Sunderland winger Lynden Gooch offered a futile offensive display against Portsmouth on Saturday, as the United States international struggled to make a worthwhile impact on route to a 3-1 loss.
Black Cats boss Phil Parkinson opted to retain Gooch as his right-sided option at home to Kenny Jackett’s south coast side following two superb displays in the past week, with assists to his name against Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra.
But the academy graduate appeared vastly off the pace this weekend and spurned a couple of good openings on the ball, as Sunderland suffered their first defeat of the League One campaign to fall behind Portsmouth on goal difference.
Sunderland had proven one of the fiercest defences to breach in the opening weeks of the season, with the Stadium of Light natives allowing just one goal to be scored against them over their first six fixtures on route to four wins and two draws.
Portsmouth, however, offered a convincing display to register a greater number of efforts on Lee Burge’s net than their hosts this weekend, with Sunderland fashioning just a sole shot on target to the Fratton Park outfit’s seven, per SofaScore.
Gooch was not the man responsible for Sunderland’s sole effort on target having directed one of his two efforts off target and seeing the other blocked, while offering little creativity with zero key balls and misdirecting two of his four attempted crosses.
Parkinson was more than right to start the winger at home to Portsmouth given his recent form, which has seen Gooch move to 130 career first-team games with the club.
Gooch had credited his recent success in the Sunderland side to manager Parkinson, who kept faith in the four-time USA international and allowed the Black Cats academy graduate to deliver consistent form.
“The manager has been brilliant with me since he came through the door,” Gooch said, via quotes by the Chronicle. “I picked up the injury after just two games of him being at the club, but even then, he was always telling me how he saw me playing when I was back fit.”
Parkinson has similarly lauded Gooch, noting after the forward struck the winning effort against Oxford United from the bench in September how the 24-year-old had set the example for the season.
“I don’t think there’ll be many better goals than that,” Parkinson said, via quotes by the Sunderland Echo. “It was very hard for me not to put him in the team, I just wanted to get the balance of the side right.
“He was disappointed, but he took it the right way and there’s going to be other players who get left out the team in this long season we’ve got ahead of us. You’ve got to accept the decision and let your football do the talking. Lynden did that, and it wasn’t just the goal.”
Parkinson will have been far from impressed with Gooch’s performance against Portsmouth, as the 24-year-old misplaced 15 of his 36 attempted passes as well as offering zero end product, while failing to find a teammate with four of five long balls, per SofaScore.
Gooch additionally failed to complete half of his six attempted dribbles, lost possession 23 times, won just three of seven ground duels, made no tackles or blocked any shots, while being dribbled past once but making one interception and one clearance.
Parkinson may now have to reconsider Gooch’s place in the starting line-up and return the winger to the bench for when Sunderland visit Rochdale on Tuesday night.
AND in other news, a Sunderland icon has likened one of Phil Parkinson’s signings to a UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.