARDYCE expects Jermain Defoe to finish the season as Sunderland’s leading scorer, enough though he admits the former England global can not play in every formation.
Manager Sam Allardyce was left to rue costly misses from Fabio Borini and Patrick van Aanholt as his side slipped back into the bottom three, but that they were able to produce a showing as good as that will have been a source of massive encouragement. “Today he saved two very good Sunderland chances and I am not surprised”. Flores, though, sees no reason to believe his men should not be able to get something out of all of those daunting fixtures provided they continue to deliver the required approach.
Sunderland could have been cast adrift by Watford’s wonderful early authority, but they survived to create two more chances before the break as the Stadium of Light witnessed the best and the worst of Heurelho Gomes.
“Always, we work hard and work on the positive side and that is why the players have high confidence and they can show everyone that they are working well”.
“The second half was a different story, and we got to where we wanted to be by creating the chances, but unfortunately we couldn’t capitalise on those chances by scoring”.
With just three points separating them from 5th placed Spurs in the month of December, meaning they can definitely dare to dream.
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“In safety terms, 15 points from 16 games, considering where we started, would be unbelievable”.
