Phil Smith: I watched Sunderland's draw with Wolves and these were my key conclusions

Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw at Wolves on Saturday after Dan Ballard was shown a red card for a hair pull midway through the first half.

Phil Smith was there reporting for The Echo and these were his key conclusions…

Sunderland secure safety - and feeling of anti-climax shouldn’t mask the scale of the achievement

Picture the scenario: In the hours after Tommy Watson’s goal, you’re reflecting on one of the great days following Sunderland and maybe just starting to take in the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead. Someone comes up and tells you that not only will Sunderland secure safety next season, but that they’ll do it with three games to spare and that it has for so long been inevitable that the moment it is mathematically confirmed you won’t even realise. Instead, you’ll be stewing over a controversial red card and dealing with the frustration of two dropped points on the road that might just have put an end to ambitions of European football.

You might well have laughed, and told them to go easy on the celebratory beers. The second half of this season has been a bit of a grind at times but that this moment of achieving safety wasn’t met with utter delirium and jubilation is a reflection of just how impressive Sunderland have been this season. It is a superb achievement from Régis Le Bris and his players, and one that is worth celebrating even if the sense of irritation from how this game played out still lingers.

Red card rule needs reviewing

Let’s start by saying that it clearly cannot be allowed for players to routinely pull the hair of an opponent. Particularly in a case where a player is running away from a defender and the hair is pulled, it’s a violent and dangerous action worthy of punishment.

Surely, though, we can reach a middle ground whereby it’s acknowledged that as players duel repeatedly over a game a scenario where an accidental hair pull occurs is not just possible but probably inevitable. A red card for Ballard’s action is harsh enough, but that his season has now ended with a three-game suspension for violent conduct is utterly absurd. As it stands, the application of the rule is equating his action to a deliberate headbutt - this has to change.

More broadly, it’s another example of where VAR is not working in the interests of a better spectacle for supporters and a fairer contest for teams. This was another classic example of re-refeering a moment that would never have been picked up on before VAR, rather than the correction of a clear and obvious error from the officials.

Two points dropped for Sunderland - but there were clear positives to take

The frustration with that red card was magnified for Sunderland by the fact that it came at a moment where they had assumed complete control of the contest. The opening ten minutes were positive for Le Bris and his side but also suggested that this could be a tricky contest for them - Wolves quickly dropped into a defensive shape when the visitors had possession and unlocking a low block is not the key strength of this Sunderland side. Nevertheless they controlled the contest and were clinical when Wolves erred, winning a corner with a quick break and scoring through Nordi Mukiele. Given the extent to which Wolves struggled to create clear chances despite Ballard’s red, it’s hard not to think that 11-v-11 Sunderland were in an outstanding position to go on and take all three points.

As such, it’s hugely frustrating that they did not and that they were again punished for slack defending from a set piece early in the second half. With three tough fixtures to close out the season now approaching, this was a golden opportunity that ultimately went begging.

It was fair, though, that Le Bris was eager to keep a sense of perspective afterwards. This is the second time this season that Sunderland have played the majority of a game with ten men and landed a result - no matter the quality of confidence of the opposition this is no mean feat.

It was also encouraging to see Sunderland push for a winner in the latter stages, showing intent and energy to try and catch Wolves out on the break. First and foremost Le Bris wanted to see a response to the immensely disappointing defeat to Nottingham Forest and he clearly got that from his players, who showed their determination to finish the campaign on a high.

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Le Bris is left with big defensive decision to make

Sunderland will consider an appeal for Ballard’s red but the precedent from this season would suggest that they have a very slim chance of success. It will leave Le Bris with a big call to make for the final three fixtures, and his decision might well be instructive for what lies ahead this summer.

If he wants to keep the shape of the team the same, he can recall Luke O’Nien at the heart of defence. Or, he can shuffle Mukiele across as he did here. In that scenario, Trai Hume and Lutsharel Geertruida will compete for a spot at right back and should the latter miss out it will surely all but confirm that his long-term future lies elsewhere.

Moving Enzo Le Fée back into the middle of the pitch here was a positive move from Le Bris ahead of the rest of this campaign and beyond and with little to lose between now and the end of the campaign, you wonder if he can find a way to get a more attacking player on the right flank to compliment Chemsdine Talbi on the left.

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