Sunderland fan blogs: Supporters deliver verdict on under-pressure Lee Johnson after unacceptable run of defeats

Here is selection of the latest fan blogs sent into the Echo, if you want to have your say simply email 350 words to [email protected] and we’ll publish the best.

Josh Edwards (Sunderland fan) – ‘Optimism has just vanished’

When the League One fixtures came out at the start of the season, I instantly saw Sheffield Wednesday as the stand out fixture and the one away day to get involved with.

A Premier League fixture by all means being played out in League One.

However, after that said game, I think the mood amongst Sunderland fans is lower than ever.

Many have travelled around 500 miles in the space of four days to watch us lose by an aggregate score line of 8-1.

Regardless of the opponents, that isn’t remotely acceptable for any club yet alone one with aspirations of winning automatic promotion.

Topped off with the head coach opening his post match press conference by saying ‘we were better…’

That feel good factor from the start of the season has disappeared after the last three league games. A lot of optimism has just vanished.

So what now? Sack another manager? Aim for play offs?

Questions have to be asked of Johnson, but I don’t think sacking him is the answer… yet. The next five league games will be the make or break of our season.

Historically, many more than 10 league defeats in a season will not get you promoted.

Despite being only 15 games into the season, we are worryingly close to that threshold. The longer this ‘streaky’ run continues, the further we move away from promotion.

Johnson has already visibly lost some of the fans, but failure to win at least three of the next five while remaining unbeaten in the other two could seriously sway the tide against him.

Sunderland have just under three weeks to prepare for the next league game. Three weeks to go back to the basics and make sure we get it right on the pitch and get heading back in the right direction.

I fear for the club’s atmosphere if not…

Peter Chase (Sunderland fan) – ‘The next period of congestion will be crucial and make or break for Johnson’

Some will think talk of terminating Lee Johnson premature given the fact despite a recent run of poor form we are still in the mix for promotion.

LJ somehow flew under the radar last season under the guise he did not have enough time.

He had ample time and the fact is his habit of standing by players who weren’t performing cost us promotion. All the more galling when the likes of Younger and Neil couldn’t get a game.

Bailey Wright was appalling when he returned from injury and Jordan Willis was clearly not fit. Poor judgement by LJ and poor use of his squad and subs.

Flanagan, despite having a great start to the season, has recently shown his past tendency to make a costly mistake. Letting go the popular and dependable Conor McLaughlin.

Lynden Gooch doesn’t seem a good fit and it’s no coincidence he’s come in for the two recent hidings, reminds me of Duncan Watmore.

Despite the reasonably good start to this campaign, there’s always the feeling with LJ there’s a calamity around the corner, and now it’s happened.

There was a recent online prediction that Sunderland would finish tenth this season and now it seems opposition coaches have unlocked the method to beat Sunderland.

LJ has a hell of a job on his hands to turn things around, especially given his tendency to lose multiple games in a row.

It was only weeks ago reporters and fans alike were gushing about the Lads going great but it’s proven a false dawn.

It seems harsh to jump on LJ as he seems quite a compelling character but something is clearly not right with huge losses against Portsmouth, Rotherham and now Wednesday, coupled with an appalling end to last season - LJ oddly escaped criticism.

The next period of congestion will be crucial and make or break for LJ.

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