Lee Johnson: I can only apologise to Sunderland fans - 7M sport

Lee Johnson: I can only apologise to Sunderland fans



Posted Sunday, October 03, 2021 by PA

Lee Johnson: I can only apologise to Sunderland fans

Lee Johnson apologised to the travelling Sunderland fans after his side were thrashed 4-0 by Pompey in monsoon conditions at Fratton Park.

John Marquis’ double helped Pompey claim their first league win since August 17 to ease the pressure on Johnson’s counterpart Danny Cowley.

Johnson spent much of the second half trying to get the game called off due to a waterlogged pitch but refused to use the elements as an excuse for his side’s dire display.

More than 2,000 fans made the long trek from the north east to the south coast.

A devastated Johnson said: “When the fans travel as far as they did and we put on a first-half show like that, I can only apologise.

“I know about the passion of the fanbase and that is what hurts so much; you want to do well with them.

“We feel that connection at the moment and when we let them down like we did today, they need to know, that hurt a lot.

“From that hurt hopefully we can bounce back. We need to react quickly.

“We didn’t play the conditions well but that is the same for both teams and they played them much better, and we got caught in their traps.

“There is no way I can say the conditions cost us the game because they didn’t, it was the will-to-win that cost us.

“Individually we were poor on the day and there was not enough quality or quality decision-making.

“Unfortunately, the leaders in the group could not lead as well as normal. We have been well beaten and we have to take our medicine.”

Sunderland were without influential midfielder Aiden McGeady but Johnson felt his side still had enough in their armory to produce a better display.

He said: “We cannot hide behind Aiden’s injury. He’s only one player at the end of the day.”

Pompey took the lead in the 19th minute when Marcus Harness rounded off a swift counter-attack with a deflected goal.

Captain Lee Brown made it 2-0 11 minutes before half-time with his third goal of the season, poking home from close range.

The home fans were in dreamland on the stroke of half-time after striker Marquis had touched in a Ronan Curtis free-kick.

Marquis completed his brace in the 61st minute by tucking in the rebound after Sunderland goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffman had kept out his initial effort.

It was a much welcome three points for Cowley, who said: “We needed that, the players needed that, and our wonderful fans needed it.

“It was a really good performance and we started the game with purpose and attacking intent.

“Our energy and pressure on the ball was excellent and that allowed us to get a foothold in the game.

“The difference between this game and others in recent weeks was we took our chances when they came.”

Cowley also mocked Johnson’s attempts to get the game called off.

He said: “I can understand why Sunderland wanted the game abandoned at 3-0 down!

“I didn’t think it was that bad, especially after we gave Joe Morrell some armbands!

“It’s English football, I thought it was great. We anticipated it being like that and prepared for it.

“We couldn’t take so much risk in our own half, but I thought we managed the conditions really well.”

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