'About as inspiring as a binbag!': Sunderland fans slam Joey Barton's 'boring' tactics

Barrie McKay’s early strike was cancelled out by Max Power’s late effort.

And while Sunderland fans had plenty to say about their own side's performance, they were also quick to criticise Barton’s negative tactics – as his side sat and soaked up pressure for most of the game.

Here’s what supporters were saying on social media:

@GarethDuff said: “Under this good run under PP we have faced two decent sides (Portsmouth and tonight) and have been found wanting both times”

@kevsafc22 commented: “Need to do things a lot quicker Ozturk and Willis particularly. Lacking that final ball as per. Need more from Hume and O'Nien from out wide. Too many having off nights”@SAFC1879_ posted: “Last season all over again. Bottling the big games at home when it counts. Bottlers”

@Houghton1956 tweeted: “#SAFC there’s no end product. Fans forget that last Saturday Sunderland couldn’t score against 11 men. It wasn’t until Bristol went down to 10 men that Sunderland scored. Struggling again tonight against 11 men.”

@TheoCT98 added: “Barton does all this to frustrate being the away team and that’s why they’ve also been on it early”

@ThePeterBurton said: “Given that Fleetwood were time wasting after 3 minutes, them scoring isn't going to speed them up any.”

@aimeegordon_x posted: “11 men behind the ball, wasting time after 5 mins”

@ARoyalFCC commented: “I fear #SAFC are just flat track bullies and having no plan B against the top 6 is going to come back to hurt us, which means another botched play-off attempt”@RachelThex91 tweeted: “The most inconsistent refereeing I have ever seen”

@macleod_kelly said: “This referee at the #safc game is a disgrace, how much time does @ftfc want to waste..... is this how they win games”

@dpentl_ added: “Hate Joey Barton, but he knows how 2 play us”

@jenninemo posted: “Fleetwood are so boring, you can tell Joey Barton is the manager. About as inspiring as a bin bag”