Every word from Sunderland interim head coach Mike Dodds after the 0-0 draw with Leeds United:

Worth a point tonight?

I think so, yeah. I was a little bit disappointed with our quality with the ball, if I’m honest, and I think the game could have been a lot easier for us if we had better quality with the ball, but without the ball I thought we were excellent. We completely nullified all of their threats and just watching some of the clips back I think we had the better of the chances although they were few and far between, I’ll admit that. I’m really proud of the group. That’s a fourth clean sheet now in five games, albeit one of those games we did concede five – so I’ll take that one. If we can be a little bit more of a threat going forward we could be a really good time.

READ MORE: Instant analysis as Sunderland pick up a point at Leeds

A clean sheet here is encouraging?

Our general out of possession stuff out of all of the games I’ve taken has been really good. I’ve been disappointed, at times, with our quality with the ball, and that’s something we need to improve upon as a group but we’re aware of that. They’re a really, really young group and they’re giving us everything at the moment. They gave us everything there this evening and I’m really, really proud of the group. We can’t celebrate too much, because the reality is it’s a draw and we’re Sunderland and we want to win games of football, but there’s lots to be happy about.

Are you fortunate to have not conceded a penalty tonight?

The fact that you’re asking me would suggest that maybe we are, but I haven’t seen it back. One thing I’ve learned in this position is the decisions can go for you some weeks and some weeks they don’t go for you and over the course of a season they balance themselves out.

How are you finding it motivating the squad?

The motivation is fine. It’s really simple from my point of view, if you’re not respectful of this magnificent football club then you don’t play. It’s that black and white. So, in terms of motivation that’s the least of my worries. 

You must be proud of them tonight after the shift they put in?

Yeah, I'm happy for them. I don't want to go over the top. I've just said to them there, we have drawn the game, we haven't won the game. I think we've got to take the positives from the game and there were a lot of positives. I don't want to be sat here celebrating draws if I'm completely honest. I thought our out of possession stuff was excellent. I didn't feel, at any point, that Leeds were going to score or carve us open. Their chances came from our sloppy play. I just said to the group in their my biggest disappointment was our quality with the ball.

I felt the evening would have been a lot more comfortable for us had we had better quality with the ball. My disappointment in the game is our quality with the ball, I felt we turned the ball over far too much. But I'm happy in terms of the execution to stop their plan to stop their threats. I think they're the best team in the league. My personal opinion from what I've seen over the two games, to come here and play them earlier in the year and not concede says everything about the group and the preparation for the two games.

Both games you've gone with the five at the back and in both matches they've dealt with that formation change?

I was really conscious around the last game because I didn't want to copy and paste what we did earlier in the season. I watch a lot of football and I try and watch as many games as far back as possible. I just think they bump their fullbacks so high, you might as well go to a back five because they walk onto your shape anyway. That's the conclusion that we came to so we went very similar in terms of the game at the Stadium of Light. We were a bit more aggressive in the centre of the pitch. I think the out of possession stuff I was really comfortable and I didn't feel like they were going to score. There is a tinge of disappointment because our in possession stuff was disappointing.

A first start for Pembele, we felt he would get up and down but would he be savvy enough defensively with Summerville, you must be pleased?

Yeah we did a lot of work over the two days with him. To make sure he was really clear in terms of the angles and distances. I felt he executed that really well. I think the shape change helps Timmy, that really helped him and I've been waiting for an opportunity to play that shape because I feel it was his best position. Not just Timmy, I felt there was a lot of professional performances out of possession. I keep going back to the out of possession stuff, because the game isn't just played out of possession, I think if we can get the in possession stuff right we can be a really strong team. Regardless of age, strength in depth. I know Easter Monday was a really disappointing day for the football club, and I can't hide away from that but it's not four clean sheets in five games. The out of possession stuff, I feel like we're starting to understand what we're trying to do. If we can get better in possession I feel we can be a really strong team.

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Callum Styles equally impressive on the other side?

Yeah, I had to have a conversation with them at half-time around their positioning in possession I thought they were a little bit too reserved at time. I wanted to be a little more adventurous. I felt in the pockets in the first half, when we were on Callum's side and he was more adventurous, we had a lot more structure with the ball. In general, I felt they executed what we asked of them, so I'm not going to highlight them negatively or positively. I think everyone to a man did out of possession what we asked. My tinge of disappointment from the evening is our in possession stuff. I think if we got our in possession stuff right we would have been the first team to win here this season.