There is no denying that Sunderland have established themselves as a mid-table Premier League side. They are in no danger of relegation, and ahead of kick off against Nottingham Forest, remained just about in contention for European qualification come the end of the season.
However, despite Régis Le Bris’ insistence that Sunderland are remaining focused and persistent, based on the simply damming evidence of the events that unfolded at the Stadium of Light, it would appear that his players have their sun-hats on and sand between their toes, perhaps sipping a cool drink in a glass with a mini umbrella.
Nice for some, but certainly not nice for Régis Le Bris. The quite astonishing 0-5 loss left him visibly hurt, frustrated and annoyed - all in equal measure. He said that “it wasn’t the face we wanted to show” following the full time whistle.
“This is not Sunderland” was his next sentence, which felt right. Knowing what to say after such a heavy defeat is not easy, but Le Bris picked his words well.
He let his players unpick their wounds in the dressing room post match, with “responsibility” being the key word used. Once the dust had settled, Le Bris made clear that he “set the narrative, to say where we are, who we are.”
There was no such soul searching in the dressing room next door, however. Nottingham Forest Head Coach Vitor Pereira described his side’s display as “fantastic”, before repeating the adjective to fully hammer home just how pleased he was with his players.
He said that safety in the Premier League still required more points, but that result has certainly put huge pressure on Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. With the ability to put in performances like that though, Forest should not have anything to worry about.
Admittedly, the away sides’ opener was fortuitous, but not necessarily undeserved. Both sides had had chances in what had been an end-to-end first quarter. Following a short corner, Omari Hutchinson delivered a ball to the back post, where Igor Jesus looked to head back across goal. Instead, the ball ricocheted off his marker Trai Hume, and past the helpless Robin Roefs and into the net.
The goal, whilst unfortunate, will not have angered Le Bris as much as what followed. Sloppiness in possession, coupled with the defence being more open than the Red Sea with the influence of Moses, will certainly not have made for pleasant viewing on the touch line.
That was when it was still at one-nil. Twenty minutes after the first, Forest were four goals to the good. Yes, four. Chris Wood grabbed the second after a poor pass from Roefs fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who picked out Wood to finish. Then Gibbs-White himself got in on the act, lashing home unmarked, after Sunderland failed to clear a corner. Finally, Jesus got his goal, with this one being less of a miracle than Forest’s first. A well-struck side-footed volley was dispatched after the ball fell sweetly to him in the box.
There were quite a few empty seats visible by the start of the second half. Those who remained in situ were perhaps dreaming of an improbable comeback, regardless of unlikely that may have been.
Dan Ballard thought he’d pulled one back, only for VAR to recommend an on-field review to referee Darren England. Nordi Mukiele was adjudged to have fouled Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels just before Ballard headed home, and the goal was chalked off.
The game fizzled out and became a non-event, as is often the case in matches where the first period has seen such one-sided dominance. Forest did manage to add a fifth right at the death, thanks to a strike from boyhood Newcastle fan Elliot Anderson. After what has been an incredibly difficult period for him after the loss of his mother, that goal will have tasted sweet.
The only taste in the mouth of Régis Le Bris was a sour one. Nine goals have been let in by his side in two games, and he conceded that the “first signs” of this calamity against Forest came the previous weekend away at Aston Villa.
He finished his answer by stating that “it’s important to reset and to accept that the level is high, and it’s always a big challenge to win games in the Premier League, and today we are not at that level.” Reset Sunderland must, and for now at least, put the passports away.
