PROMOTION IS STILL THE GOAL
Wright confident of top-two finish with Cats in a great position
Bailey Wright insists Sunderland are in a ‘great position’ as they prepare to mount an assault on the League One top two.
The Black Cats lost more ground in the race for promotion on Saturday as they were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against MK Dons.
It was a result that saw Sunderland drop out of the play-off places and they now sit seven points away from the automatic promotion places.
But with still close to half the season left to play, Wright remains confident that a top-two finish could still be on the cards and says the side have the confidence to deliver the string of results necessary to propel them up the table – starting with a key week as the Black Cats face in-form Shrewsbury Town and Doncaster Rovers.
“We're in a great position,” said the defender.
"Mentally, we're in a great position and we know what we're capable of achieving.
"Promotion is our number one aim and that's to go and finish in at least the top two. We know momentum is key in that and we've got the belief we can do it.
"We've only just started to show what this team can do and we've got a lot to bring and a lot to look forward to.”
The draw at MK Dons was another testing afternoon for Sunderland who, while forced to do some serious defending in the early stages of the game, grew into the contest and began to dominate in the second half.
But a vital third goal proved elusive for the visitors, leaving Wright and his teammates to reflect on another another where the overwhelming emotion was one of frustration despite some real signs of promise.
“It was a competitive game for sure and one with a bit of frustration,” admitted the Australian.
"I thought we had enough chances to win that game. We played some good football against a good side who make it tough, and this is a tough place to come.
"We feel we should have won the game, a couple of decisions didn't go our way that should have, but this is football and you have to take the positives.”
Those decisions Wright alludes to centre around two key moments in the game.
The first was MK Dons’ second goal, which Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson felt was scored from an offside position, and the second was a shout for a penalty after Aiden McGeady’s cross appeared to strike a hand.
Neither call went the way of the Black Cats, leaving Wright to reflect on the ‘small margins’ that can prove the difference.
“I was probably screaming trying to organise something behind the ball, so I didn't see it [the penalty shout],” he explained.
"From everyone's comments and everyone's opinions on it, it was almost certainly a penalty.
“But these things happen in games. You'd like to see the right decision get made but sometimes they don't and we're all humans at the end of the day.
"These are the small margins that can frustrate you.”
One pleasing aspect of the Wearsiders’ display at stadium:mk was that they failed to settle for the point, instead pushing forward in numbers late on in search of victory.
There were a couple of late chances for Aiden McGeady as Sunderland asked the majority of the questions in the final throws of the game.
And Wright says that attitude comes from Johnson, who is keen to instil a winning mentality at the Academy of Light.
As Wright explained: "He's a winner. He wants to win and he's passionate about it, I think you can see that.
“He sets high standards and high expectations of himself, of the team and as individuals we set our standards ourselves.
"We go into every game wanting to win and you can certainly that we wanted to win that game. We played with intent and that's the identity we want to have - play to win.
"I think you could see our intent was to win the game,” he continued.
"We played to win the game and we didn't want to settle for a draw, no way.
"We looked like the team more likely to go and win it.
"They put their bodies on the line and made some good blocks and saves in a half that we certainly dominated in terms of chances and some good football.
“We'll look at that, keep building and look ahead to another tough game on Tuesday.”
Wright also hailed Johnson’s approach to the January transfer market, which saw Sunderland add four new faces to their ranks.
While Ross Stewart is yet to make his debut and Carl Winchester is now nursing a minor injury, the defender says the arrival of the duo – along with loanees Jordan Jones and Jake Vokins – has helped to lift the squad in recent weeks.
And Wright welcomes the increased competition for places, which will undoubtedly come to the fore as the Black Cats prepare for a busy week.
“That fresh energy and competition for places is good,” he said.
"You want to see good players come in, like they have, because that lifts you as a team and as individuals lifts each other's games too.
They've settled in well and this is a good group which helps people come in and be themselves.
The most important is they enjoy their football, we all enjoy our football, and that's the atmosphere we're creating.”