James Copley: Nordi Mukiele and Granit Xhaka deliver brutal honesty but Sunderland now face a very different kind of pressure

There was something refreshing about the honesty of Nordi Mukiele and Granit Xhaka after Sunderland's defeat at Bournemouth. Not refreshing that Sunderland had lost again, obviously, but that two senior players were prepared to acknowledge just how poor things have become.

Mukiele went further than most would have expected, suggesting Sunderland might have become arrogant following last season's seventh-place finish. Xhaka's message was simpler: "There's no point in hiding from the truth. We're not good enough right now, and we have to take responsibility."

Fair enough. That's exactly what I want to hear from experienced players, although the reaction beneath Xhaka's Instagram post made one thing clear: Sunderland supporters are growing tired of hearing it. They want performances, not statements.

I don't think there's anything wrong with admitting that expectations have changed. Last season wasn't just about surviving in the Premier League. Sunderland finished seventh, qualified for Europe and gave supporters memories they could scarcely have imagined a few years ago.

That was an extraordinary achievement, but it also reset the standard. Players who were rightly celebrated for their performances last term are now being judged against what they've shown they can do. That's football. After seven league games, Sunderland are 19th with four points. One win, one draw, five defeats. They've scored six goals and conceded 14. Those aren't numbers you can dress up, even at this early stage.

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It's still October, and a couple of wins could lift Sunderland towards midtable. There's no enormous gap separating them from the sides immediately above, but there is no doubting that Sunderland’s early season league form is cause for concern. The uncomfortable part is what comes next. Last season, Le Bris’ men kept relegation at arm's length and could approach matches without looking nervously over their shoulder. A bad afternoon was disappointing, but it didn't feel like it threatened the direction of the campaign.

This time they're in the bottom three. And it makes the upcoming home game against Leeds United feel particularly important, even this early. Every game suddenly carries greater weight, every costly mistake invites another difficult question, and every defeat makes the following fixture feel bigger. That's a different kind of pressure, particularly for a squad also negotiating European football.

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It will test Sunderland's character as much as their football. It's easy to talk about togetherness and standards when everything is going well. It's harder when confidence drops, selection decisions are questioned, and supporters begin to worry about the table.

I wouldn't rush to conclude that arrogance is the only explanation here. Only those inside the dressing room can properly judge that. From the outside, the more obvious issues have been basic defensive errors, sluggish starts and too little attacking threat.

But I do take Mukiele's point about getting back to basics. Sunderland didn't finish seventh through reputation. They worked relentlessly, defended as a team and made life difficult for opponents. That work has to come first again. The words from Mukiele and Xhaka are welcome; now Sunderland have to give supporters something on the pitch to believe in.