Roker Report caught up with a disappointed Mike Delap, top Blackburn blogger for The Wild Blackburn Rover & Vital Blackburn to get his thoughts on SAFC's 3-0 victory over his beloved Rovers...
I certainly didn't expect the game to go like that! It seemed very comfortable for SAFC today in the main. You've got to be disappointed with that?
Mike: Yeah you are absolutely right it was very disappointing to see the lack of drive and closing down. If we are being honest the score was a tad flattering but we didn't help our cause by being sloppy in front of goal when given the chance to put ourselves back in the game and the extra bodies we were determined to throw forward left us horribly exposed at the back.
I am glad Gyan couldn't manage more than the last 20 minutes as he would have had a field day against our spacious and accommodating back four.
Back to the drawing board we go.
You had a lot of people out injured/suspended today, who was the biggest miss?
Mike: Sweet Jesus how long have you got? We are really threadbare at the moment as one glance at our subs bench from yesterday will confirm (bar Benjani it was the bleeding Under 18's squad).
The biggest miss for me was Nikola Kalinic who has played himself into a bit of form having been given a striker partner recently and it showed as his absence did not give us a proper outlet up top.
Failing that, Ryan Nelsen was given too much work to do with Chris Samba unavailable, Samba also provides us with a massive threat from set pieces which would have helped.
I didn't think much of Blackburn as an attacking threat today, but I was impressed with Junior Hoilett. Do you think he'll feature more this season on the back of that performance?
Mike: He really should do and the fact he was withdrawn early was a mystery to most people who proudly own eyes! Hoilett has always had good pace and a solid movement it is his finishing which often lets him down a bit...
He did cause Sunderland the most problems out of any of our players and one run in particular in the second half cut you open a dream, but as I say, you know - finishing!
On the back of the last few appearances he has made Junior is well worth more of a run in the side.
Was today just a blip, or are changes needed asap, either in managment or playing staff, in the January transfer window?
Mike: Changes are without doubt needed to the playing staff. Having said that changes is probably the wrong word more strengthening and adding to what we have as the squad has been badly exposed as small with a few injuries.
The positions in midfield and on the left side of defence are in bad need of some freshening up and a man who is capable of bagging 15-20 goals a season would certainly not hurt either.
With regards to the manager - it is up in the air whether Rovers fans rate Kean or not, personally I think it is too soon to tell but we are stuck with him and he has shown brief promise so he is just going to crack on regardless.
Who impressed the most from the SAFC side?
Mike: I am going to say Jordan Henderson as he is a dynamite little player with really quick feet and an eye for a good pass. He has received a lot of build up and sometimes it is tricky to live up to that under close scrutiny but I was very impressed to say the least.
Thankfully Darren Bent was wasteful yesterday as it could have been worse if he was in his usual form!
And has today changed your thoughts on where each team will finish this season?
Mike: No not really, I am confident that the positions I picked for you the other day are about right. Best of luck for the rest of the season as I like Sunderland as a club and hope you do well.
It's been a pleasure to speak to you, and hope we can do this again sometime! All the best for 2011.
Don't forget, you can follow Mike on Twitter @WildBburnRover.