MORE FROM AIDEN AND DUNC ON TRACK
Grayson admits Aiden’s quality has been exceptional
In a season that has yet to inspire or excite in any real capacity, Aiden McGeady’s creativity has been a saving grace for Sunderland.
Their position is woeful, but it would be far worse without the Ireland international’s output. Four goals and three assists means he has been involved in over half of Sunderland’s overall tally, despite missing four games through injury.
Boss Simon Grayson admits that McGeady’s goals, most of which have been scored from distance, have been ‘exceptional’, but added that he wants far more from a player whose career he reignited at Preston last season.
He said: “For him to score the goals, and the quality of those goals, has been exceptional for all to see, but I’d like a little bit more.
“I think there’s a lot more to come from him in his general play.
“I think his decision-making is not at the level that either of us would expect at this moment in time. We had an example last week where he had a chance to cross it in the first few minutes, but decided to go and try and beat the player again.
“Aiden knows what his qualities are. Has he reached those levels yet? No, probably not, like a lot of players.”
Sunderland’s problems, however, go far deeper than an overdependence on McGeady going forward, with a litany of defensive errors undermining any attempt to climb the Championship table. Recent games have also seen questions raised over set-piece defending, though Grayson has played that potential problem down and again defended goalkeeper Jason Steele from criticism. He said: “Getting continuity in your team, partnerships and understandings, is vital to any successful side. “We haven’t been able to do that. “In terms of set-pieces, one of the staff came up with a stat the other day that, before last week, out of something like 90 corners, we had only conceded one goal. “I don’t think it’s a major concern, it’s just been highlighted in recent weeks because, at Ipswich, someone got a free header, and then someone got a free header last week, and we conceded from a free-kick at Preston.
“So we’ve conceded from three set-pieces in the last three games, but before that we had been very good.
“We have to get back to people taking responsibility – if you are marking someone, don’t let them get in front of you, don’t let them get a free header or anything like that.
“It goes back to doing whatever is required to stop the ball going into the back of our net.
“On Saturday (against QPR), the goal came because someone wasn’t marking tight enough, but also someone was marking on the outside rather than the inside. If he’d got that right, it would have allowed Jason Steele an opportunity to come and get to the ball.
“Minute details can be the difference at times, and we highlight this to the players, but they have to take responsibility when they step over that white line.”
Grayson expects his side to be tested defensively today by a Brentford team who look to dominate possession. But