Analysing Why Sunderland Are Bottom Of Premier League As Key Changes Needed

Sunderland have now dropped to the foot of the Premier League table after a bruising defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, with several changes needed from Regis Le Bris to save his side's season.

Sunderland's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth was Le Bris' side's fourth consecutive league defeat, and was particularly alarming given the glaring individual errors from the likes of Omar Alderete and Kevin Danso, who was given his marching orders just 16 minutes after some tragic defending from the experienced duo.

Overall, it was Sunderland's fifth defeat of the new campaign, seeing newly-promoted Ipswich Town taking three points on opening weekend, and Arsenal, Manchester City, Brighton and now the Cherries beating the Black Cats thus far, with a win at home to Fulham and a draw at Brentford the only points earned.

In truth, only the losses to powerhouses Arsenal and Man City were prideful defeats for the Black Cats, with the rest highlighting some severe personnel, tactical, and selection problems that have manifested in Sunderland slumping to rock bottom.

It is important to contextualise Sunderland's issues with the fact that they finished seventh last season in the Premier League table, with defensive rigidity their main strength given that Le Bris' side are not a free-flowing, possession-orientated team.

However, with the expectations grown as a result of their outstanding finish, there is a clear want and need for Sunderland to become more progressive than pragmatic this season in their play in their aim to establish themself in the Premier League for the long term.

And if Le Bris does not address the following glaring issues soon, it could cost him his Sunderland job.

One of the most worrying and frustrating aspects of Sunderland's awful start to the season has been the litany of individual errors that have led to goals or opposition chances.

Against Ipswich on opening weekend, Alderete and Luke O'Nien were both at fault in possession for goals.

Leaving the Arsenal and City defeats to one side given their respective firepower, Sunderland shot themselves in the foot against Brighton earlier in October, with Danso's early failure to control the ball calling Robin Roefs into action against Diego Gomez, which was a sign of things to come.

The Seagulls netted the opener after over-aggression from Danso in a headed duel saw the Spurs loanee fail to win the header, leaving the Black Cats defence three-versus-three, with Trai Hume ball-watching and thus subsequently failing to intercept the pass for Maxim De Cuyper's opener.

Later in the half, Roefs' poor kicking distrubution seen within the start of the season led to Sunderland conceding the second against the ten men of Brighton, paying the price for two individual errors and an overall subpar team performance in all thirds.

At Bournemouth, however, Sunderland supporters witnessed the most egregious individual errors of the season to date, from both Danso and Alderete.

In the opening minutes, awful positioning and defending from the duo saw Evanilson break in behind the backline and square it for Marcus Tavenier to head home unopposed.

Shockingly, ten minutes later, the pair were at fault again, with Alderete committing a cardinal footballing sin that schoolchildren are taught not to do, 'letting the ball bounce' which saw Evanilson latch on again, leading the Brazilian to pick the disappointing Danso's pocket and see the Spurs loanee sent off after his 16-minute horror show.

In the second 45', Alderete was once again at fault, with his awfully-weighted backpass attempt to Roefs easily intercepted by Evanilson, who rounded Roefs to double the Cherries' advantage and condemn Sunderland to yet another self-inflicted, substandard defeat.

Do you see a common thread emerging among the goals Le Bris' Sunderland side are conceding?

The number of individual errors from senior players is scandalous.

Sunderland have been overall less potent in attack this season amid the injury to Brian Brobbey, but these errors in defence are seeing the rigid defensive qualities that Le Bris' side were built on last season erode, causing the slide to rock bottom.

Typically, in football, a team will make a heightened number of individual errors due to tactical pressures which negate the qualities of the players and manifest their technical flaws, as well as the ongoing pyhscological strain that a four-game losing streak can place on a side who finished seventh just a few months ago.

Only Le Bris' tactics and personnel selection will save Sunderland's start to the season.

First of all, Danso and Alderete need to come out of the starting XI for a sustained period, given their highlighted substandard performances, particularly with the Spurs loanee clearly uncomfortable in progressing the possession out for Sunderland.

Also, Le Bris must stop using defenders at right midfield to regain some attacking output down the flank, with the associated lack of width also placing the out-of-form Hume into unnatural positions and funneling the ball centrally rather than out wide, causing pressure and turnovers in midfield due to a lack of safe passing options.

With Sunderland wanting to become more progressive, starting Danso alongside Alderete at the back and Hume at right midfield to name just two sees Le Bris place these players into uncomfortable positions, which has led to goals conceded.

There is also the psychological aspect to consider, with the mental fatigue and fear of failure clearly playing a part in Sunderland's play, given that Danso was dismissed at Bournemouth just ten minutes after he and Alderete's grave error for the opener.

Sunderland's fighting spirit was present with the 93rd-minute comeback winner against Torreense, and that ferocity from the Black Cats needs to re-emerge to claw back some points, and hope.

Only commanding wins over Lech Poznan and Leeds United this week will begin to get the Black Cats back on track, but to do that, Le Bris must make these pivotal changes to his Sunderland starting XI, or it could cost him his job at the Stadium of Light.

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