Sunday 14 December 2014 07:22, UK
Guy Poyet expressed his frustration after his Sunderland side drew for the fifth time in six Premier League games with a 1-1 tie against West Ham United at the Stadium of Light.
The hosts took the lead through Jordi Gomez’s 22nd-minute penalty but were pegged back seven minutes later by Stewart Downing’s deflected goal.
Sunderland had chances to win the match through Jozy Altidore, Connor Wickham and and second-half substitute Steven Fletcher, but none of them managed to convert as Poyet’s side drew for the 10th time in 16 league outings this season.
“It’s difficult for me, with my character,” the Uruguayan told Sky Sports. “I want more and I want to win, but this is where Sunderland Football Club is at the moment.
“We had 14 or 15 shots and hit the target two or three times. I’m a little bit frustrated. It was something I was not expecting to have this year.
“I want to improve and want to get better. I don’t want to be in this position every week. I’m frustrated because we should be in a better position, but I repeat, this is what we are.”
Altidore’s chance in particular, which came on the stroke of half-time, was a golden opportunity to claim only a third win of the season for Sunderland.
The American received the ball six yards out and unmarked from Sebastian Larsson’s cross but failed to make contact with the ball, let alone test West Ham goalkeeper Adrian.
Poyet did not blame Altidore but said the miss exemplified his struggles in the transfer market over the summer.
“I’m going to be honest, and it’s not against Jozy, but we missed a great chance there,” he added. “That what makes the difference.
“Part of the job is to make it difficult for the opposition and defend well and I think we do. The other side is what I call the most expensive one, and unfortunately, the most expensive one we don’t have.
If you ask me about the penalty, I can say it was soft. But like I say all the time, this type of decision you get for and against, so I’m not going make an opinion.
“We had a difficult summer in terms of players coming in and leaving the group and re-shaping everything that happened last year.”
One bonus for Poyet was referee Phil Dowd’s decision to award Sunderland a penalty following light contact from James Tomkins on Adam Johnson.
“If you ask me about the penalty, I can say it was soft,” Poyet said. “But like I say all the time, this type of decision you get for and against, so I’m not going make an opinion.
"A few weeks ago we were talking about a penalty against us and it was the same. Today it went for us, but we didn’t take that present to go on and win the game.”
