Sunderland fan blog: Cats needed to take advantage of Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe slip-ups

After last Saturday’s win over Crewe, Alex Neil voiced how the team’s ‘job is to win’, whilst in the pre-match build up to the weekend’s draw with Lincoln, the Sunderland head coach explained how the priority is ‘more substance over style at the moment’.

And, yet, the weekend’s performance shows a case of one step forward, but still two steps back.

The club’s direction for the remainder of the season hasn’t lost course; they still know anything but the play-offs would be a disaster, but in this latest performance, the negatives completely over-shadowed the many positives.

Neil’s side controlled and through the impressive individual displays from Patrick Roberts and Dennis Cirkin, in particular, the Black Cats impressed, but had little reward for show for it.

The second successive match on the road where this has been the major storyline, it has to be slightly worrying for Neil.

The Black Cats created chances but just couldn’t find a way through.

Jack Clarke had four great opportunities, Corry Evans struck the foot of the left post, Ross Stewart’s header drew a fantastic save from Jordan Wright.

It just wasn’t Sunderland’s day but Neil has sought a way to remove the Black Cats’ defensive troubles.

It’s been no secret that they have failed to find the correct formula at the back whilst away from the Stadium of Light, but in the short-term, the head coach has made in-roads into improving their defensive solidity.

On an afternoon where Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe dropped points, this could have been a day where so many things were different.

Neil’s side have built the foundations, performance-wise, for their late-season play-off push, and this is it.

Seven matches remain, 21 points up for grabs and one goal: promotion.

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