Why Alex Pritchard struggled for Sunderland at Swansea and how a tactical change helped side's attacking play

In the continued absence of Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms, it was always going to be difficult for whoever was chosen to lead the line against a possession-based Swansea team who move the ball quickly.

Mowbray opeted to start Alex Pritchard in the false nine role against Russell Martin’s side, yet it often seemed like a thankless task.

Pritchard won just three of his 13 duels at the Swansea.com Stadium (according to Wyscout), as he was often trying to hold the ball up against an opposition defender.

The position of Pritchard’s duels was also telling (figure one), as the 29-year-old tried to drop deep to link up play, while Sunderland struggled to retain possession.

While Sunderland have tried to play shorter passes to feet without a recognised striker, figure two shows what the 5 ft 7 Pritchard was up against when the Black Cats did go direct, with defender Harry Darling winning the physical duel.

The Black Cats also struggled when trying to press from the front, as Swansea’s three centre-backs, Darling, Ben Cabango and Nathan Wood, often had an extra option in possession.

With Ollie Cooper and Luke Cundle dropping back into midfield to support Jay Fulton and Matt Grimes, the hosts consistently had a numerical advantage when playing through the middle of the pitch.

Pritchard’s role changed in the second half as Jack Clarke moved into a central role, with the former operating as a No 10.

The switch made a difference as Clarke looked far more comfortable receiving the ball to feet and making runs both on and off the ball to stretch Swansea’s backline.

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Pritchard was also more prominent when operating just behind Clarke, receiving twice as many passes in the second half (18) compared to the first (nine), before being substituted in the 77th minute.

After playing a key role last season and making a fine start to this campaign, the playmaker has been less influential in recent weeks. The side’s attacking dilemmas haven’t helped his cause.