After yet another humiliation at the Stadium of Light, this time at the hands of Crystal Palace, after many seasons flirting with relegation is Sunderland’s time finally up? Should they accept relegation and regroup next season? In short: can Sunderland avoid relegation?
After the scenes of happiness, to put it mildly, which followed the 1-0 victory over fierce rivals Newcastle, the overall mood was that Sunderland, under the guidance of new head coach Dick Advocaat, would once again escape the drop. Unfortunately for Sunderland’s long suffering supporters it may have been another false dawn.
Before the game against Crystal Palace, the pundits were spot on in saying that a team full of pace in attacking areas like Crystal Palace will cause this Sunderland team endless problems given the chance. Sunderland supporters knew this too and with the display against Newcastle less than a week earlier still very much fresh in their minds, most fans thought that although Palace would cause problems Sunderland, fresh from the delight of the derby win and with Advocaat’s guidance, would be able to get a result. How wrong they were.
Once again the disturbing lack of pace in the Sunderland team was there for all to see as just like against Aston Villa a few short weeks ago Crystal Palace ripped apart Sunderland with quick and direct attacking play which resulted in four second half goals. What was possibly more disturbing was that the goals came in a 14 minute spell where once the first goal went in many a players’ heads seemed to drop and the inevitable happened. Palace took full advantage with the end result being 1-4. Were Sunderland that bad or Palace that good? It seems that it was the former.
There are now just six games left for Sunderland to ensure they remain a Premier League club for next season, starting away at Stoke City and ending with two away fixtures against Arsenal and Chelsea. You won’t find many supporters wanting to go into the last two games needing victories.
Each of Sunderland’s remaining games will be both difficult and different. All of the teams they are left to play have different styles of play and have different ambitions at both ends of the table. Sunderland must replicate the passion of their fans in their remaining games, adhere to Advocaat’s plans and play with structure and energy. To be very cliché, Sunderland must treat their remaining games like cup finals. Should they play at their best, they will most likely stay up. However, more performances like the Villa and Palace games will ensure that Sunderland are playing Championship football next season.
Now is the time for the Mackems to prove that they can turn up against teams other than Newcastle United. Should they fail to do so, another “Great Escape” is not on the cards.
