Dodds' clearest answer on Sunderland future yet, style dilemma & transfer hints: Phil Smith's Sunderland conclusions

Sunderland secured an impressive 1-0 win over West Brom on Saturday afternoon, bringing a tough week of fixtures to an encouraging end.

Here's Phil's key conclusions from the game...

DODDS DROPS BIGGEST HINT ON HIS FUTURE YET

Dodds has been asked regularly about his long-term future since taking over from Michael Beale and after the win against West Brom, he gave his clearest response yet.

"Well, I'm going to go away with my partner and recharge," Dodds said.

"Have a bit of reflection time, which I think is really important because I've said that it's something I want to do in the future - but I'm not going to chase it. I'm very respectful of how difficult this position is not just at this club but at any club. I'll be coming back as far as am I'm aware in a coaching capacity and we'll go from there. I'm proud of some of the things I've managed that have been really difficult, there's some things that I need to reflect on. But I've always come back stronger and better from what's happened in my previous spells.

"I've said I want to be a head coach but I'm respectful of this club because it's a mammoth one, and takes a unique individual to manage all the things that come with it. I'd like to be a head coach one day and I'm confident that I can do it, and at some point when the timing is right I'm sure I'll get an opportunity to show what I can do."

The shape of what comes next now seems fairly clear. Sunderland seem almost certain to make an external appointment and though that candidate will have the latitude to bring a member of staff with them, they'll be expected to work with Dodds and the rest of the current coaching team. Dodds is content with that, very much of the belief that he still has a lot he can learn and improve before he takes on the biggest role somewhere. After a challenging period with injuries and suspensions, the performances against Leeds and West Brom have shown his tactical acumen and underlined that he has the respect of the dressing room.

Dodds had confirmed earlier in the week that he had been involved in the initial planning meetings for next season, and gave some interesting insight into the initial mood behind the scenes about what comes next. Things can change quickly in football but his and Sunderland's next steps now seem fairly clear. The key question for many supporters is whether the limited scope to shape the backroom team will deter any potential candidates - time will tell.

IMPRESSIVE WIN COMES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF UNEASE

Much of the first half at The Hawthorns was a fairly tough watch from a Sunderland perspective, with Alex Palmer almost entirely untested until Brandon Thomas-Asante's two yellow cards in as many minutes turned the contest on its head. Even with a one-man advantage, Sunderland created few clear chances.

There's no doubt that they're struggling to recapture the quality of their play from last season and even earlier in this campaign, with the goals they scored on the same turf last season a prime example. There was no shirking this after the game though, with Dodds admitting that he wants his team to be more free-flowing and Dan Ballard admitting that this was far from their best performance.

That being said, these were two away fixtures that presented a significant challenge given Sunderland's form this year and after the debacle against Blackburn Rovers, Dodds and his players have prioritised putting some pride back in the shirt. Dodds said he was mindful of ensuring another two sell-out away ends had a performance and a result to be proud of, and this demanded a little pragmatism. The raucous reception the players received at the end of both games told you that this was appreciated. As Dodds also said, it's no small thing for a team this young and inexperienced to produce two performances of this discipline out of possession.

Make no mistake, Sunderland are going to have to get an awful lot better if they are to push for promotion next season and they can't rely on this game plan against teams who aren't going to try and force the issue - but it's a platform to build on at least.

SUNDERLAND'S PLAYERS NEED A BREAK

When discussing Sunderland's style, it's also fair to say that a lot of players are battling fatigue as the campaign enters its final throes. Anthony Patterson went down and needed treatment late on here, a break Dodds used smartly to switch formation and get Sunderland back in control of the ball just at the moment West Brom were beginning to build some pressure.

Dodds said it was not gamesmanship after the game, and though he is confident Patterson will be fine for the rest of the run-in, he added that it was a sign of the wear and tear many of his young players are feeling. The core of Sunderland's squad have had a huge workload over the last two campaigns, and particularly of late as the injury list has denied Dodds the chance to rotate in key areas of the pitch.

Dodds has been clear this week that they can't be expected to do the same again next season, and says there is an acceptance behind the scenes that there needs to be more depth and a touch more experience added to the squad in the summer. Can supporters hope that the mistakes of the last two transfer windows are going to be addressed? Only time will tell, but Dodds seems to have a decent handle on the problems and is making that case.