Sunderland showed their inconsistency by losing to an organised but otherwise average Barnsley side, with a performance as disjointed as a kebab and which showed that Coleman still hasn't worked out what to do with the ragbag squad he's inherited. There's hardly been time to catch our breath, has there? Win at Nottingham, do New Year's Eve, watch from the Green Tree as the pyjama-clad chavvy lasses heading home complete with blue carrier bag of Chardonnay and crisps, get to Sunderland in double-quick time, try the Isis and the Vaults, and hear the line-up.
Ruiter
Love Matthews O'Shea Browning Oviedo
Honeyman Gibson McGeady McManaman
Vaughan
Kicking North. Boo. Although, to be fair, Vaughan was largely on his own as the play came through Gibson, they hit the woodwork from distance, and the visitors were generally on top in the opening exchanges. We did get Vaughan through, but he was crowded out in the box and we were caught offside a few times. Matthews was the third central defender in the absence of Wilson, and he had plenty of opportunities to carry the ball out of defence as Browning and O'Shea defended well… and they needed to.
Just before the half hour, Gibson, who'd had a good afternoon so far, appeared to twang a banjo string hitting another ball out to the right, and eventually went off with McNair coming on. The applause he was given showed just how much his stock has risen in recent times, and Paddy slotted straight into the central spot. McGeady wasted a good chance to cross from the right, putting it straight into the keeper's arms, then McManaman weaved his way through the middle, dropping his shoulder about six times, but could only produce a scooped Sunday morning shot that the keeper fielded comfortably.
On 42 we won a free 25 yards out, after the ref had tried his hardest to play the advantage, in the inside-right position. Oviedo beat the keeper, but his shot hit the bar, bounced down, and was cleared. There were two added minutes, but 0-0 was about fair at the break. We'd been too slow getting forward, with the fullbacks being our main attacking threat. Oviedo made way for Maja, with Matthews going left back and us switching to a flat back four.
Brave move, Mr Coleman, but we'd only played a minute when we spectacularly failed to deal with a corner from their right and Barnsley headed home from the back stick. Awful defending, Sunderland, and it got the sizeable away support singing. McGeady fired a free into the side netting five minutes later. Vaughan cushioned the ball down to Maja in the box, but he trod on the ball and the chance was gone, then Ruiter did well to close down a Barnsley break and save with his foot.
On the hour, we conceded a free near the goal line and swapped McManaman for Asoro, going three up front. A free from McGeady sailed harmlessly into the keeper's arms, then Barnsley decided to have a lie down and pretend to be hurt - just before McNair fired over. Out came the yellow card for timewasting by their keeper, but it didn't stop them rolling over at every opportunity, prompting the ref to have a word with their manager. A good run by Honeyman won a corner, but we couldn't connect with it, conceding a foul in the box. We won a couple of late corners, they nearly got a second, the ref added six minutes -about a quarter of the time wasted by the Tykes - Ruiter came up for a corner...and we lost. A fair amount of huff and puff, but precious little shape and an awful lot of wasted passes. Keep playing like that and there'll be a few more grounds being ticked off next season, as the only way is down.
Man of the Match? It's one of those days when I'm tempted to say "Biffo the Bear", it was that bad, but I'll say Honeyman. Even if his efforts came to naught, at least he kept going.
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