Four shocking statistics that highlight Sunderland struggles in front of goal

Sunderland were wasteful at Plymouth and, again, it cost them. The statistics make for woeful reading.

Another away day, another story of frustration for Sunderland. The Black Cats lost 2-0 at Plymouth in a game that, once again, really highlighted the team’s lack of cutting edge.

It was a game that Sunderland largely dominated with 67% of the ball and 14 corners. It was also a game that, ultimately Plymouth deserved to win because they were the ones who were clinical in front of goal.

The most worrying thing, though, is that patterns are emerging which make it difficult to put the defeat down to ‘one of those days’. Here are four standout statistics that highlight Sunderland’s struggles in front of goal.

49

In Sunderland’s last two away games at Swansea and Plymouth, they have pulled the trigger an astonishing 49 times without scoring. The split between the two games was relatively even with 25 at Swansea and 24 at Plymouth. Both are well above the best average shots per 90 minutes figure in the Championship this season.

So, clearly, it’s not a lack of attempts that is the issue. Sunderland are creating shooting chances and plenty of them.

16%

Of those 49 attempts on target, only 16% of them (8) have been on target. Five of them at Plymouth and three against Swansea, who were reduced to ten men for most of the game.

For context, the worst shots on target percentage in the whole Championship this season is Sheffield Wednesday (24%), who have scored just 8 goals so far in 17 games.

5

While the shooting away from home has been indefensibly atrocious in the last two games, you also have to acknowledge there has been a little bad luck sprinkled in there too.

Sunderland have hit the woodwork five times in their last two away games, and seven times in their last three in general including the home win over Birmingham.

221

It is tough to necessarily blame the strikers for Sunderland’s wastefulness in front of goal when they are not really the ones missing the big chances. However, Sunderland generally have an obvious striker problem.

It has now been 221 days since a striker scored for Sunderland. That was Joe Gelhardt’s goal against Huddersfield in April.

You have to go back an even more shameful 308 days to find the last occasion a striker scored for Sunderland that they owned at the time. That goal was Ross Stewart against Middlesbrough on 22 January. 

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