Sunderland: Alex Pritchard let down Mowbray

Sunderland misplaced their fourth recreation of the season within the Championship this afternoon after struggling a 2-1 defeat to Swansea on the Liberty Stadium, and Tony Mowbray will certainly be annoyed with the outcomes and a few particular person performances.

It’s now the Black Cats’ fourth consecutive game with out a win, which has led to their fall into eleventh within the desk, and the struggles with injury problems within the ahead line are additional presenting themselves because the weeks go on.

Each Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart are sidelined with injuries, so Mowbray has been deploying Elliot Embleton and Alex Pritchard within the centre-forward positions, and it’s secure to say that it’s not figuring out.

Regardless of having equal possession (50%), taking extra photographs (11 v 10) and profitable extra duels (44 v 40) than their opponents right this moment, Sunderland did not take their possibilities and be medical with their photographs, with solely three of their 11 makes an attempt getting heading in the right direction.

Within the first half, the hosts dominated the possession (56%) and located the again of Sunderland’s web comfortably, with Oliver Cooper opening the scoring within the thirteenth minute and Harry Darling making it 2-0 within the ultimate moments earlier than the half-time whistle was blown.

Within the second half, Sunderland got here out combating, with Jack Clarke scoring within the 53rd minute to attempt to encourage a comeback for the guests. Nonetheless, it wasn’t Patrick Roberts’ day as he was hooked within the sixty fourth minute after shedding the ball every three touches along with his efficiency.

Sadly, Mowbray’s aspect have been unable to conjure up the creativity to select up even some extent from the sport, and at full-time one other defeat was tallied for Sunderland.

One participant who let Mowbray down in right this moment’s conflict was Alex Pritchard, struggling to make his presence recognized in probably the most superior function on the pitch, which finally price his aspect the sport in south Wales.

Ought to Sunderland signal a free agent striker?

The 29-year-old ace did not register a single shot on or off course regardless of being performed as a centre-forward, misplaced 5 of his six duels, misplaced 100% of his crosses and misplaced possession of the ball 11 occasions from 47 touches (as soon as each 4.2 touches) earlier than he was changed by Amad Diallo within the 77th minute.

Pritchard’s efficiency ought to lastly ring alarm bells for the Sunderland supervisor and the consequence ought to encourage sporting director Kristjaan Speakman to discover the free agent market as soon as once more, though there are reports that the membership are intending to take action.

If Sunderland are to have any hope of securing a spot within the play-offs, they should add extra depth to the attacking choices of their group because the Championship desk can in a short time change. Fortunately there are nonetheless 33 alternatives for the Wearsiders to repair their attacking issues, however they have to act quick if their woes aren’t to additional escalate.