Granit Xhaka sends direct message to Sunderland fans and makes ‘I don’t know’ admission after Coventry defeat
Granit Xhaka criticised Sunderland’s repeated mistakes and urged fans to stick together after Coventry City
Granit Xhaka admitted “I don’t know what to change” after Sunderland’s 3-1 defeat at Coventry City, as he criticised repeated mistakes and urged frustrated supporters to stick with the team.
The Sunderland captain described the feeling as “horrible” after another damaging afternoon left Régis Le Bris’ side bottom of the Premier League with five points from nine matches.
Xhaka questions what went wrong at Coventry
Asked for his reflections on the defeat and performance, Xhaka said: “Difficult, what a different feeling, let’s call it like this. Hard to take, we came here with a big hope, prepared very good during the week, but if you don’t do the things that we are preparing, if you don’t do the things that we are speaking in the dressing room, there is no chance to win any game.”
Sunderland had beaten Brentford in the Carabao Cup during the week, but failed to build on that result at Coventry. Asked about the importance of sticking together while their form in other competitions was okay, Xhaka insisted that was not enough.
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“Yes, but okay is not enough, not in this league. “It’s not possible; one day is good, one day is bad. It’s difficult to continue like this because we need to… I don’t know what to change. There are so many mistakes from our side, simple passes, simple duels; we are not winning. If you don’t have the basics first, forget about the others. The feeling is horrible at the moment.”
Coventry’s third goal ‘killed us’
Le Bris retained the same personnel and shape at half-time despite Sunderland trailing 2-0. Rudoni then extended Coventry’s advantage before Wilson Isidor and Chemsdine Talbi were introduced as the visitors switched to a 4-4-2. Asked about the fine margins that had gone Sunderland’s way last season but were now going against them, Xhaka said: “Yes, two-nil down in the dressing room, I think that we knew that we would have to be better in the second half. I think we came back in the second half very good.
“But the 3-0, let’s call it, killed us. But we still believed; we scored the 3-1, and after we tried our best. But yes, as I said, if you make the same mistakes every weekend, every weekend you get or concede two or three goals, there is no chance for a player to win any football games.”
Xhaka’s message to Sunderland fans
Sunderland now face home matches against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League and Chelsea in the Premier League. Asked what needed to change heading into those fixtures, Xhaka acknowledged supporters’ frustration and called for unity, while stressing that Sunderland had to eliminate their mistakes.
“It’s difficult to take as well for the fans. I know they are frustrated; I know it’s the same for us as well, but the words stick together, and until the end, it’s not a surprise for this football club. It’s a big meaning and this means for us, for them, to stick together, to believe in each other as well. When everything is going well, it’s easy to support someone.
“When something is going bad, we can see who is on the board and who is not. We need everyone, we need ourselves, we need the teammates, we need the staff, the fans, we need the support. I’m sure, and I believe a lot, that we can bounce back, but we need to stop the mistakes that we are doing at the moment.”