Manager Simon Grayson has reflected on Sunderland’s slow start in the defeat to Cardiff City at the weekend.
Hosting Neil Warnock’s side at the Stadium of Light for the game, the visitors took a two one victory on the day with our goal coming from a Lyden Gooch penalty, but having suffered the double loss of Jonny Williams (illness) and Callum McManaman (injury) ahead of kick off, that change to the plans didn’t help and we were behind within seven minutes of the start.
Speaking to the Official Site as he met with the media for his post game press conference, a disappointed Grayson knew that the start to the game had been our Achilles heel as we were constantly chasing the game.
He was however pleased with the reaction to going behind.
‘When you lose another game at home it is not easy to take. We started the game slowly, six minutes after we had done a presentation on a goalkeeper who would kick it out long and look for it to be flicked on with runners from midfield. We did nothing to stop that from happening.’
Having fallen behind, the reaction of the players was something that had pleased a frustrated gaffer.
‘To be fair the players got back on it and at least they showed some commitment and had a go. In the second half I thought we were a lot better. We got the penalty and were on the front foot. We got done by a penalty where Lamine Kone needs to do better. We suffered disappointment this morning when Callum came out injured and Jonny was ill. We had to make three changes at 12:30 to the team and we had to put together a formation that we thought would combat and deal with Cardiff because they are a strong, powerful team.’
Grayson went on to say.
‘We got off to a poor start but the formation doesn`t make you concede the goal. It is what you do with the first one and the second one after that. We decided to go 4-4-2 and we looked better because we stopped them from playing and we got tighter to people. We asked more questions of them but we have to learn from the mistakes we have made because every time we are making them we are being punished.’
