Tony Mowbray explains what Abdoullah Ba must improve to earn Sunderland starring role
Tony Mowbray has challenge Abdoullah Ba to make better decisions on the ball to cement a starring role for Sunderland.
Ba was the Black Cats’ matchwinner at Carrow Road as his early goal was enough to earn a fine 1-0 win over Norwich City.
It was a goal of real quality too, with him receiving the ball and shifting it onto his left foot before placing his shot in the bottom corner from outside the penalty box.
That goal, and the quality of it, came as no surprise at all to Mowbray as he knows just how good a player Ba is, but he says that pales comparison to the player he will become if he can channel his natural instincts a little more.
"Abdoullah is a really talented player,” Mowbray said. “He needs to learn to move the ball and run without it sometimes, because he always wants to dribble.
“I did say before the game that I expected him to score, but we were having laugh there because I said he'd stick it in the top corner.
"Somewhere down the line as these players will be integrated and we'll be stronger for it - I'm happy because of the performance."
Ba came in for the injured Amad Diallo at Carrow Road but that goal will make him tough to leave out when Sunderland host Sheffield United this week.
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