Tyneside derby: Back to basic approach works wonders for Black Cats

There were no revolutionary formations or brand spanking new players on show in Sunderland’s derby triumph over Newcastle United. No trade secrets or previously unearthed tactics made the difference in a maiden season win that could prove the turning point in what’s been an otherwise sordid campaign for the Black Cats.

Instead, Gus Poyet fielded a staunch 4-4-2 that would leave Mike Bassett feeling warm in his stomach, using the tools at hand and fielding what he believed to be his strongest line-up.

It’s a notion that wasn’t evident under Paolo Di Canio, a manager who appeared to constantly be tinkering with strategy and working to fit players around his method, not fitting his method around the players.

The performances of Lee Cattermole and Phil Bardsley summed the result up perfectly, two players who had been subject to great oppression under Di Canio, but have since been brought back into the fold under their Uruguayan helmsman.

Cattermole’s statistics aren’t wholly impressive; the midfielder completed just 77% of his passes and 50% of his tackles, but made seven clearances at the back and knew his role, spending more than 60% of the match in his central anchor position.

Bardsley’s outing was of similarly ugly fashion, the man not-so-long-ago targeted for his casino antics finding the man with just 69% of attempted passes, but making seven tackles and another seven clearances of his own.

That was the tale of Sunderland’s day. The Stadium of Light hosts welcomed the onslaught of their local foes, sacrificing an early foothold to ultimately see a minority of shots and inferior passing accuracy.

However, it was the fashion in which Poyet’s rejuvenated bunch were willing to work for one another that made for a massive boost in morale, something that isn’t always, if ever, explainable through graphs and charts.

Its no coincidence, of course, that Poyet fielded just two Di Canio purchases in his starting XI, the first time that less than three have been deployed this season. Thus, it was some of the old guard, the players who were largely at play during Martin O’Neill’s dismissal, which earned a monumental three points.

One point worth noting is the striking partnership that bore great fruit against what was, admittedly, a fairly poor Newcastle United defence.

For some years now, Sunderland have insisted on deploying one striker, with lone wolves such as Asamoah Gyan, Nicklas Bendtner, Danny Graham, Steven Fletcher and Jozy Altidore all taking their turns up top.

What’s been most confusing at the insistence of persisting with this system of late is that the club actually boast a promising array of forwards now, both young and old, promising and powerful.

So, it was encouraging to see Altidore and Fletcher face up the challenge of Paul Dummett and Mike Williamson, a weakened centre-back pairing who lost seven of an attempted 18 headed duels on Sunday.

In all too familiar circumstances the likes of which ring bells of when O’Neill first took control of the club almost two years ago, it was the mental battle that proved most vital for Sunderland in this particular comeback, absorbing pressure but emerging triumphant thanks to two brief moments of brilliance.

The only hope for the basement side, now off the bottom of the table, it that Poyet can rebuild a squad made up of Black Cats stars both old and new, making the most of Di Canio’s summer additions and turning this glum tale into a Cinderella story.