What Lee Johnson thought was 'embarrassing' about player as head coach talks £1m improvement

The Black Cats stuck five past the visitors on Wearside with Nathan Broadhead grabbing a brace with goals from Ross Stewart, Alex Pritchard and Leon Dajaku sealing the win.

Speaking after the win, though, Johnson pointed towards the pitch at the Stadium of Light as a potential area for improvement whilst praising the work of the club’s groundstaff.

“We kept pushing. There were a lot of heavy legs out there,” Johnson explained post-Morecambe.

“The pitch is a bit heavy at the minute. The groundstaff are fantastic, but if you gave me a million pounds to spend in January, I’d spend it on the pitch.

"It’s hard to play ice hockey on a cabbage patch.

"It’s not that bad, the groundstaff are the best I’ve worked with, but in the long term, we want that pitch that really gets us fizzing the ball around and at the moment, we haven’t got it.”

And Johnson was full of praise for Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead after his performance against Morecambe.

The 23-year-old striker netted a brace as Sunderland thundered to victory and appears to be thriving alongside strike partner Ross Stewart in Johnson’s new five-at-the-back formation.

Broadhead’s double took his tally to five goals in League One so far this campaign with the former Burton Albion loanee also registering two assists.

“He’s (Broadhead) a good player,” Johnson said of Broadhead. “He can drive at people and he’s obviously quite flexible in his positioning.

“He’s a really good finisher, which you saw at Cambridge away and today for his two goals.

“He’s tactically bright as well, and we’re very happy to have him.

"We’re pleased that Everton have entrusted us with his development. As I said before, it was embarrassing that he wasn’t in the starting XI, but he’s there now and he’s getting a good run.”

Sunderland are next in action against Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light this coming Saturday with kick-off scheduled for 3pm as Johnson aims for back-to-back wins.

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