Tony Mowbray admits transfer window failings starting to hurt Sunderland

Sunderland 'do not have the tools to win a match' at the moment, says their head coach.

Author:
Michael Graham
Updated:
Feb 25, 2023 11:40 AM EST
Original:
Feb 25, 2023

Tony Mowbray has admitted that Sunderland’s January failings are now costing them following the 2-1 defeat to Coventry.

It was a second defeat in a week for Sunderland, who also lost by the same scoreline to Rotherham on Tuesday.

Both games were noticeable for the Blac Cats lacking some teeth in attack, especially in the opposition penalty box.

Much of that is down to the injury to Ross Stewart but, for the first time, Mowbray has bemoaned the club’s failure to strengthen his striker ranks in January, especially with Ellis Simms recalled by Everton too.

"I don't know what the opinion of Coventry fans would be of us, but I would think they thought were an alright football team," Mowbray said. "If we had had Viktor Gyokores in our team, we would have won comfortably today, I think.

"That's not knocking Joffy [Gelhardt], who is a boy, but just the power and size of [Gyokeres]. Put Ross Stewart in today, and I think we would have won the football match.

"We needed men in the box to help young Joffy, who is only 20 years old and has never played games consistently in his life because he has been in the Premier League and has been a sub lots of times. It's the first time he has ever been asked to start football matches, and it is a big ask for him.

"I feel a little bit as if we go into the games without the tools to win the football match, really, as we have done for most of the season because we have been without Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms. But you have to try and find a way, instead of using it as an excuse.

"You have to get men in the box, you have to get the opposite side winger in the box, you have to get the number ten in the box, you have to try and get one of your midfield players in the box, and find a way to score.

"We miss a physical threat in the middle of the goal, where players are confident enough to put the ball in the box. It's difficult for Joffy because he is a boy really and he can get lost amongst three big centre-halves.

"It's something we have to keep working on. I don't sit here and think 'where are we going with this team because we are struggling'. We know we are a bit light and we know that the transfer window wasn't the one we wanted at the end, with the injury to Ross skewing that.

"I just feel we are probably a couple of strikers away from being a really good team."

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