First things first, games against Middlesbrough aren’t derby games. Far from it in fact. They have now, especially with the situation both clubs find themselves in, become quite meaningless, mediocre affairs. However, what they do provide is a chance to get one over those bunch of smog-covered Yorkshiremen with massive chips on their shoulders who think that this is a huge game for us. It’s not, but that doesn’t take anything away from the total ineptness of the Lads’ performance on Tuesday night.
Just as you thought that this season couldn’t get any worse, the club, once again, find a way to surpass even the lowest of expectations by losing to Brentford and now this. It’s not just losing though, we must all be used to that by now. It’s now all about the manner of defeat which, in the past two games has been gutless, spineless and, very worryingly, completely uncommitted. What was left of our pride has now been completely and ruthlessly destroyed.
From the first minute on Tuesday, the smog monsters spotted their opportunity to end their poor run and heaped pressure on the weak Sunderland defence. The fact that it wasn’t really at surprise that Boro were already 2-0 up around the half hour mark is testament to just how poor the Lads played. They were shocking and behind to a header from the edge of the box that really should not have been allowed to happen and another goal that came about as our defenders could get nowhere near the Boro players, leaving loads of space for Parnaby to run in and fire low into the bottom corner. This immediately prompted change as Kyle replaced Danny Collins who looked way out of his depth. Whilst this change did help the Sunderland cause it simply stemmed the flow of Boro attacks rather than do anything for Sunderland’s creativity. It was definitely a first half to forget.
Second half, however, the Lads did show some signs of revival. To their credit, they came out fighting, but fight often isn’t enough. As was proved as several chances were spurned. Whitehead fired over from close range after good work from Stead and Le Tallec. Minutes later, Caldwell latched onto a deflected free-kick only to shoot straight into the arms of Boro’s want-away keeper. And that was it, the only decent spell of play from Sunderland proved to be fruitless and then, just to compound the agony and twist the knife once more, Hasselbaink lashed the ball past Davis’ out-stretched arm after a poor ball from Breen left Miller in trouble. A goal that signaled the end of Sunderland’s chances and the cue for a mass exodus of fans from the SOL.
There’s only so much embarrassment the club, the chairman, the manager, the players and the fans can endure this season and, for even the proudest of men such as McCarthy there has to come a point where he has to just call it a day. I thought that moment may have come on Wednesday morning but obviously not. He’s here for the long term and we march onto West Ham more in defiance than anything else.
Matthew Woolston
