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News
‘Bizarre’ – Sunderland fans ‘can’t fathom’ the decision to take Will Grigg and Chris Maguire off
Sunderland slipped up at Fleetwood Town last night to officially end their hopes of winning automatic promotion in League One this season.
The Black Cats surrendered a 1-0 lead and lost 2-1 against Joey Barton’s Fleetwood. And this has mathematically ended their automatic promotion ambitions.
Sunderland will now be forced to scrap it out in the play-offs. Alongside Portsmouth, Charlton Athletic and either Doncaster Rovers or Peterborough United, Sunderland will be vying for one more promotion spot.
But Sunderland fans felt that this could have been avoided. Many supporters were bemused and confused by Jack Ross’ decision during the match.
With Sunderland 1-0 up, he took two key players off within five minutes of each other. First, Will Grigg was withdrawn and then Chris Maguire came off.
Kazaiah Sterling and George Honeyman were the players brought on but the game turned on its head after those two substitutions.
Ross has often been criticised for negative tactics this season and here lies a glaring example. Maguire and Grigg were causing problems but they were both rested.
Here are some tweets from Sunderland fans who blasted these two selection decisions.
Bizarre subs by JR when we needed goals by taking Grigg and Maguire
— Simon (@KingstonSi)
Need to win and score goals so we take off Maguire and Grigg and then we concede almost immediately. Absolute bizarre changes again from Ross, I’m not saying let’s go over the top but surely it’s right to question things like this from the manager?
— Alan Smith (@al_smith11)
Can’t fathom jack Ross we need goals he takes main striker off …could understand Sterling for Maguire cos not played much but bringing Honeyman on….boosh 1-1
— ftm (@Safcftm2016)
???? what excuse does JR have now , tactically inept – maguire and grigg off when we needs atelast 2/3 more goals , I am lost for words. Why ? Why ? Why ?
— liam. (@93liam_)
Taking off Grigg and maguire at only 1-0?? You’ve got to be joking
— David Pilley (@DavidPilley7)
Even at that stage I’d have kept two of our main attacking players on the pitch in Maguire and Grigg as that was it when they came off otherwise may have still held onto the lead.
— Col (@ColArmstrong)