Parkinson urges Grigg not to let penalty miss disrupt his progress
Phil Parkinson says Will Grigg is in a better place than he ever has been during his time at Sunderland, and urged the striker not to let his penalty miss disrupt his progress.
Grigg was the only player to miss a penalty in the shootout with Hull City as Sunderland exited the Carabao Cup.
It was a game they had dominated and in which Grigg looked lively.
Parkinson had rewarded him for a series of encouraging displays in pre-season with a start and he was almost rewarded.
Grigg had two goals disallowed, the first of which the Black Cats boss felt should have stood.
The Sunderland boss said some of his movement throughout the contest was ‘great’.
“He deserved a start and I thought some of his movement and runs were great,” Parkinson said.
"He’s as fit as he’s been for a long time.
"He’s getting into those dangerous areas, and he’ll feel aggrieved he hasn’t got a goal and obviously the penalty will hurt him because as a striker, he prides himself in those pressure situations.
“With Griggy, for me it was important that he wanted to take one.
“He put himself up and we put him on one because he' s a goalscorer and has taken penalties through his career.
“Like I said, he's used to that pressure situation.
“It was a disappointing penalty, I don’t think anyone can argue with that, but there's always got to be a fall guy in that situation.
"Unfortunately, it's Will, but I don't want that to knock him because he's in a better place than at anytime since he's been at the club.
“I feel for him but for me,
he had to put his hand up and take one.”
Park in son said he was pleased with his team’s performance, even if he was left frustrated by the host of first-half chances that were missed.
“I’m pleased with the performance, I thought we were more effective in our play today,” Parkinson said.
“I thought last week some of our build-up play was slow, and today we were quicker.
"We were more dynamic as a team, and I thought we threatened during those periods of pressure.
“It’ s important to take your chances, but I think we were unlucky for Grigg’s goal from the corner not to count.
"The keeper looks as though he’s just slipped over to me.
“We had other good opportunities and weren’t able to take them, but in terms of energy level, intensity and the balance of the way we want to play, I thought we were good today,” he added.
"Hull were always going to lift their game to a certain degree in the second period, but I still felt we were the better team and should really have won the game comfortably.
“I’ ve only just seen the second disallowed goal briefly, but he looks marginally offside.
"But the first one from the corner, I felt should have stood.
"It’s small margins for the second one, but it does look marginally offside.”