WEARSIDERS’
VERSATILITY
Credit must once again go to Sunderland’s makeshift back-line, particuarly Luke O’nien (inset left).
Lee Johnson had conversations with the 26-year-old earlier this season about his best position and how they must come to an agreement on where he fits in.
But the former Wycombe man has exceptional in a number of positions since returning from injury.
In central midfield, he has given the Black Cats the legs to press higher up the pitch.
More recently, in the heart of defence, he has been able to play out of the back, which has allowed Sunderland to take a different approach.
Johnson’s side are comfortably one of the best sides in the division when they go through the phases and play through the lines, rather than clipping balls into the channels.
They’re also effective when they do go longer, with in-form striker Wyke a shining example of how players are benefitting from Sunderland’s new style of play.
There are times when it’s not always the prettiest, but like yesterday, the Black Cats have proven they can win ugly and comfortably.
SUNDERLAND kicked off the Kyril Louisdreyfus era with a comfortable 3-0 win over basement boys Burton Albion, who ended the game with 10 men.
Goals from Grant Leadbitter and Lynden Gooch in the first half put the Black Cats in charge at the Pirelli Stadium, with new owner Louis-dreyfus watching from the stands.
And when Brewers midfielder Josh Earl was shown a second yellow card early in the second period for bundling Aiden O’brien over the advertising hoardings, after O’brien and Hayden Carter had been involved in a heated tussle, there was no way back for Burton.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the second half, with Jonny Smith doing so for Burton and Charlie Wyke for Sunderland.
But Wyke then notched his 18th league goal of the season – and his 23rd of the campaign in all competitions – to set the seal on the win.
Sunderland leapfrogged Accrington Stanley to go sixth in League One, and are eight points from the automatic promotion places.
Lee Johnson made three changes to the side that started Sunderland’s last league game, the 4-1 home win against Doncaster Rovers a week ago.
Jake Vokins took the place of Callum Mcfadzean, who picked up a knock in the midweek EFL Trophy game against Lincoln.
Bailey Wright suffered a calf injury in the same game, and O’brien replaced
him.
Leadbitter returned in midfield in place of Josh Scowen, who went off against Lincoln with a minor hamstring issue.
Johnson also switched to a 3-4-3 system, with a back three of Conor Mclaughlin, Dion Sanderson, and Luke O’nien, a midfield four of Gooch, Leadbitter, Max Power, and Vokins, and a front three of O’brien, Wyke, and Aiden Mcgeady.
Burton Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink stuck with the same side that started last weekend’s win at Northampton Town.
Just as against Doncaster, Sunderland made the perfect start with an early goal.
But they needed just six minutes to make the breakthrough against Burton, when O’brien won a free-kick outside the righthand corner of the penalty area and Mcgeady rolled it acroos the edge of the box to Leadbitter and his firsttime strike beat keeper Ben Garratt and nestled in the bottom left-hand corner.
And even before the goal, the warning signs had been there with Gooch bringing a decent save out of Garratt.
The keeper had to make another smart save to deny Mcgeady on the quarter-hour after he had been set-up
by Gooch, and shortly afterwards O’brien curled a shot wide from the edge of the area.
But Sunderland doubled their lead on 32 minutes, when a corner was cleared only as far as Gooch on the edge of the box and his powerful strike left Garratt no chance as it found the net via the underside of the bar.
It was a controlled performance from Sunderland in the first half, largely restricting Burton to half-chances.
Sanderson made a good block from a John Brayford header when the Brewers threatened from a set-piece, but the only save of note Lee
Burge had to make was from Jonny
Smith’s longrange effort and he dealt comfortably with that.
But
Burge was called upon to make a brilliant save early in the second half, tipping Smith’s deflected shot onto the bar and over. And from the resulting corner, the ball was headed goalwards and O’brien headed off the line.
The red card came 10 minutes into the second half, with Earl – who had been booked in the first period – shown a second yellow card for an offence that could easily have attracted a straight red.
