Phil Smith: I watched Sunderland's impressive cup win and these were my key conclusions
Sunderland booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter final with a 3-2 win over Brentford
Sunderland booked a Carabao Cup quarter final at Crystal Palace in December by beating a strong Brentford side 3-2 at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening.
Phil Smith was there reporting for The Echo and these were his key conclusions….
Brentford have their moments - but this was a very impressive win
In his post-match press conference Keith Andrews bemoaned the ‘twelve minutes of madness’ that cost his team the game here and looking back, you can see what he means. Brentford’s performance actually felt a little bit like some of Sunderland’s earlier in the season, whereby they played pretty well from box to box but missed some big chances and were punished for some very poor defensive lapses. Sunderland’s first two goals here came from punts down the pitch that should have been dealt with, and so you can understand the frustration from the Brentford head coach.
Nevertheless, there was still a lot of work to be done in both cases and the quality Sunderland’s young side showed to take advantage was very impressive. The third goal in particular was a fine team move, with a lot of good decisions made in the final third by inexperienced players.
To Sunderland’s immense credit, they also limited Brentford to relatively few chances in the second half and showed a decent level of maturity to by and large manage the game. Igor Thiago’s late goal made it nervy for a little while, but broadly they had a decent level of control without the ball. It’s a win and a performance not to be underestimated. Though Brentford made eight changes for the game, their side was still packed with Premier League experience and they also had a clear advantage in terms of the strength and depth of their bench. Many understandably feared the worst when the team news dropped and even if we can say that Brentford were the architects of their own downfall at times, Sunderland played some excellent counterattacking football and deserved the win for a very competitive performance.
Sunderland’s cup progress shows the depth of the squad is improving
Part of the reason why Brentford were able to name such a strong squad last night (albeit they went on to lose) is because of their excellent recruitment over a period of time. Selling players at the right time for bumper fees has allowed them to keep growing the squad and investing in better players while staying well clear of any trouble with PSR and SCR regulations.
This is the model that Sunderland simply have to follow under the current rules and it’s a process that will take time. Brentford and Brighton have both enjoyed immense success unearthing gems and either bringing them into the side when key players leave or selling them on for a profit. The key here is that it takes time to develop those players when they arrive, time that the biggest clubs in the division either don’t have or aren’t prepared to spend.
There is a very valid debate to be had about Sunderland’s last two transfer windows and whether the business done fit the bill in terms of improving the immediate options to Le Bris. That debate will continue if Sunderland don’t pick up a crucial win between now and the next international break but this game did show that the depth of the squad more broadly is steadily improving. Jules Ahoka and Jocelin Ta Bi were both two brave signings from Sunderland, with next to no exposure to top-level senior football when they arrived. Both have excelled when given the opportunity to play in cup competitions this season, and look like Premier League players in waiting.
Both look like the kind of smart and bold signings we’d associate with the clubs who Sunderland, despite their overperformance last season, are looking to emulate in the long run.
Duo give Le Bris a genuine headache
Ahoka is showing with every appearance that he is ready for league minutes, though the head coach can fairly point out that at the moment he is getting 90 minutes every week and that’s a very good position for a player with his inexperience to be. Sunderland’s midfield three have been excellent over a long period, and it’s fair to keep going with them. On this evidence, though, it is a matter of time for Ahoka.
Ta Bi’s performance was arguably even more eye catching given Sunderland’s well documented failure to sign a right winger in the summer window. His performance was no surprise to anyone behind the scenes, he has been superb in training and the standout player on the pitch when he has had any U21 involvement in recent months. Had he not been denied a visa and missed the pre-season tour to the US, he might have been in the side even before now. His talent on the ball is inarguable, but it was the maturity of his second-half performance that marks him out as a real prospect at the top level. Having cramped up at the end of the game it’s hard to see him starting at Coventry City but he will know he has given his head coach a real dilemma with this performance.
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Defensive performances gives Le Bris some relief
After that alarming first twenty minutes at Bournemouth, it was important for Sunderland that Omar Alderete and Kevin Danso delivered a steady performance in this game and that’s exactly what they did. Alderete built on his solid showing against Leeds and Danso looked much more like the defender who first impressed on his arrival, good in the air and making some very important interventions in his own box.
Your next Sunderland read: Phil Smith's Sunderland AFC player ratings v Brentford with one 9/10 and two 8s in cup win