Sunderland spring a tactical surprise as familiar problems cost Middlesbrough in derby defeat
A tactical surprise from Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris proved Middlesbrough's worst nightmare as they lost 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in the Wear-Tees derby thanks to Chris Rigg's first-half goal.
Familiar problems haunted Boro again, with Sunderland happy to sit back and let Boro have the ball. Michael Carrick's side were only able to have one shot on target in the whole 90 minutes, however, as their misfiring attack continued struggle to find ways to break down a low-block in what turned into a really poor day for Boro.
Carrick made one change for the game as Aidan Morris came back into the game for Dan Barlaser. There was still no return for Rav van den Berg or Jonny Howson, while the Boro boss decided against refreshing his attack in any way despite recent misfirings.
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Sunderland have had a good start under new boss Regis Le Bris, with the Frenchman developing an aggressive high pressing side that had the makings of offering Boro a little more space in the final third than they're used to. However, having suggested pre-match he knew how Boro would play, he deployed a tactical surprise, which this season has been Boro's worst nightmare.
Sitting off and allowing Boro to have the ball, rather than press, they were happy to let the visitors enjoy the majority of possession. Their aim was to win the ball back and hit quickly on the counter.
Early on, as has so often been the case for Boro this season, they used their possession to craft openings and a few good chances. Their best fell to Tommy Conway when he spread wide to Isaiah Jones and then got on the end of the cross. He put his free header onto the bar, however.
There were more decent openings. Matt Clarke headed one over while free from a corner, while Boro worked there way into decent positions where they ultimately wasted the opportunity with their final ball. It was all a bit same-old-story.
And that was even more so when they were caught out in the 25th minute. Luke Ayling's slack touch gifted Sunderland the ball in Boro's half, with the home side's biggest danger to that point always on the transition. They worked it across to Patrick Roberts and when he beat Neto Borges too easily while cutting it, there was a slice of luck as his effort was blocked by George Edmundson but fell into the path of Chris Rigg who, with Seny Dieng down after his dive in the other direction, found the back of the net with a clever flick from a tight angle.
Boro needed a response but it took them a while to refind their momentum. Sunderland were sitting even deeper with something to protect and once again Boro struggled to find an answer to break that down. Conway was lively but on more than one occasion found no willing near-post runners. Finn Azaz saw one long-range effort blocked on its way through to goal, while Morris had their only shot on target trying to catch Patterson out at his near post.
A dramatic end to the first half saw home fans angered at being denied a penalty for Ayling's nudge in the back. It would have been a very soft one. Boro broke though and as Jones chipped one into the path of Latte Lath, he was just left stretching too much as he failed to put his flick beyond Anthony Patterson on target.
Some sign of life for Boro at least to take into the second half, Carrick was under pressure at the break to find a way to solve a familiar puzzle that his side so often struggle against. The danger for Boro, with the onus on them to commit and find a way back into the game, was leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter.
That was very nearly the exact script for former Boro man Roberts had the first chance of the second half. Hitting on the counter, they got the ball quickly to the wide man who had the beating again of Borges one-on-one. Cutting in again, this curled effort was this time wide of the far post, with Dieng scrambling across in worry.
Beyond that, the second half was turning into a bit of a non-event as Boro struggled to break down the Sunderland defence. Just after the hour mark, Carrick turned to his bench to introduce summer signings Ben Doak and Micah Hamilton to try and spark some life into his side, with his starting wide men ultimately ineffectual.
Boro were ultimately struggling for the answers and frustrations were beginning to grow. At the other end, caught out again when Borges ball out was easily read, Eliezer Maydenda was fouled right on the edge by Clarke. Romaine Mundle's free-kick left Dieng rooted but smashed the outside of the post.
Ultimately, Boro would find no way through. Doak provided some spark but there was no way through. Carrick's side didn't manage a single shot on target in the second half as Morris sliced their only opening wide. A really poor day ended in a rather weak 1-0 defeat on Wearside.