Phil Smith's Sunderland AFC verdict: What changed and what didn't in key win - and what comes next

An obvious thing to say but sometimes that is the best place to start: This was a big win for Sunderland.

First and foremost in the immediate context of their season, making significant ground on the majority of their play-off rivals and most significantly, cutting the gap to West Brom back to two points. It had been seven before kick off at Millwall last week, Carlos Corberan’s side threatening to pull away from the chasing pack.

It was also a big win for Mike Dodds, who had been through the most bruising experiences in his first spell as interim head coach and was determined to show his coaching and tactical aptitude this time around. Against one of the best-drilled outfits in the division, this was a firm vindication of his belief that things would be different.

It was therefore a big win for the club, whose search for a head coach has been patient primarily because of their firm belief that Dodds not just a safe pair of hands but a highly-adept option as interim head coach. It was also a win for their wider way of operating, which is founded on the idea of implementing a way of playing and working that can roll on whoever is in the dugout. That was exactly how it was here, Sunderland still vibrant and aggressive and clear in their playing style even despite the disruption of the week previous.

Though he is unlikely to see it this way, it was something of a win for Tony Mowbray - or at least a vindication of what he has said in recent weeks. That this is a good side, capable of competing with anyone at this level, and the results would eventually come if they continued to carve out the level of chances that they had been. Statistically, their performance here was broadly similar to recent games (they actually generated a higher XG against both Millwall and Huddersfield) but this time they had the finishing touch. Mowbray had actually referenced Dan Ballard last Friday as one player who he felt should have scored more from his chances, trying to take some of the pressure away from his young strikers, and here the defender registered with a deft flick at the near post. Then Sunderland benefited from a Conor Townsend slip at a key moment in the game, even if what followed from Alex Pritchard and Dan Neil was different class.

They undoubtedly deserved to win this game, though. No side has registered more than five shots on target against West Brom so far this season but here Sunderland managed six. And that does not include Jobe Bellingham’s close-range finish early in the first half, a perfectly good goal that was incorrectly ruled out for offside. 

Dodds had opted for minor tweaks rather than major overhaul, making clear in his pre-match press conference that he did not feel there was a great deal wrong with what Mowbray was doing and that the statistics were bearing that out. Pushing Jobe up front was one of his few changes and undoubtedly his most significant. Bellingham played much of his football as a youngster up front and he has a natural knack of running beyond the opposition defenders, which is something that Sunderland have too often lacked. And as Dodds said afterwards, he has a knack of finding space in the box. That Sunderland have lacked that this season is well, fairly well established at this stage. Interestingly, Corberan revealed after the game that he had predicted this switch in his own pre-match preparation, saying it was the obvious solution to the issues Sunderland were having in the final third.

Elsewhere the changes from Dodds were subtle, the two full backs playing far more orthodox roles and Niall Huggins in particular benefiting from the space to overlap Roberts on the right. Dodds’ best moment arguably came at half time. He had been frustrated with much of the first half, feeling that his side were too passive and allowing West Brom too much control even if chances were few and far between. That he was able to get such a clear response after the break reflected well on his relationship with the players, and his decision to introduce Pritchard was impeccably timed.

Mowbray may have a wry smile at all of this, having made clear his belief last week that the four orthodox strikers recruited in the summer were not quite ready for Championship level, and having also been limited in the game time he could give to Pritchard in the early stages of the season as the club prepared to potentially move him on.

None of that politicking of recent weeks was of concern to Dodds, though, who was given the task of picking the best team to beat West Brom and did so. That the visitors were limited to one shot on target in the whole game, albeit one that ended up nestled in the far corner, was a feather in his cap.

It has settled any nerves on Wearside after that winless week and it has also lifted the pressure on that head coach search, which continues in the background with the widespread expectation that Dodds will take charge against Leeds United. Given the regard in which he is clearly held behind the scenes, and the challenges that often come with recruiting head coaches in mid-season, it goes without saying that another strong performance and win will move him firmly into the conversation - even if it is for a longer spell in interim charge.

Whoever comes next, whether it be Dodds or someone else, will be taking charge of a good Championship side. Finally, they got the result their performance level deserved.