HEAD BOYS DISMAY BOSS
Sunderland’s inability to exploit set-pieces has been a ‘massive frustration’ for manager David Moyes.
The Black Cats have failed to trouble the opposition with any regularity this season, by far the weakest team in the league from attacking dead-ball situations.
Lamine Kone scored a fine volley at Selhurst Park after Seb Larsson’s floated free-kick was knocked down, but otherwise it has been poor fare throughout hte campaign.
There were signs of slight improvement during the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, Billy Jones twice coming close in the air from corners. They also had a goal disallowed when Jermain Defoe turned in a corner from Wahbi Khazri.
That had Pep Guardiola worried but for Moyes it is a big area for improvement, with Sunderland not offering much of an aerial threat.
He said: “It’s been a massive frustration.
“The biggest thing for
me is that we’ve actually not headed anything in the net, we’ve probably not been close.
“Ultimately the ball needs to come into the box to score and then what you need is people who are going to head it, we’ve not had that.”
The delivery of Seb Larsson has come under scrutiny but Moyes feels that has not been the problem. Instead, he wants defenders like Jason Denayer, Papy Djilobodji and Lamine Kone to be more threatening with Sunderland the only team in the Premier League not to score a headed goal this season.
Moyes said: “Jason’s not got massive stature, Papy has but we’ve not been able to get our head on the ball. It’s something we are looking at. Could you put it down to delivery?
“A little bit but it’s not been all down to delivery, Seb’s deliveries are of quite a decent standard, Adnan’s a bit mixed at times. Those quality of deliveries have been OK.
“Generally we’re not a big side, a tall side. We’re always slightly against it from setpieces for me, even defensively, we’re at full tilt to hang in because we’ve not had Victor (Anichebe) playing often enough, (Jan) Kirchhoff not often enough.
“We’re actually physically quite small as a team.”