My players don’t know what they are doing, admits Advocaat after Norwich rout
SUNDERLAND unveiled their new ‘Fanzone’ before the game and after yet another shambolic showing, supporters could well be advised to indulge in the ‘added entertainment’ — as the match programme billed it — for the remainder of the season.
Thousands of fans were late into the stadium, such was the popularity of the initiative, with player appearances and live bands. However, come the hour mark and Norwich’s third goal, those same supporters were rushing to get out of the ground.
This felt like a calamitous continuation of last season’s shortcomings. Only the arrival of short-term appointment Dick Advocaat saved them from relegation then and he was persuaded to return in the summer.
But the Premier League’s oldest boss, at 67, may wish he had remained in retirement in Holland after this latest humiliation at the hands of the division’s youngest manager, 34-year-old Alex Neil.
The defeat leaves the Black Cats bottom of the table and Advocaat admits he is at a loss to explain their dismal start. ‘It was very frustrating. The way we played, I did not expect it,’ he said.
‘We had 11 players play but it is not a team. I have to think about the reason why we are not a team, I am responsible for that.
‘Some of them did things that I don’t expect from players at this level. You can play bad, but not knowing what to do is even worse. This squad must be good
enough to get a better result against Norwich.’
Perhaps that was a little disrespectful to the newly-promoted Canaries, who took full advantage of Sunderland’s inept defending with goals from Russell Martin, Steven Whittaker and Nathan Redmond.
‘We played with no fear, which was important,’ said Neil, who remains unbeaten in 13 away matches since his appointment in January.
‘When we were on top we scored goals, which you have to do at this level. We played well last week but it would have been no good to play well again and get no points — you then start to wonder if you’re good enough.
‘But once we got the first goal it knocked the wind out of them and we were brilliant after that.’
Norwich took a deserved lead when Robbie Brady and Redmond worked a short corner with little resistance and, when the former’s shot was fisted clear by Costel Pantilimon, the ball rebounded off Martin and rolled over the line.
The visitors made it two before the break when Whittaker barged past Patrick van Aanholt’s flimsy challenge and smashed the ball into the bottom corner from 14 yards.
They had a third on 57 minutes amid a chorus of boos from soon-to-be empty seats.
The outstanding Redmond played a onetwo with Hoolahan before skipping clear and beating Pantilimon at his near post.
Sunderland’s Duncan Watmore was brought on for his top-flight debut and at least showed that some promise resides in the squad when hooking home a consolation two minutes from time.
But the highlight for the home supporters had undoubtedly been the Fanzone.