Sunderland 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday: Dismal defending, poor finishing and Stadium of Light anger on final day

Sunderland’s season ended with yet another home defeat as Sheffield Wednesday secured their safety at the Stadium of Light.

First-half goals from Liam Palmer and Josh Windass secured the three points for Wednesday and though the Black Cats did have chances in both halves, their miserable goalscoring form continued. Here’s the story of the game and its key talking points from a Sunderland perspective...

A CHANGE IN SHAPE BUT FAMILIAR WARNING SIGNS

Sunderland made only minimal changes to the starting XI with Patrick Roberts returning and Anthony Patterson’s long run of consecutive starts coming to a close - handing Nathan Bishop a rare chance to impress. The Black Cats did switch formation in a bid to try and be more creative, with Callum Styles moving into midfield.

In truth, though, it was the visitors who were the more threatening early on. They came needing only a point to secure their survival after a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl but it was clear that they were looking for all three and the early chances were theirs. A cross from Windass to the back post was turned just wide by the sliding Anthony Musaba, before Ike Ugbo headed wide from a promising position inside the box. Both chances came from Sunderland being cut open down their left flank, in what would be a theme of the half.

Sunderland did threaten when Clarke teed up Roberts on the edge of the box, his first-time effort on his weaker right foot flying wide. Wednesday had another opening, however, when Barry Bannan’s chipped pass found Windass but from a narrow angle he could only drive well wide.

THE PRESSURE EVENTUALLY TELLS

Sunderland were actually the first of the two sides to have the ball in the back of the net, Luke O’Nien meeting a free kick from Callum Styles at the back post and heading home - only to see that the offside flag had been already raised. Within five minutes the Black Cats were behind, Bannan playing wo excellent passes to bring his side from the halfway line to deep into the Sunderland box. The second of his passes found Palmer has he burst into the box, and the wing back fired through the legs of Bishop and into the far corner. The goalkeeper should perhaps have done better but it was a poor goal all round to concede.

Sunderland were almost level when a loose pass from Bannan allowed the home side to break, Clarke cutting in from the left and bending an effort off the outside of the post. The Black Cats were having chances, Hume seeing an effort from inside the box blocked before Styles drove the follow up wide.

At the other end, though, their defence of the box was dismal and Wednesday had their second when they again burst into the box down the right flank. A low cross was cutback into the middle of the box where Windass drove into the roof of the net, Bishop this time with no chance. The goal was understandably met with a furious response, with a small pocket of the Roker End voicing their displeasure at sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.

MORE CHANCES GO BEGGING

Wednesday’s attacking approach was causing Sunderland problems but it did mean they weren’t out of the game, chances there for the hosts to turnover the ball and break. They should have been level when Alese overlapped and cut a low cross to the heart of the six-yard box, where Patrick Roberts blazed over from just a few yards out. Beadle then made a decent stop from Adil Aouchiche as the false nine was played through on goal.

Many supporters had voted with their feet after Wednesday’s second and there were loud boss when the half-time whistle was blown. Sunderland had created some chances, but the quality and most important the intensity in defending their own box was well short of what was required.

DODDS IS RUTHLESS AT THE BREAK

Mike Dodds’ displeasure with the first-half performance had been increasingly visible as it progressed and at the interval he acted quickly, replacing Patrick Roberts and Callum Styles with Chris Rigg and Corry Evans. In truth, there were few who could have complained had they been replaced.

The introduction of Evans did tidy Sunderland up a touch in midfield and Rigg brought some welcome energy to the right flank, though Wednesday for the most part looked very comfortable with their position in the game. Sunderland’s first real chance of the half came when a cross from the right was hooked over the bar by Clarke on the volley, Rohl making a double substitution at the first signs of possible fatigue. Shortly after Aouchiche met a long ball over the top and his volley was palmed clear by Beadle, who had do the same again as Clarke cut in from the left.

GAME FIZZLES OUT IN MIRROR OF SUNDERLAND’S SEASON

Wednesday had not offered a great deal throughout the second half but in truth they didn’t need to, their safety all but assured and the Black Cats labouring to really create any chances. Sunderland had seen more of the ball and got higher up the pitch in the second half, but after that flurry of openings on the hour mark they had contributed little.

Dodds continued to ring the changes, which led to a standing ovation for Jack Clarke as the home support showed their appreciation ahead of a possible summer departure. The closing stages played out in front of a sparsely populated Stadium of Light, a reflection of the way the season has ultimately unfolded. Sunderland finished the campaign just six points above the drop zone and with 22 defeats - a remarkable statistic and particularly when you consider that they were relatively well placed at the halfway stage.

It’s a huge summer ahead as quite simply, this is a team and a club currently a long way off challenging for the top six again. The full time whistle was met with loud boos, with very few sticking around for the traditional end of campaign appreciation. That told its own story.

Sunderland AFC XI: Bishop; Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Alese (Hemir, 79), Styles; Ekwah (Ba, 70), Jobe; Roberts, Clarke (Watson, 87), Aouchiche

Subs: Patterson, Pembele, Mundle, Dack

Sheffield Wednesday XI: Beadle; Palmer (Ihiekwe, 90), Iorfa, Bernard; Valentin (Diaby, 65), Vaulks, Bannan, Johnson; Musaba (Gassama, 76), Windass (Paterson, 64), Ugbo (Smith, 76)

Subs: Dawson, Ihiekwe, Famewo, Cadamarteri

Bookings: Alese, 49 Palmer, 77

Attendance: 41, 222