I just watched one of Sunderland's worst games this season - this is what went wrong

It would be no exaggeration to say that this one of Sunderland's poorest displays of the season.

The concern was that it came with what was not far off Regis Le Bris's strongest teams, at the point in which they were expected to move through the gears ahead of the play-offs. Oxford United were comfortably the better side on the day, looking sharper and hungrier for the most part.

Aside from a Chris Rigg header that hit the post, Sunderland mustered nothing and looked well short of rhythm.The disappointment of the away end was clear at full time and Sunderland have much to do.

Though the hope was that a more familiar team might inspire a much better and more fluid Sunderland performance, the first half was much of the same in an attacking sense at least.

Enzo Le Fee flickered on his return to the starting XI in a left-wing role, some wonderful touches that offered much but ultimately yielded little in the way of chances. Sunderland had done well to ride an initial wave of pressure from a home side desperate to win in order to secure their second-tier status for another season. As expected the hosts bombarded Sunderland's box with free kicks and long throws, which in the main the visitors defended creditably well. Other than a long-range effort that Anthony Patterson tipped

Sunderland steadied and began to enjoy more possession, though with little in the way of incision. They were then caught out by a free kick right into the heart of the box, Ben Nelson rising highest and heading an excellent effort past Patterson into the far corner.

That did inspire a little more urgency from Sunderland as the half developed, but they were too slack in possession and it prevented them really building any pressure. They had almost got in early in the half when Patterson took a goal kick early, launching a ball over the top that sprung Isidor free on the break. Oxford recovered well to snuff out the danger and Sunderland's attempts to repeat the trick throughout the half did little bit gift the ball back.

The hosts reached the interval with their goalkeeper Jamie Cumming not having made a save.

Sunderland's problems deepened when they made a slack start to the second half, inviting pressure and eventually giving away a free kick right on the edge of the area. Brannagan drove a low effort that Patterson palmed back into a dangerous area, converted at close range by Helik. The first minutes of the second half had been a continuation of what had come before, Sunderland a yard off their opponents. Le Bris's side were fortunate not to fall further behind in the minutes that followed, more cheap giveaways gifting more opportunities and the hosts denied a third only by a Patterson save as Placheta burst through on goal.

It wasn't until near the hour mark that Sunderland went close to scoring, Le Fee's cross into the heart of the box thumped off the post by Rigg who had leapt highest in the middle of the box. Sunderland lifted the intensity in the closing stages as Oxford began to tire, but despite their late dominance of possession and territory they still struggled to forge chances.

The closest Cumming came to conceding was when he clawed a couple of corners away under his goalpost, with the Black Cats well short of their best. Though the players were in the end applauded off the field, there looked to be some words exchanged between fans and team at the full time whistle.

Much of this campaign has been a joy to watch but Sunderland are badly short on steam at a pivotal moment. There isn't much time to correct it.