Phil Smith's tour diary: A unique footballing experience on a night of mixed feelings for Sunderland
Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League on Thursday evening in Poznan
In Poland it was a night of mixed emotions for Sunderland and their travelling supporters.
This was a sensory overload in the best possible way, a footballing experience not to be forgotten in a hurry. The Lech Poznan support delivered just as anticipated, a wall of noise not just for the 90 minutes but at least an hour before kick off. The ultras had even arrived in perfect colour coordination, the top tier all in blue and the bottom in white to match the players on the pitch. As the stadium quite literally shook to the iconic Poznan, it was impossible not to have the feeling that this really is what it is all about. New experiences, new places and it should be said some genuinely very entertaining football. Sunderland's position in the Premier League table understandably means there is anxiety on Wearside with Sunday's game against Leeds United now looming large, but these are moments that ought not to be wished away.
The rain throughout the day meant this was not quite the party of Leiria, but Sunderland fans still relished their moment as they lined the bars of Poznan's Old Market Square and worked their way through the songbook old and new. We will say this a lot this season and there is a risk of overdoing it, but these are sights and sounds we thought we would never experience and an indifferent start to the league campaign also offers a sharp reminder that we don't know if they will come around again anytime soon.
As for the football, a dream start and a wonderful moment for Timur Tutierov didn't quite prove to be the catalyst that it ought to have been. Was this a step in the right direction? Ultimately, you would have to say probably. Sunderland showed a much better level and intensity all over the pitch from Sunday and the performance had a bit of a 'get back to doing what we do best' as they went for an ultra-aggressive press all over the pitch. It didn't quite come off at all times, but locals were impressed with the intensity and bravery of the approach and it was a big talking point in the post-match press conferences afterwards.
The concern or the frustration comes from the fact that once again, Sunderland were not clinical enough when they consistently got into very good areas and the evidence of the Premier League campaign so far suggests they will continue to struggle for as long as that remains the case. Equally there is no arguing that Lech Poznan deserved their goal and probably a point, having on multiple occasions found their way through into good scoring areas of their own. Sunderland were better here but they were a long way from achieving the level of control they'd like and even if part of that is clearly down to the way they set up to take risks and pinch the ball back as they did for the opener, the work to find the right balance is still ongoing.
Put simply, if you were concerned about the side before this game then you probably still are now. The wider context of course is seven points from nine in the Europa League, with two away fixtures negotiated. There are worse places to be and if Sunderland can land a result on Sunday, this point will most definitely feel a little sweeter.
The Echo’s Europa League coverage is sponsored by Amari Plastics. Covering all of North East England and Cumbria, Amari Plastics launched in 1975 and has built a reputation as the region's leading plastic distributor. During this time, we’ve established strong working relationships with businesses in three main market sectors: sign, display & large format printing, building & construction and industrial & engineering.