roker report 
25-04-2024 05:56
25-04-2024 05:56
On This Day (25 April 2009): Sbragia’s Sunderland stutter again at the Hawthorns!
After such a vital victory against Hull City last time out, it was hoped and anticipated that Ricky Sbragia’s men could build on that performance and move further away from the drop zone as they made the trip to the Hawthorns.
After such a positive start to his spell in temporary charge of the team, Sunderland’s performances were starting to deteriorate at the wrong time, with team edging closer to the bottom three as a result.
Our stuttering run of form had brought only one win in nine, and we looked like a team of individuals who were paying the price for some poor recruitment by Roy Keane in the summer of 2008.
Although Sbragia appeared popular with the players, it felt as though he was almost too popular, to the point where the squad looked like they took liberties, safe in the knowledge that Sbragia wasn’t going to do much about it. Our habit of performing unprofessionally was illustrated against Tony Mowbray’s West Bromwich Albion, who found themselves in an even more precarious position than Sunderland.
However, when watching the game back, you would’ve been forgiven for thinking that West Brom were the team with a higher chance of survival, with one match report extremely critical of our performance.
The Black Cats, despite knowing the stakes were high, were desperately short on inspiration and invention, ending well beaten as Albion were even able to indulge in short spells of possession football.
Despite some early pressure, the Baggies were comfortable throughout the game.
Andy Reid and Kieran Richardson forced Scott Carson into some acrobatic saves early on, but once the home side took the lead five minutes before half time, the game was only ever going to go one way.
Jonas Olsson’s goal from a corner in front of the away fans increased the misery before a dominant second half performance eventually secured the victory for the home side, as goals from Chris Brunt and Juan Carlos Menesguez made it a comfortable afternoon for Mowbray’s men.
It was a bitterly disappointing defeat for Sbragia’s team (or team of individuals), and with games against Everton, Chelsea and Portsmouth still to come, it was difficult to see where when or where we would gain our next victory.
As Sbragia states below, his shock suggested that he felt the same.
We were so poor overall. We seemed to have eleven individuals out there and we got what we deserved: absolutely nothing.
It’s hard to explain the way we played. We didn’t turn up. Our decision making was poor.
I feel sorry for the fans because in the last week, they’ve seen two different sides to us. This was the worst side and we looked disinterested.
Barclays Premier League
25 April 2009
The Hawthorns
Attendance: 26,256
Sunderland 0
West Bromwich Albion 3 (Olsson 40’, Brunt 58’, Menseguez 88’)
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite (Martis 46’); Olsson, Robinson, Koren; Dorrans (Menseguez 64’), Greening; Brunt, Simpson (Mulumbu 46’), Fortune
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Filipe Teixeira, Borja Valero, Wood
Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Davenport; Ferdinand, Collins, Edwards (Malbranque 54’); Tainio (Healy 87’), Reid (Whitehead 52’), Richardson; Cissé, Jones
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Murphy, Leadbitter, McShane
After such a positive start to his spell in temporary charge of the team, Sunderland’s performances were starting to deteriorate at the wrong time, with team edging closer to the bottom three as a result.
Our stuttering run of form had brought only one win in nine, and we looked like a team of individuals who were paying the price for some poor recruitment by Roy Keane in the summer of 2008.
Although Sbragia appeared popular with the players, it felt as though he was almost too popular, to the point where the squad looked like they took liberties, safe in the knowledge that Sbragia wasn’t going to do much about it. Our habit of performing unprofessionally was illustrated against Tony Mowbray’s West Bromwich Albion, who found themselves in an even more precarious position than Sunderland.
However, when watching the game back, you would’ve been forgiven for thinking that West Brom were the team with a higher chance of survival, with one match report extremely critical of our performance.
The Black Cats, despite knowing the stakes were high, were desperately short on inspiration and invention, ending well beaten as Albion were even able to indulge in short spells of possession football.
Despite some early pressure, the Baggies were comfortable throughout the game.
Andy Reid and Kieran Richardson forced Scott Carson into some acrobatic saves early on, but once the home side took the lead five minutes before half time, the game was only ever going to go one way.
Jonas Olsson’s goal from a corner in front of the away fans increased the misery before a dominant second half performance eventually secured the victory for the home side, as goals from Chris Brunt and Juan Carlos Menesguez made it a comfortable afternoon for Mowbray’s men.
It was a bitterly disappointing defeat for Sbragia’s team (or team of individuals), and with games against Everton, Chelsea and Portsmouth still to come, it was difficult to see where when or where we would gain our next victory.
As Sbragia states below, his shock suggested that he felt the same.
We were so poor overall. We seemed to have eleven individuals out there and we got what we deserved: absolutely nothing.
It’s hard to explain the way we played. We didn’t turn up. Our decision making was poor.
I feel sorry for the fans because in the last week, they’ve seen two different sides to us. This was the worst side and we looked disinterested.
Barclays Premier League
25 April 2009
The Hawthorns
Attendance: 26,256
Sunderland 0
West Bromwich Albion 3 (Olsson 40’, Brunt 58’, Menseguez 88’)
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite (Martis 46’); Olsson, Robinson, Koren; Dorrans (Menseguez 64’), Greening; Brunt, Simpson (Mulumbu 46’), Fortune
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Filipe Teixeira, Borja Valero, Wood
Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Davenport; Ferdinand, Collins, Edwards (Malbranque 54’); Tainio (Healy 87’), Reid (Whitehead 52’), Richardson; Cissé, Jones
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Murphy, Leadbitter, McShane