Well, what can you say, eh? I, for the first time in a long time, am struggling to find the best way to summarise how totally inept that performance really was. Throughout the season, there’s been ups and downs, good performances and bad performances but this is, surely, a new low. Quite how we’ve gone from controlling the play at the outset to being totally outclassed for the major part of the game by a predominantly poor side is beyond me and, presumably, the fans, the players and the coaching staff alike, who must all now be thinking, where do we go from here?
The most common answer to that now is going to be down, as there was a deep sense of resignation around the Stadium of Light yesterday. For some reason, many fans were not angry, not bitter about yesterday’s result but greeted it with acceptance. We never looked like we could hold onto that lead, even with the great start that we made. The lead-up to the penalty saw some sharp, brisk passing and running that culminated in a good Hoyte shot, well saved by the Pompey keeper who then could only watch on as his defender got his hand in the way of Gray’s rebound. The spot-kick was then put away well but from then on, it was as if the Lads just didn’t know what to do after they’d got their noses in front. The fact that Match of the Day only showed two pieces of first half action spoke volumes for the quality displayed by both teams during that period. Apart from the goal, only Whiteheads long-range effort troubled the Portsmouth defence but it was ambitious and never going in. It was a sad advert for Premiership football from two sides who are obviously going to have nothing to play for this season apart from survival.
Sadly, the second half, however, was more eventful than any Sunderland fan would have wanted. Only a minute in and Portsmouth found themselves level. The defence seemed stationary as Taylor flicked the ball in behind them for Vukic, who fired easily past Davis. Whilst he could have done nothing about the first goal he did far too much in the build-up to Portsmouth’s second. Stubbs floundered on the edge of his own box and failed to head clear, but just as it looked like he had regained control of the ball and was about to put it to safety, Davis, in his wisdom, ran off his line, straight into Stubbs’ back, seemingly trying to take the ball off him but, in the end, causing the ball to fall nicely at the feet of Taylor who slotted home to put Pompey ahead. After this, Sunderland continued to self-destruct. The ball again found his way to Taylor but this time he was 40 yards further back than he was when he scored his first, in a seemingly safe position. But as he struck the ball brilliantly it became clear it was destined for goal. Davis, in no-mans land between the edge of his box and goal and not alert to the ensuing situation could only watch as the ball sailed over his head and into the back of the net. This was too much for many of the fans. Some began to boo, one ran onto the pitch, many others, including me, walked out. All of these things were perfectly understandable ways to vent the frustration that is felt when you’ve just watched your team’s demise unfold in front of your eyes. For me, on the first occasion I have ever, by choice, left a match before the final whistle, I wasn’t walking out in protest, nor in anger, I just wanted to detach myself from it all and not let myself get too dis-heartened by it. That feeling of resignation lay heavy on my mind and the minds of many others. On the way out, I heard Portsmouth score for the fourth time, Silva stealing in at the back post to hammer the final nail in the coffin and cause a further wave of people to exit the stadium.
After a defeat like this is easy to point fingers, so that’s what I’ll do. I felt completely let down by Davis yesterday, having defended him on many occasions. He didn’t command his box, he looked tentative and was at fault for two of Portsmouth goals. The defence as a whole, were nervy and were bypassed far too easily. The midfield were uncreative and the strike-force ineffective. The manager, who, in my opinion should take responsibility for this, is also and unfortunately as much to blame as anyone for this. He had money to spend in the summer but has taken us into this league with a considerably weaker side than won the Championship.
So it’s sad times and it’s going to take a miracle for us to turn things around. But there is still time and we, as Sunderland fans, always have hope.
Man of the Match: n/a
Matthew Woolston