This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

FLW fan pundit for Sunderland, Jack Austwicke, has broken down the problems Danny Batth has faced since arriving at the club in January.

Despite making a fine debut in the 1-0 win over Portsmouth, Batth has struggled for consistency since the team switched formation to play a back four in defence. 

Austwicke has claimed that he has struggled to play well since this tactical change, living up to the warning from Stoke City fans that he was uncomfortable in a back four. 

“Danny Batth had a very good start. His debut came against Portsmouth in January in a game we won 1-0, he got a clean sheet,” Austwicke told Football League World. 

“We played a back five that game, and he looked very solid. I remember a tweet coming out from Sunderland saying ‘immense’ and a lot of Sunderland fans agreeing with that. 

“However, since then, we’ve reverted to a back four. We then played Bolton and shipped six and he scored an own goal. 

“We also played Doncaster, Cheltenham and Wimbledon. In all four of them games, since Portsmouth, he has looked horrendous. 

“A lot of Stoke fans told us, as we signed him, that he will always look better in a back five.”

Batth has played exactly as predicted before he signed for the club.

 

 

Austwicke’s analysis suggests he’s not the modern centre back that the club need if they want to play in a back four system. 

“He’s known to be a hoofball type footballer, no nonsense centre-back and he likes to get the ball up the pitch, but he just does not seem comfortable on the ball,” added our FLW fan pundit.  

“It doesn’t feel like he’s fast enough to be in a back four. He’s got the physical presence. However, he doesn’t seem to be using that as much as he probably could.”

Despite the teething problems that he has faced so far, Austwicke does believe that there is a good defender there with Batth, but that the current squad is not capable of hiding his weaknesses.

Austwicke highlights the sale of Tom Flanagan as an issue the team is now facing, as they find themselves with a dearth of senior centre-back options. 

“He could be a solid defender, and it was proved that he was a solid defender in that game against Portsmouth, but until we go back into a back five it’s not looking like it could work out for him,” continued Austwicke. 

“We sold Tom Flanagan on deadline day which looks now to be a mistake. He wasn’t our best defender , but it looks to be a huge mistake because we are now left very bare at the back with only four senior centre backs —  one of which hasn’t played a game in over a year.

“So playing a back five is almost not an option anymore as it’s a very slim squad. So he has to play in a back four and he just doesn’t seem very comfortable playing in that.”

Batth’s joined at a difficult time for the club, with manager Lee Johnson having been sacked since his arrival. 

Alex Neil has now joined as the new head coach, with the side currently fourth in the League One table. 

The Black Cats have fallen behind in the automatic promotion race, with the club now seven points adrift of the top two.

Up next for Sunderland is the visit of third place MK Dons to the Stadium of Light on February 19. 

The Verdict

The behind the scenes chaos at Sunderland has overshadowed Batth’s arrival to the club.

That is probably for the best given his performances.

But it is hard to blame many of the individual players at the club given the circumstances Sunderland now find themselves in.

Despite their current problems, the club could still attain promotion to the Championship and should still believe they can win the play-offs, even if automatic promotion now looks out of reach.