Neil frustrated by costly lapses in concentration
DAN Neil admits Sunderland paid the price for “lapses in concentration” as they threw away a lead against Ipswich Town to lose at Portman Road.
The Black Cats got off to a good start when Jack Clarke put them ahead before the half-hour, but Kayden Jackson levelled soon after and then midfielder Conor Chaplin completed the turnaround 15 minutes from time when he was left unmarked to head home from a free-kick.
It was a disappointing day for Sunderland who slipped out of the play-off places on goal difference, while for second-placed Ipswich the victory marked the end of their five-game winless streak in the league as they cut the gap on leaders Leicester City to seven points.
“I didn’t feel a gulf in quality even though they are second in the league,” said Neil. “We know they are a good team and a well-coached team but I thought we gave just as good as we got for the majority of the game. I think it comes down to lack of concentration sometimes.
“I think their first goal is a bit of a fluke, it’s come off Pierre [Ekwah’s] toe and fell to the boy [Jackson] in the box. Their second goal, Conor Chaplin is scoring a header and he’s one of the smallest players on the pitch.
“We need to look at ourselves for that. I think there were times in the game where there were sloppy passes, I don’t know how many times the ball got played out of play just unnecessarily.
“It’s just those lapses in concentration and I said that after the Bristol City game when we got beat.
“There was that 10 minutes of madness [at Bristol], whereas on Saturday I feel it was spread out across the game. It’s something we need to look at and need to fix pretty quick.”
Sunderland arguably shaded the first half and Neil felt they were a little unlucky to go in at the break level. But in the second half, substitute Adil Aouchiche missed a big chance to put the Black Cats back in front before the Frenchman gave away the needless freekick that led to Ipswich’s winner.
Neil said: “To be honest I thought going in at 1-1 we were hard done by. I thought we played better and thought we controlled the ball when we had it.
“I think we had two really good opportunities, I can’t remember if they were before or after the goal by Clarkey. To come in 1-1 after that flukey goal was frustrating but we were positive because we had gone toe-to-toe and if not had the better of them a little bit.
“To come out and concede in that fashion so late on is frustrating.”