'No issue' - Marco Gabbiadini delivers verdict on Nordi Mukiele's frank Sunderland assessment
Marco Gabbiadini has been discussing Nordi Mukiele’s comments following Sunderland’s loss to Bournemouth last time out...
Former Sunderland icon Marco Gabbiadini has claimed that he has “no issue” with Nordi Mukiele’s frank assessment of the Black Cats’ shortcomings in the aftermath of their 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
A dreary away performance saw Regis Le Bris’ side fall to their fourth loss in six Premier League outings this term, and following Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Coventry City on Monday night, Sunderland now sit bottom of the top flight table, having taken just four points from a possible 18.
Consequently, Mukiele pulled no punches in his post-match interview at the Vitality Stadium, stating: "If I have to be honest with you, we are not good.
"We are not good enough. If we deserve to be where we are today, yeah, definitely. Why? I don't know. Maybe because we became arrogant, maybe. This is what I think. We struggle everywhere, to be honest. We don't score enough, we concede so much. If I have to compare the last season, we didn't concede as much as we did last season. So I don't want to say it's attack or offence or defence, it's all of us. We are not good to all the parts.
"We have to be back in our basics, how we were last season. Maybe we should stop to watch back what we did the last season because now is a new season and everyone is better and we have to be better because if you are not in the level in this league, you will just stay where we are actually and I don't think Sunderland deserves it, the fans and the city. So we have to do better. We have to work and we have to be more professional and be at the level every weekend.”
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And for his part, Gabbiadini believes that Mukiele’s comments, while brutally honest, were “absolutely right”. Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about the French defender’s verdict, the pundit said: "Mukiele's had a bit of stick from certain individuals, so I think he was just speaking from the heart. He was also speaking a foreign language, so maybe it came across a bit stronger than he intended.
"He is absolutely right, though. It is a different season. We've played a number of the top sides in our first seven games, which does make things more difficult, but we do look quite different. Le Bris is having problems with his wide players. It appears he doesn't know who to play. We've seen him try to rotate and make changes, while giving players rest and firing other players up at the same time.
"It isn't an easy job - and we have to remember it's a new challenge for him as well. They are all in this together and the only way to start moving forward is by continuing to stick together. Sometimes you do have to call each other out or kick someone up the backside. I've got no issue with that because it is part of the game."
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