Johnson delivers a strong warning for Cats squad
Lee Johnson bemoaned poor defending and a lack of composure in the final third as his side fell to another costly home defeat.
The Sunderland head coach also warned his players that he will move on anyone who doesn' t buy into his methodsafter noting some' culture errors' through a frustrating night.
Plymouth Argyle landed their first league away win of the season at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night, twice capitalising on defensive errors to take the lead.
The second goal was a source of particular frustration for Johnson, as the Black Cats switched off from a throw-in within minutes of restoring parity.
"I thought we dominated every stat but the most important one, and that seems to be a bit of a theme at home," Johnson said.
"We haven' t been as consistenthere as we should have been, and I don't think we're hiding from that, we've got to address that in the second half of the season.
"It's switching on, the secondgoal in particular is a poor one to concede.
"We didn't switch on quick enough, didn' t get across quick enough, didn't organise soon enough and they play around us.
"We've got to start better, the opposition adapted to the conditions better than us.
"Everything in between we've dominated.
"There were some good approaches into the final third, but the execution in the final action wasn't good enough.
"We're not on top form, a lot of of our game is solid and competent, and now we' ve got to take it further, more consistently," he added.
"The second goal is just such a poor goal.
"For me, it's an attitude error, not to organise it, not to track your runner, facing away as the throw-in comes in. It wasn't like it was quick throw, either.
"We have to deal it with it, those are the basics that you get your clean sheets.
"On too many occasions, we've conceded from one or
two shots on goal.
"That's the frustration, because it's taking us 14 or 15 attempts to score one."
An inability to break teams down has long been the Achilles' heel for Sunderland in the third tier, and though Johnson felt this game differed in that Plymouth showed a lot more attacking ambition than many visitors to the Stadium of Light, a lack of guile in the final third is a glaring issue in need of immediate attention.
“To be fair, I thought Plymouth tried to come out and advance," Johnson said.
"They pushed their wingbacks high early, which left us space.
"We didn’t capitalise on that anywhere near enough first half, down the left, which was disappointing because we really had some good opportunities down the left to penetrate their back three.
"Of course, when you give them a leg up and they score the first goal, then attitudes change because 70 per cent of first goals end up in wins.
"That’s a fact at any level of football, and we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.
"We get back in it, only to cut our nose off again with a couple of bad decisions.
“It’s been at home [a lack of composure in the final third], it hasn’t been away.
"I don’t know whether that’s undue pressure, the opposition switching on more and sensing the danger quicker than we’ re sensing the opportunity, but it’ s very difficult to justify when you see them executing those deliveries in training.
"A good player, and we have got good players, can drop their mind’s eye to 70 per cent in and around the box, and therefore make good decisions.
"The goal was a good example. I thought it was a great goal, and later on I thought Embleton put in a wonderful cross when he came on at leftback.
"Clearly, that was just to go for the game a little bit and just change the partnership up on the left.
"I think it’s an opportunity missed, I really do.
"Coming into the game, I thought it was a good opportunity to win.
"I believed there would have been spaces, but I suppose you have to give credit to the opposition for being under the cosh for such long periods of the game, and then seeing out the moments that mattered."
Johnson insisted that he is relishing the challenge of turningaround Sunderland' s poor form, and has regularly talked up the quality within the squad at this level.
However, after being critical of the 'culture' within the side during the first half of the 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon, there was more concern for the head coach on Tuesday night.
Johnson says there is 'a lot of hard work to do' and warned his squad that he will not be afraid to make changes.
“I’ m really happy to be here, that hasn’t changed," he said.
"It’s a wonderful club, but I think there’s a lot of work to do. A lot of work.
"There was even some cultureerrors today, which I don’ t like.
"I want to be able to go to sleep at night knowing that whatever goes on externally, myself and my squad have got that consistency of believing in each other.
"I want us to look after each other – we have to create that cause from within and be a family.
"It’s really important that the lads buy into that–and anyone who doesn’t will be gone, quicker than you can say their name."
*Premier League clubs have agreed to trial permanent concussion substitutes in response to mounting concern over head injuries.
The League announced yesterday that clubs will adopt an initiative announced by the International Football Association Board in December under which teams will be allowed to makeup to two additional substitutions for players with suspected or confirmed concussion.