Negative tactics, empty words and embarrassing defeats in Mike Dodds' interim Sunderland failure

If Mike Dodds was looking to enhance his credibility by taking the Sunderland interim head coach role when Michael Beale was sacked, then his plan is fast unravelling.

The 37-year-old is likeable enough but ‘nice’ doesn’t always work in the harsh football industry and many Sunderland fans are willing the season to come to a close knowing it will be Dodds’ last game in charge. His tenure seems to have dragged and quite simply, he hasn’t made any sort of impact since taking over.

He has overseen two wins in his 12 games in charge and taken nine points from a possible 36. That simply isn’t good enough for Sunderland and their supporters.

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Admittedly he was hamstrung with injuries to key players at the start but his tactics are perceived as negative. Stringing five across the back for home games while trying to stay in the game and strike later on seems to be the plan.

Sunderland have scored one goal in five games and in their last five at home, failed to score in four of them. It’s all very well for Aji Alese to come out and say it’s not just the front players to blame for not scoring because the defence should be keeping clean sheets.

But what defence keeps their goal intact every single game? Surely a goal scored at the other end takes the pressure off and in any case, Sunderland haven’t defended well enough this season either.

Dodds departed from his usual soundbites on Saturday to say he couldn’t understand how his side didn’t win the game. Granted Trai Hume should have scored and Patrick Roberts fluffed his lines late on but that was not enough.

Dodds also fell into the trap of saying, “we should have been 2-0 up at half time” at Watford when they hadn’t scored. When will managers realise that saying things like that totally disregards the psychology of the game?

If Sunderland had scored, the other chances wouldn’t have fallen in the same way. The game would have been re-started. Also, would Sunderland have even looked for a second goal or would they have sat back trying to protect a lead? Watford’s psyche changes too if they go a goal down.

For Dodds to say they should have been 2-0 is therefore nonsense. Dodds has been “angry with the group”, he has been “bored” and a couple of performances have been “unacceptable.” Last weekend he was “disappointed FOR the group.”

It’s all just words and frankly, Sunderland need a big summer to turn this squad around into one that wins regularly.

Dodds believes the team has a strong core and isn’t far away from being a very good Championship side. Except, that might not be the case come the start of next season.

Losing to a team who hadn’t won at home since November was embarrassing. The fans just want the season to end as soon as possible.

And nobody can blame them.