Sunderland’s away form continues to hold them back.
Wednesday night’s reverse at relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town was the Black Cats’ seventh defeat on their travels this season - one more than they suffered throughout the entirety of last term.
Their record of four wins and seven defeats from 16 away games this season is the mirror image of their record at the same stage last year, when it was results on the road that were powering their play-off hopes.
In contrast, last weekend’s win against Plymouth was their tenth of the season at the Stadium of Light meaning they have now picked up as many points on home soil as they did during the whole of the last campaign.
Sunderland went into the season knowing they needed to improve their home form but it has come with a corresponding downturn in their fortunes away from Wearside.
The Boxing Day win at Hull City remains Sunderland’s only victory on the road since September - that’s one win in 11 away games - which is simply not good enough if their play-off ambitions are to be realised.
At Huddersfield in midweek it was not merely the result that was so disappointing, it was the quality of Sunderland’s performance as they were outmuscled and outcompeted by a side fighting for Championship survival.
Sunderland created little while the Terriers could easily have added further goals.
It was a deflating experience for fans who had crossed the Pennines full of optimism after the win against Plymouth, which meant Sunderland had picked up seven points from a possible nine and which had lifted the club into the top six.
Now they have slipped to tenth, albeit they are still only a point outside the play-offs spots.
Sunderland’s away form is a problem that pre-dates Michael Beale’s arrival, but nevertheless he is the man who must find a solution.
And with a trip to Birmingham City coming up this weekend, with the added spice of a reunion with former boss Tony Mowbray and the possibility of coming up against Alex Pritchard following his deadline day move, Beale really needs to come up with that solution at St Andrew’s.
The loss of Patrick Roberts to a hamstring injury suffered late in the game at Huddersfield is a major blow for Sunderland, with Michael Beale likely to be without one of his most creative players - and the man who brings some much-needed balance to the side wide on the right - for around a month.
The sight of Roberts limping off in the closing stages was bad enough, but it could have been far, far worse for Sunderland on the night.
There was a collective intake of breath amongst Sunderland fans early in the first half when Jack Clarke was left grimacing in pain after taking a kick on the heel.
Thankfully, Clarke was able to carry on.
Because if Sunderland had both lost Roberts and Clarke for an extended spell, the Black Cats’ play-off hopes really would be in serious jeopardy.
‘We saw you cry on Netflix’ has been the barb thrown at Sunderland fans by opposition supporters ever since the team at Fulwell 73 began documenting the despair and gut-wrenching disappointment experienced by supporters during the club’s descent into League One and its abortive attempts to escape the third tier under have-a-go owners across the first two series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die.
The third and final instalment of STID, which was released this week, is another tearjerker.
Recommended reading:
This time, though, the finale of the three-part series features tears of joy as promotion was delivered amidst a long-overdue Wembley win in 2022.
But it also features tears of grief following the deaths of dedicated fan Ian Wake, who featured heavily in all three series attending games along with his best friend Michelle Barraclough, and Sunderland’s head of media and communications Louise Wanless who passed away following a long illness in the summer of 2021 having spent 16 years working for the Black Cats.
There could be no finer tribute to both Ian and Louise than the title: Sunderland ‘Til I Die.
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