Things I know I think I know - Sunderland

We've been a long ball team ever since we reached the premier league. It's horrible to watch, I can't imagine you've only just noticed.

 

Thank you, Sterling Archer, for that fantastic post.

I've only been following the Beautiful Game at a more than casual level for about 7-8 years now, so I don't fully understand the nuances of tactics. But it has bothered me how much this team appears to rely too much on the cross. There are times where the player on the ball has room to carry the ball into the box but instead lobs a ball in, usually to only one or two friendly shirts among four or five opposition shirts. It seems to me that carrying the ball into the box puts more pressure on the defense, increases the options of the player with the ball, and increases the chances of winning a penalty. It's almost as if crossing the ball is the lazy way to attack.

 

And that fella Boyd in place of Aluko please

 

The low crosses were maybe a tactic to negate the fact that at 6ft 8 the Sunderland keeper is the tallest player in the league