Tactical switches and the shout that said everything about this Sunderland side: Behind the scenes of the Wimbledon win

We take a look at some of the moments you might have missed from the League One victory – from some tactical switches to the shout that said everything:

IT’LL BE NICE WHEN IT’S FINISHED…

AFC Wimbledon’s new home at Plough Lane is an impressive ground, and one which will certainly rank upon the best in League One upon its completion.

The stadium is nearly-finished, but there are still some details that need touching-up. The interior of the ground still has much work to be done to it, while construction on the nearby flats is continuing meaning access roads are limited.

And Sunderland found that out to their peril upon arrival, but credit to the skilled driver of the team coach who managed to perform a sharp three-point turn in a tight space to enable the coach to access the ground. No mean feat at all.

AIDEN McGEADY’S QUICK-CHANGE

London saw some amount of snow and rain in the build-up to Saturday’s game and, while the amounts were nothing compared to what has been seen in some areas of the North East over recent days, it was enough to prompt Wimbledon to place covers over the pitch on Friday evening.

The pitch itself was in superb condition and was certainly conducive to some of the football Sunderland wanted to play.

But it took Aiden McGeady a while to figure out the best choice of boots for the game.

He switched his footwear no fewer than four times during the pre-match warm-up, before eventually deciding upon the best tools to do the job.

Better he figured it out pre-match than midway through the first-half!

LEE JOHNSON’S EARLY INVOLVEMENT

It was a moment that, in any other season and under normal circumstances, would have brought jeers and laughter from all four corners of Plough Lane.

As Wimbledon looked to clear their lines, Charlie Wyke charged down the clearance – only to see it ricochet towards the dugouts and straight into the face of head coach Johnson.

The Sunderland boss quickly shook off the blow, and we’re sure he’ll have quickly forgiven the striker given his well-taken hat-trick.

TACTICAL SWITCHES

We’ve seen Johnson utilise a number of shapes so far in his Sunderland tenure, and he’s certainly shown he isn’t afraid to mix things up.

That was certainly the case in South West London, were a number of tactical tweaks – some small, some more wholesale – helped Sunderland seal victory.

The Black Cats started the game in the 4-2-2-2 shape that had served them so well against Port Vale in midweek.

And it yielded early results as Wyke struck with just seven minutes on the clock, thanks in part to good work in and around the area from Elliot Embleton and Aiden O’Brien.

But Sunderland faded from that point and struggled to carve out many meaningful chances as the game headed towards half-time.

Johnson, recognising that the performance had plateaued, changed things.

McGeady and Embleton swapped flanks, and there was an instant effect.

Now playing on the right, McGeady – who had been a peripheral figure up to that point – twice sent Sunderland forward with two balls of real quality, that ultimately led to chances for Wyke and Embleton.

His impact would sadly fade again in the second half, as the Wearsiders’ performance on the whole dipped.

Again, Johnson acted and introduced Carl Winchester while switching his traditional 4-3-3.

Such flexibility will serve Sunderland well in the coming weeks and is something many identified as lacking under previous boss Phil Parkinson.

Having a number of shapes and options available will surely be no bad thing as the challenging games continue to come thick and fast.

A MOMENT OF MAGIC THAT WENT UNREWARDED

Just after the half hour mark, as Sunderland’s performance levels started to drop slightly, there was a moment of real quality.

Having played a pivotal role in the opening goal, Embleton once again showcased his trickery with a fine spin away from Jaako Oksanen before showing some more trickery as he advanced into the area.

It was a moment of real magic that could have lifted Sunderland and provided a real opportunity – were Embleton’s next decision not to pass to an offside Max Power.

The youngster again showed flashes of his quality before being withdrawn, and it would be no surprise to see him continuing in and around the side in the coming weeks.

THE SHOUT THAT SAID EVERYTHING

As Sunderland retreated back to their half after Charlie Wyke’s second goal – which effectively settled the game – Max Power’s shout was telling.

‘Come on, clean sheet.’

The three points may have been sealed, but Power was demanding high standards from the side.

It was a shout that says everything about the mentality Lee Johnson has attempted to instil in the side – as he aims to raise standards and ensure Sunderland continue to aim high in their quest to return to the Championship.

The win may have already been sealed, but Sunderland were desperate to keep a clean sheet.

Ultimately they did, which made it two in three League One games since the turn of the year. More shut-outs at the back and the Black Cats could climb the table and once again find themselves in promotion contention.

A message from the Football Clubs Editor:

Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Sunderland AFC coverage 365 days a year.

This depth of SAFC coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here.

Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor