Wear our own worst enemies, admits boss

ALEX Neil said Sunderland were the ‘architects of their own downfall’ after they crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of League One Sheffield Wednesday.

The Black Cats boss made 11 changes for the first-round tie at Hillsborough, with errors leading to the Owls’ two goals.

Sunderland lost possession in the run-up to the opener after 15 minutes, Dennis Adeniran scoring with a stunning strike.

Then in the second half they lost the ball at the back, with substitute Sylla Sow left unmarked to apply the finish.

Neil said: “I was disappointed by the fact I thought, to a certain extent, we were the architects of our own downfall.

“I don’t think we were carved apart too often.

“Only really when we made the mistake for the first goal, we gave the ball away and the lad Adeniran chops it on to his ‘wrong’ foot and puts it into the top corner from about 30 yards.

“I thought seven or eight minutes after that was probably their best spell, really.

“We controlled the ball without threatening. We did not have enough of a threat but that is my responsibility - we had Jack Diamond, who is a winger, playing centre-forward and we had Harrison Sohna, who is a midfield player playing left wing-back.

“The physical output we put in the last two league games meant I did not want any of the lads who have been featuring to play this evening.”

With several players making their first appearances of the season, it was hardly surprising that Sunderland lacked cohesion.

Neil added: “The fact we made 11 changes and those players have not been playing games is a mitigating factor.

“Of course I have standards and expectancies of the lads of where they should be but I think there are certain criteria there whch make it difficult for them.

“We had Jack up there on his own and we lacked a threat in the game. We did not really create anywhere near enough and when that is the case it becomes tough.”

Neil reiterated his desire to add to his squad before the transfer deadline at the end of the month - but insisted that was not a reaction to this defeat.

He said: “Every press conference I have done for the last month I have spoken about the same thing. I have not changed my stance.

“We need to strengthen the squad. What I want is to get to the end of the window with the strongest squad possible.”