Tony Mowbray admits Sunderland striker frustration: 'Everyone wants to play an extra pass'

Tony Mowbray has admitted he felt frustration at his Sunderland players refusing opportunities to shoot in the FA Cup defeat to Fulham.

A young but spirited Sunderland team lost 3-2 at the Stadium of Light, although they gave a positive account of themselves in general.

Sunderland were without the ineligible Joe Gelhardt and the injured Ross Stewart, meaning midfielder Abdoullah Ba played in a central ‘false nine’ role.

Mowbray watched his side work some really good positions in the Fulham box, only to refuse opportunities to shoot on goal, and he says that was the only disappointment in an otherwise positive night.

“There is a frustration that without a striker, I want them to pull the trigger more often,” Mowbray said after the game.

“Everyone wants to play an extra pass in the box for someone to sidefoot it in. That's the only frustration really, because we did have a go.

“I'm thinking back to my first game in charge against Rotherham... Ross Stewart just plays between the sticks and he's there just to poke those balls in.

“It's hard to get midfield players into those areas, and yet we've had a go and we've scored two goals against a Premier League side, and by the second half it wasn't far from being their best team.”

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