Ball: Black Cats 'flatter to decieve'
Caretaker Sunderland boss Kevin Ball has warned his players he will not accept the bare minimum as their disastrous season draws to an embarrassing close.
The Black Cats’ 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth on Saturday was their 27th loss of the campaign in the Premiership and left them with a return of just 12 points from 35 games.
Should they fail to beat Arsenal on Monday, Fulham next Thursday – a win against either would be their first in the league at the Stadium of Light this season – and Aston Villa on the final day, they will set a new unwanted record.
Sunderland slipped out of the top flight three seasons ago having collected just 19 points, but the danger is they will set a new low this time around.
Ball, however, is not prepared to settle for a tame surrender as a dreadful campaign ebbs away.
“It’s the players who have got to do it now,” he told the club’s official website, www.safc.com. “They have listened to what I’ve said and they’ve got to go out there and do it.
“I sometimes think ‘Are they doing enough?’. Some of them flatter to deceive.
“I can’t put into words about some individual performances of ours. I was fuming after the (Portsmouth) game.
“All right, we are going down, but some players are doing just enough and have been told.”
Key midfielder Julio Arca will hope to retain his place in the side despite picking up an injury at Fratton Park.
The Argentinian has been undergoing treatment for a hamstring problem since the weekend, but is confident of making himself available to face the Gunners.