O’brien was booked for his part in the tussle with Carter, although the Burton man escaped any further action.
Burton should have pulled a goal back on the hour when Smith’s low shot came back off the post, but Ryan Broom somehow failed to finish from a couple of yards out and Burge grabbed the loose ball.
Sunderland then hit the woodwork at the other end, sub Jordan Jones seeing his shot stopped by Garratt but when the rebound fell to Wyke he sidefooted against the post when he should have scored.
But Wyke finally got his goal in the 76 th minute, dragging his first-time shot beyond the keeper into the bottom left-hand corner after Jones had fed the ball in to him inside the box.
And Sunderland almost added a fourth in injury-time, when sub Chris Maguire brought an excellent save
out of Garratt.
BORO closed the gap on the top six to just three points with an impressive and important win at rivals Reading.
Here’s the game at a glance:
THE GOALS
22 minutes: Paddy Mcnair’s freekick is headed across the face of goal by Dael Fry and Ashley Fletcher makes no mistake from close range.
29 minutes: After Sam Morsy does well to keep the ball alive in the box, Marc Bola lashes home an unstoppable drive for his first league goal for Boro.
THE TACTICS
Unsurprisingly after the midweek success, Warnock stuck with the same shape, the only change being the return of Dael Fry in place of Grant
Hall.
The system worked again. Boro were rock solid defensively, bossed the midfield, with Sam Morsy exceptional in what was probably his best performance for the side, and Watmore and Kebano buzzed about behind Fletcher.
THE GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
As the game approached its final minutes, one radio commentator up in the press box was purring about how good Paddy Mcnair’s delivery was.
Tell us something we don’t know. It was one delightfully teasing cross that swung this game Boro’s way.
Reading had started the game the brighter and more threatening of the two sides and when they conceded a free-kick just inside their own half they won’t have been too concerned. But Mcnair’s superb dead ball found Dael Fry in the box, who headed it into the path of Ashley Fletcher to stick home the opener.
With that, Boro had control.
THE KEY PLAYER
So many players are worthy of praise after such an impressive away display but Dael Fry was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch.
Ahead of this game, one Reading correspondent told Teesside Live of their belief that Lucas Joao is the best striker in the league, yet other than one first half opportunity when he flashed a shot wide, Reading
star man didn’t get a look in. That was because of the brilliance of Fry.
After Grant Hall’s excellent midweek display he was unfortunate to miss out. But the 90 minutes at the Madejski was evidence as to why Fry has to be in this Boro team when fit. Brilliant.
THE POSITIVE
A week ago, Boro looked to be heading in one direction as they spluttered and stalled.
But with six crucial points, they’ve very much got the campaign and their hopes of a top six finish back on track.
Not for the first time this season, the character of this squad is worthy of credit.
Boro looked to be but now they’re right pack. falling away back in the
THE NEGATIVE
How do you pick a negative from what the manager described as a “complete performance”?
THE VERDICT
One moment highlighted the importance of three Boro players: Mcnair’s cross, Fry’s header, Fletcher’s goal.
Keeping those three players fit will go a long way to deciding whether Boro can force their way into the top six.
Both Britt Assombalonga and Chuba Akpom have tried and failed to nail down the starting striker spot but as Warnock said of Fletcher afterwards: “You come into the team and try and stay there. The way he’s playing at the minute, he keeps his place.”
Mcnair and Fletcher combined for the goal but it was the back where they shone, the pair immaculate in keeping out Reading’s dangerous front four and star striker Lucas Joao.
That said, the win at the Madejski was a collective success. Man for man, Boro were brilliant. Man for man, they were better than the hosts.
Importantly, the win will not only provide another shot in the arm for Boro but will prompt doubts to seep in at Reading. That’s three defeats in four now. Are they sliding and looking over their shoulder? Boro suddenly look a side on the charge.