‘Get to the play-offs, then come out the traps flying’
Lee Johnson has urged his Sunderland side to secure a play-off place today, insisting that they can 'fly out of the traps' if they make the endof-season shootout.
Johnson has admitted this concern over his team's winless run is 'high', as it extended to seven games with the 1-0 defeat to Blackpool on Tuesday.
The Black Cats travel to Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.
Their head coach believes that the return of some of his defensive options will make a significant difference, and he wants to secure the three points needed to guarantee a topsix finish quickly, allowing the club time to regroup.
"My short-term concern is high, and my long-term concern is zero to be honest," he said.
"I'm very confident that if we secure the play-offs and have the time to rest and work, we will come out the traps like a greyhound.
"I'm very, very confident in that.
"It gives us the chance to get round pegs in round holes with the injured players that we've got coming back.
"Then the challenge is to try to get those guys at the top end of their peak performance, having had a few weeks out.
"Having options like Conor McLaughlin, Tom Flanagan and Jake Vokins will then create those options in midfield that we haven't currently got.
"I'm very positive about the play-offs, but there's no doubt that there's a concern over our current form and I'd be lying if I said otherwise."
Johnson is monitoring a couple of minor injuries in his squad, conscious of the need to balance the shortterm requirement for a win with the longer-term demands of a potential playoff campaign.
He is also continuing to assess how best to balance his side with defensive options still limited.
"It's been difficult," he
said.
"I think the boys have been fantastic.
"Luke O'Nien has been asked to move into that position and he's been almost seamless.
"There are of course some areas of his defensive play that we can improve but that's only natural for someone moving into a new position.
"You look at Bailey Wright, who has played something like six games in eighteen days despite nine weeks out.
"So of course there have been times during the games where he has been hanging in a bit and that's coupled with a captain and central midfielder who has been at right-back and done a great job, but who is a central midfielder.
"That consideration between putting an extra body there versus the opposition and the strengths and weaknesses of the full-backs has always been a bit of a dilemma, because we've got good attacking options.
"You can press from the front and say we're actually going to go with our forward players and defend from the front, or you can try and play total football almost, dominate the ball and therefore get as many competent ball-players on the pitch as you can.
"I think not having round pegs in round holes has probably caught us out on one or two occasions."
Sunderland face a Plymouth side who are without a win in five and have conceded sixteen goals in that time.
They were, nevertheless, 2-1 winners at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season, and though Johnson believes his side were unfortunate in that game, he says it shows Ryan Lowe's side have the individual quality capable of causing problems.
"I really like them, they're a good side," he said.
"I thought we played well against them earlier in the season and deserved to win, but it showed the quality they've got, individuals who can cause you problems.
"They've got an energetic, mobile midfield as well.
"At the moment they're not on form but neither are we, so it's one where both teams will be looking at it and thinking they can win it."
After defeat to Oxford United last time out, Lowe urged his side to finish a challenging campaign on a high.
"I want to finish the season on a high,” he said.
"I walk around Plymouth with my head down at times and a cap on when we have lost because I know it hurts everyone - it hurts me.
“I like showing my face and speaking to people, talking to the fans about what we can do and how we could do better.
“I think the majority of them understand the situation we are in, and know we are going to get it better.
“That’s what we have got to do, we have got to make sure next season there is a better all-round Plymouth Argyle football team.
“That’s not just for me as the manager but for the city of Plymouth.”
He added: "I’m pleased we have stayed in the division and kept League One status for next season.
“That was my objective from the board and the owner and we have done it with two games to go.
“Now it’s done, it’s put to bed, we will put a plan together for Sunderland next week, and then the last game of the season will be Gillingham.
“I want to send these lads away with a little bit of a ‘thank you, well done’.
“It hasn’t been great.
"It has been okay at times and it has been good at times but, as I have said, never get too high and never get too low.
“What we have got to set out to do now is finish the season on a high, whether that’s a win and a draw or two wins, or whatever it is.”