Gooch: ‘We must keep the faith’
Lynden Gooch says trusting in the process and hard work are the only way Sunderland can bounce back from their seven-game winless run.
The Black Cats haven’t tasted victory since their Good Friday triumph over Oxford United and have picked up just two points from their last six games – leaving the side rock bottom of the League One form table.
It’s a run of results that has ended the club’s automatic promotion hopes, with a play-off place also yet to be mathematically secured.
Sunderland could have ensured a top six finish with victory over Blackpool on Tuesday, but were undone by a Sulley Kaikai wonderstrike at the Stadium of Light.
But ahead of the trip to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday (3pm kick-off ), Gooch has urged the side to keep the faith ahead of their final two fixtures – despite the poor run of results.
"I think we just need to keep believing, keep trusting that what we're doing is right and keep working hard,” he said.
"I know it's cliche and everyone probably says it, but the only way to get yourself out of tough positions is by working hard and trying to revert to basics.
"Obviously, we had chances against Blackpool to at least draw the game, but it's not falling for us at the minute.
"They scored on a worldie of a strike, right in the top corner.
"It's difficult to really say too much because I think we created some good chances and their goalkeeper made some good saves.
"Teams go through this sort of form. Obviously it's a poor time to go through this run of form, but I've been here long enough to know what it's like.
"We've been in similar situations a couple of years ago, so we just need to get that next win on the board, regroup and get ready for the play-offs - obviously if
we get that win.”
Sunderland’s winless run has come at a time when the club’s defensive options are increasingly stretched – with Luke O’Nien and Max Power continuing to deputise in the back four.
Those injuries have come after a busy fixture schedule which has seen the Black Cats take in 54 games across various competitions, something which Gooch believes has played a part in recent weeks.
But there will be no hunting for excuses from the dressing room, who are purely focuses on bouncing back.
“Obviously it will play a part, without a doubt,” he admitted, when quizzed on the hectic fixture programme.
"But we wanted to go and win a trophy at the same time as well.
"It's tough, the season has been crammed in as well, but I don't think you can make excuses for the run of form.
"It's down to us as players to get a result on the pitch and for whatever reason our recent results haven't been good enough. But we just have to keep believing and get back to what we were doing before.
"Hopefully, we can secure that spot in the playoffs.”
So too would a packed Stadium of Light have aided the Wearsiders through a tricky final few weeks of the campaign.
Indeed, the midweek clash with Blackpool felt like a game where Sunderland needed their supporters more than most – and Gooch knows the difference they could have made.
“It would have been massive.
"A lot of the new lads don't know what it's like to play in front of the crowd here, but I know first hand that it would have been really positive - especially when scoring early on getting on top of teams.
"We've seen many times when teams have crumbled after we've had a good start and the fans are on top, so I know the crowd could have a massive effect on teams coming here and the way we play.
"But we can't use that as an excuse either. We're professional footballers, we need to get back to what we were doing when we were winning games and at our best.”
The next opportunity to get back to winning ways comes at Home Park on Saturday, as Sunderland face a Plymouth side who were victorious at the Stadium of Light earlier this season.
One more win will see Sunderland seal a place in the play-offs, but Gooch says the side cannot afford to get too far ahead of themselves.
"Obviously, we're coming into town and everybody wants to beat Sunderland in their stadium,” he said.
"We need to go there in the right frame of mind and know that nothing is going to be given to us. We need to get three points and know we're there.
"We've played them [Plymouth and Northampton] earlier in the season and had really tough games against them.
"We know they're going to be really difficult games and they aren't going to make it easy for us.
"Obviously, we're not in the play-offs just yet, we need to make sure we get that win, regroup and try and get promotion that way.
“No matter what way you get promoted, it would be an unbelievable achievement for us. If it's the play-offs, that's the way it's got to be done,” he continued.
"We've broken the duck at Wembley so hopefully that will stand us in good stead with the experience from earlier in the season.
"We just need to take each game as it comes and we can't get too far ahead - because we still need to solidify ourselves in the play-offs.”