Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray delivered this verdict on Preston North End draw and has clear striker message

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray remains confident his side will find a way to score goals without a recognised striker after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The Black Cats dominated possession and threatened throughout, but struggled to carve out clear chances.

Mowbray didn’t feel that was due to a lack of a recognised striker, and felt his side just struggled to pick out the right pass when they reached the final third.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also praised his side for coming through a stern test on set plays against a side that had a major advantage in size and physical presence.

Sunderland boss Tony MowbraySunderland boss Tony Mowbray
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray

The draw leaves Sunderland in seventh place, two points back from Mowbray’s previous side Blackburn Rovers in the Championship table.

“You have to put into the context the team we played against, they have had a lot of clean sheets and 0-0 draws so far this season,” Mowbray said.

“They set up well defensively and they carry a threat from set plays, particularly today because there was a huge difference in the size and physicality of the two teams.

Read More
'Very impressive': Phil Smith's Sunderland player rating photos following Presto...
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We managed to see that threat off and while I couldn't say we had a lot of clear cut chances, we did get in behind them quite a bit, it was just that final pass, that little run in the box. We just couldn't find that pass in the box today. Even Patrick cutting in from the right-hand side, today it was fizzing just past the post rather than finding the far corner.

“We were the team in the ascendancy and yet they always carried that threat, every set play was a danger to us. It was a good clean sheet.

“We had a lot of good opportunities, we just didn't turn it into good chances.

“It would have been nice to be sitting here at 1-0 given how hard we worked, but we have to point the bag and move on.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mowbray admits it may be harder for Sunderland to play without a striker on home turf, where the onus is on his side to create chances. He remains confident he has the players to make it work, though.

“We've scored five in the last two away games, but it's harder at home,” Mowbray said.

“You wouldn't think that but when the opposition is at home they have to open up their shape a little bit. If we'd scored one today we might have gone on to score more, because they would have had to leave spaces for us and we're a really danger in transition.

“But they didn't have to overcommit, and that makes it more difficult for us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I don't want to get hung up about the lack of strikers, because we've found a way in the last two games. Today we didn't get those spaces that we thrive in, they are a well organised team. We've got players in the side and on the bench who can score goals, so we'll keep going.”