Wednesday 18 March 2015 10:14, UK
As Dick Advocaat takes the reins at Sunderland, we look at the five issues he has to address...
Get the fans back on side
The Sunderland supporters’ frustrations with the Gus Poyet regime were clear for all to see on Saturday, as the home fans - who Poyet says are “living in the past” - hurled objects and abuse at the home dugout, while the team crumbled on the field during a dreadful first-half against Aston Villa.
Advocaat will need the fans onside and behind his team if he is to turn around the club’s dismal run of seven games without a win. After his opener at West Ham, Advocaat’s second game in charge is a home fixture with Newcastle. As Paolo Di Canio and Poyet have found out before him, there is no better way to galvanise the Sunderland faithful – and spark a survival surge – than victory over their Tyne-Wear rivals.
End the goal drought
Only Aston Villa (19) have scored fewer goals than Sunderland this season. The Black Cats have found the net on just 23 occasions in 29 games – and just once in their last six in all competitions.
January transfer window-signing Jermain Defoe has managed two in eight and looked isolated against Villa on Saturday, with Steven Fletcher pushed out to the left flank, a position Connor Wickham has also become familiar with. Defoe’s previous Premier League purple patches have come alongside target men such as Peter Crouch. Advocaat would be well advised to examine how to get the best out of the England international.
Balance the midfield
Poyet played four central midfielders against Hull, while anchor Liam Bridcutt – starting just his ninth game of the season due to Lee Cattermole’s suspension – was cruelly exposed by Villa at the weekend.
With Cattermole unavailable for this week’s trip to Upton Park, Advocaat will have to come up with a midfield solution. Joint-top scorer Adam Johnson is currently unavailable but could the Dutchman better utilise Sebastian Larsson? The Swede has created 47 chances for his team-mates this season – a club high – but completed just 54.5 per cent of 22 passes in the opposition half on Saturday, the poorest rate of any starting Sunderland midfielder or attacker.
Target home games
Sunderland have managed just two league wins at the Stadium of Light all season. Advocaat must turn that record around between now and the end of the season to secure survival. With Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Leicester left to play at home there are genuine opportunities for Sunderland to grab vital points. They have already beaten Newcastle and Palace on the road and secured a draw at relegation rivals Leicester.
With West Ham, Stoke, Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea away, Sunderland’s home form is going to be imperative.
Get the best out of Brown and O'Shea
Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing by Villa and October’s 8-0 humiliation at Southampton will stick with defenders Wes Brown and John O'Shea for a long time – but remove those two results from Sunderland’s record and only six teams have conceded fewer goals in the league this season.
The experienced former Manchester United pairing have kept clean sheets against Liverpool and Chelsea and frustrated Louis van Gaal’s men at Old Trafford until Brown’s controversial sending off. Drawing those kinds of performances from his centre-backs consistently for the remaining nine games of the season will be a key objective for Advocaat.
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