Sunderland boss reflects on where his side can improve - and the unusual half-time switch that was key at Ipswich

The Black Cats struggled to contain a physical opponent through the first half, with the home side having all the significant chances and deservedly going ahead in stoppage time.

The pattern of the game had some echoes with the heavy defeat at Rotherham United earlier this season, but a much improved display in the second half earned a point thanks to Nathan Broadhead's equaliser.

As well as a tactical switch, Johnson also revealed that a change of footwear had been key to the outcome.

"With the injuries we've had seven unbeaten is not a bad run," Johnson said.

"We don't like draws but if we win the next one, which we'll endeavour to do, it becomes a good draw away at Ipswich.

"We're all learning and Callum Doyle is a really good example of that today.

"I thought in the first half he was a bit sloppy, and in the second I thought he was outstanding.

"It's just tiny little things, like in the first half his stoods were too short. We must have had five players slip in the first half, and I made them change to longer studs for the second half.

"It's just these little things that can sometimes happen, but we turned the tide.

"I felt we had the fitness on them, and I thought it would open up in the second half.

"To be honest, I don't think we played the philosophy as much as we could have done," he added.

"This is the million-dollar question. We played Morecambe a couple of weeks ago and not one kick from the goalkeeper cleared the halfway line, and today almost every single one was long.

"I asked the players about it at the end and the pitch was quite sludgey on top, they weren't quite confident in their footing.

"But we've got to be better, better from throw-ins, better in playing out, and we should be able to be smart enough to find the spare player.

"The only frustration for me was in that second half we just went a little bit long."