Mike Dodds has explained why Abdoullah Ba was left out of Sunderland’s squad to face Bristol City.
Whether it be in the starting line-up or on the bench, Abdoullah Ba has been an ever-present figure in Sunderland’s squad this season.
The ‘wonderful’ Frenchman has made 21 starts in the Championship, while he has been an unused substitute on four occasions. However, yesterday was the first time he hadn’t been named in the match-day squad at all.
Having scored one goal since October, Ba was left at home as the likes of Patrick Roberts, Bradley Dack, Luis Hemir, Mason Burstow and Romaine Mundle were all named on the bench for Bristol City’s visit.
Despite starting three of their last five games, Ba had fallen out of favour under Mike Dodds and the interim coach has now explained why.
Abdoullah Ba’s omission is a ‘huge positive’
Speaking to Sunderland Echo, Dodds said: “”We want competition for places.
“Abdoullah will be disappointed but we want competition for places and I think it’s a huge positive that he’s been left out of the squad and will have to react and be better than the other players who are in his way at the moment.
“I’ll have the same decision on Tuesday in terms of what the bench is like, we don’t make those decisions lightly or pick them out of thin air.
“We knew that we were going to get Aji out on the pitch and you can never fully predict your subs as Monday showed, but you’re trying to work out who might last however long etc. It was just on this occasion that Abdoullah missed out.”
Did Mike Dodds make the right decision?
It was definitely a decision that will split opinions on Wearside, given Abdoullah Ba’s struggles to make an impact on the first team this season.
The 20-year-old had the occasional positive performance earlier in the campaign, but has mostly failed to do anything of note when handed a start.
However, I do think he has looked much more lively when he has come on and I would much rather see him brought on than Dack, Hemir or Burstow.
Neither of the latter two even featured against the Robins and that clearly shows Dodds’ lack of trust in them even when we needed a goal – so why not replace one of them with Ba?
It shows our lack of quality in the final third when we are even debating whether a player like Ba should be in the squad, but that is what it has come to.
No doubt he will return to the fold against Leeds United, because we are so close to the end of the season yet still don’t even really know our best team.