Sunderland are now winless in seven games, losing six of them.
If it weren’t for some Anthony Patterson heroics in the last outing vs QPR, Sunderland would’ve have lost their last seven Championship fixtures now.
Mike Dodds has endured a very tough start to what is his third spell as interim manager, after Sunderland sacked Michael Beale last month.
But the players certainly haven’t done themselves many favours of late, with Luis Hemir one who’s received criticism in the past few weeks.
This Sunderland side is desperately lacking experience after sales of the likes of Danny Batth and Alex Pritchard, with Jack Clarke’s injury also throwing a spanner in the works.
Dan Neil’s message to Nazariy Rusyn and Luis Hemir at Sunderland
Speaking to The Northern Echo recently, Sunderland academy man and fan favourite Dan Neil gave his verdict on the recent run of form.
Interestingly, he was asked if players like Nazariy Rusyn and Hemir, who both joined last summer, understand the severity of the current situation and what it all means to the fans.
Neil gave this answer:
“I think you can try and teach them it all you want, but at the end of the day they haven’t even been here a year yet so it’s not going to sink in with them just yet.
“I’m sure it has a lot, especially with the recent run of form. Our fans can be vocal when we’re winning and when we’re losing and that’s why they are some of the best fans in the country, if not the world. It’s going to take time for them to understand it, a lot of these boys are very young lads and have taken a massive step in terms of leaving a country at such a young age to try and make their name in football.
“Coming to a club of this size with this much pressure, it is going to be tough for them. We have to as players, staff and fans, we need to stick by these young lads who have come over because it’s not through a lack of trying, everyone is trying to win games and do really well for this football club so I think we have to give them time.”
Sunderland paying for lack of experience
Building on the point of Sunderland lacking experience; not only are they missing players with first-team experience but also players with experience of tough times like now.
Players like Batth and Pritchard have been through it all as a footballer, including promotions and relegations, and they know exactly what it takes to break out of a bad vein of form.
But the likes of Hemir and Rusyn, potential aside, have very little experience of first-team football at all, especially Hemir who’d only played league football with Benfica B before he arrived at Sunderland.
So now the club finds themselves in a very trick predicament.
They can’t buy a win right now and with no Clarke in the side, there seems to be nobody capable of turning a game and giving Sunderland the win they desperately need right now.
With eight games of the season left, Sunderland could yet find themselves tangling with the relegation zone, which could be catastrophic for the club.
Dodds will be relying on players like Neil who has a bit more experience and who knows what the club is all about to get them through this patch.
Sunderland return to Championship action vs Cardiff City this weekend.