Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts is looking for his side to “add five or ten per cent” at both ends of the pitch to start picking up more victories. The 27-year-old netted an injury-time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw for the Black Cats against Bristol City at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.
The result was Sunderland’s sixth draw in their last eight matches, with one victory and one defeat also recorded in that time, and Roberts believes that slight improvements in both attack and defence could make a big difference for his side.
Reflecting on the Black Cats’ latest point, Roberts told his club’s website: “These games are tough, three-game weeks are always quite difficult, but I think at times we showed our quality, I think it’s just in that final area. I think we’ve had a fair few shots over the last two games or so, and you’ve got to be more clinical, and at the other end, you’ve got to just keep the ball out of the net.
“It was a sloppy goal for us to concede, I think we know that, the manager said it inside. These things, we’ve got to add five or ten per cent, that’s what we’ve got to do to our game all round, up front and at the back. I think if we get that to click, we can go on to pick up a load more points.
“In the end, we take a point, but I think we’re pretty disappointed, and we’ll try and put it right against Swansea on the weekend.”
With time running out, Roberts rifled high into the net from close range to equalise after being picked out by Adil Aouchiche, and the winger praised his teammate following the assist, saying: “It was nice for me personally, but I’ve got to give credit to Adil as well.
“He’s been in and out this season. He’s had no problems in training or whatever, he gets his head down, he works hard, he came on and he proved the difference today, which I’ve got to give great respect to that as a fellow team-mate. We need these kind of players at their best, and he came on and made an impact. He just set me the ball, and luckily it went in the back of the net.”
The late leveller leaves the Black Cats fourth in the Championship table, on 37 points from 20 matches played.
Regis Le Bris’ side face ninth-placed Swansea City next up away from home on Saturday, and Roberts said on his side’s upcoming clash: “The beauty about football is there’s always a next game, and I’m sure the fans will be there as they always are, in their great numbers.
“We always appreciate that, and we’ll go out there, and we’ll do our best. We’ll play some good football, and go for the three points. We’ll get back on the grass and do it again, the manager will certainly be on top of that, and that’s all we can do, go and try and improve the next game.
“It being so close is quite good, so you can move into the next [one straight away]. That’s the main thing, just to improve that five or ten per cent at both ends of the pitch.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderland-know-must-improve-goal-30568368
