Scunthorpe loss provides a nadir in season of lows
The gents’ toilets in the away section of a freezing Glanford Park are not traditionally where the most rational debates tend to be sparked.
However, after watching yet another pitiful Sunderland performance, a statement is posed by one of the patrons, “this is the worst it’s ever been.” “Aye, so far”. In the past week alone supporters have watched Leicester’s academy side play us off the park, a goalkeeping howler condemn us to an uninspiring cup draw and now suffering the ignominy of being torn apart by the Football League’s fourth worst team.
Go back a little further and we’ve got salvaging a draw against Bolton Wanderers or meek defeats against Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers. There are times when you can take gallows humour from situations like this but, unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any signs this will end any time soon.
For all the more optimistic supporters will say we had it worse in 1987, 2006 or 2017, the facts remain, this is the worst Sunderland have ever been in their entire history.
Owners Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven justified their decision to sack Jack Ross by saying they needed to make an appointment that would guarantee promotion. In Phil Parkinson, they said, they had found a manager with a proven track record.
The former Bolton boss has only two wins from his first nine games, one of which included a dull victory over woeful Southend United.
The issues in defence have not been ironed out, while the midfield carries far too many passengers. There have been slight improvements in attack with an increased chance creation but without a competent striker to put them away, the forward line looks completely toothless.
On Tuesday, there was no plan and we once again resorted to hoping Aiden McGeady would pull something special out of the bag. In the nine games Parkinson has been here, there has been nothing to suggest there has been any improvement since Ross’ tenure and, if anything, the team seems to be regressing.
Both Parkinson and the owners will need to hope for a turnaround very soon otherwise those critical voices present in that Glanford Park away section will grow louder and louder in the coming months. Don’t worry, it can always get worse.