What were the positives and negatives (if any) from Sunderland's victory over Oxford?
Yesterday at 02:45 AM
Goals from Jobe and Wilson Isidor made the difference as we eased past last season's League One playoff winners on Saturday. What were the positives and negatives to take from the game?
Anthony Gair says…
Sunderland are stirring once again
Something special is happening at our club.
Breathe it in, pinch yourself and wait for the inevitable doubters to tell you it's too early to say something like this, but tell them to shove it.
The confidence is brimming in our boys right now and beating Oxford 2-0 in what appeared to have been the easiest victory we'll have all season is the icing on a very expensive cake.
Dan Neil shines
I thought Captain Dan was like peak Jordan Henderson yesterday.
He ran the midfield from start to finish, whether taking the ball forward looking for Wilson Isidor or taking the easy option and passing it backwards to start again.
He knew the tempo required for this game, and ensured that no complacency set in.
A terrific performance.
The Jobe and Chris Rigg Connection
I don't think I need to tell you all how good these two are as individuals but their connection as a forward-facing pair of midfielders was outrageously good.
Honestly, our team can only get better from here.
We love you Régis….we do!
We're only twelve games into a forty six-game season and Régis Le Bris has only managed us for a short time, so I doubt the performances we're coming out with even half reflect the vision of the French wizard.
Bring anyone on, as we're by far the greatest team the world has ever seen!
Andrew Smithson says…
A nice, simple victory
After three very tense games, it was great to see things pan out the way they did against Oxford United in the very definition of 'a routine win'.
There can sometimes be the fear with Sunderland that we'll slip up in games in which we're the favourite, but it was clear from the off that the team was switched on, and some of the stuff we played was magnificent.
One or two individuals were so good they were almost making it look easy, but to be fair, the team as a whole was a level above and at periods our dominance and control reminded me of the 105 point season under Peter Reid.
That might seem a bit over the top so early in the season, but that's how complete the performance was.
Things that could phase a team - Simon Moore having to come into the team in goal, for example - were handled with the minimum of fuss and then once in charge, it was over as a contest.
In the second half, there were moves put together consisting of countless touches and there was a sense that if we needed to pick up the pace again, we could.
We all know it's important not to get ahead of ourselves, but there are lots of things to be positive about.
Silky skills on display
The players look as if they're loving being out on the pitch right now.
They seem happy to stick to the plans and keep their discipline, because they know it works and that it gives them a platform on which to express themselves.
The Wilson Isidor flick on the halfway line was sublime, but it was just one of many situations where the skills and movement had the crowd purring.
Searching for negatives…and finding few!
When your new head coach hits the ground running and has built up a five point buffer already, negatives are mercifully few and far between. We even got a nice blast of Z Cars before kick off, so I'm going to have to go some way to find a gripe.
I'm not sure the referee was too clever, I suppose, and the sprinklers and speakers giving everyone a scare was a bit unusual, but I'll take all that if Régis Le Bris keeps doing the business as he is.
Too many great goals to choose from!
Picking a goal of the season is going to be a struggle come May, isn't it?
Both strikes had their merits on Saturday and the list of contenders keeps getting bigger!
John Wilson says…
Régis gets it right
The ability of Régis Le Bris to adapt to different styles of opposition has been very impressive.
Yesterday was a pleasure to watch as we were in total control for the entire game.
Sometimes a long drive to a home game can have you questioning your own sanity, but I would've walked the 250 miles to see that.
Every player did their bit
It was a total team effort but my goodness, that Wilson Isidor goal had me beaming.
What a strike! Joyous!
A slight lack of ruthlessness?
We're nitpicking here, but I do wish we'd go for the jugular sometimes.
Yes, it's professional to 'see out a game', but that was an opportunity to score one or two more.
Pull the trigger, lads!
On a similar point, I felt some players were a little too aware of letting the team down, and therefore didn't shoot as often as they could have.
Jobe, Romaine Mundle, Chris Rigg and Patrick Roberts could all have chanced their arm (or foot) a bit more, but what a pleasure: a happy drive home and my stepson saying 'I feel really proud'.
