Quick Kicks: I’m counting down the minutes ‘til O’Shea, Wilson & Jones are gone from Sunderland

So... that wasn’t completely terrible

It’s hard to try and analyse a performance that means literally bugger all. That said, the scoreline doesn’t quite tell the full story - in short, we wuz robbed, guv.

We were cruising at 1-0 up and a terrible decision from the officials not to award us a penalty led to Fulham getting back into the game just sixty seconds later.

And yes, we fell to bits, but there were some good individual performances in there and it wasn’t the absolute disaster that most of us had predicted before the game.

It would have been nice to see Bali Mumba given ten minutes near the end but it wasn’t to be. Other than that I feel we can probably walk away from the game relieved that we weren’t battered all over the place from a side who, when on form, are more than capable of embarrassing us.

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Steele decent again

Whisper it quietly... but... for the second game running Jason Steele played well.

I know most fans will be keen for us to bring in a new keeper in the summer, but just weigh it up - Steele signed a lengthy contract, is probably prepared to stick around next season and has experience. Coleman has reinstated him before the end of the season for a reason - does he think that he might be able to get a decent tune from him yet?

Personally I’d like us to move on but then the length of his deal makes it difficult, particularly when you consider just how bad he’s been. Who would buy him? It tough.

I suppose Steele is doing himself no harm with these improved performances, and it’ll either mean one of two things - he’ll play well enough to earn himself a fresh start next season, or he’ll prove to potential suitors he’s not a complete lost cause.

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Asoro’s price just went up

Sky cameras? Check.

An all-round, energetic performance? Check.

An excellent turn, shot and finish? Check.

Joel Asoro will have most certainly caught the eye of potential suitors this evening with his performance, and I suspect his agent might be trying his best to get on the phone to Martin Bain this morning!

All joking aside though I was pleased for Asoro, particularly as its been a while since he started a game. He showed tonight just what he’s capable of and if we somehow manage to hold onto him for next season we’ll have a fantastic young asset on our hands.

The problem, however, is that with such a performance our chances of convincing this lad and his agent that he’s best off playing for Sunderland for a few more years just get that little bit more difficult.

Asoro has really done himself proud this season though. I watched him last season for the 23s and thought he looked unmotivated, lazy and just not up to scratch, but since arriving on the first team scene he’s really grown and thrived. He works his socks off, always tries to be direct and creative, and most importantly has that little bit of quality that is otherwise lacking in some of our other attackers.

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Crap defending

For the 49805406956th game in a row we went ahead only to fall to pieces.

This defence is genuinely rotten. Marc Wilson gave possibly the worst left back performance of the season in a campaign that also featured several Brendan Galloway horror shows, and John O’Shea was just slow - he looks finished. Billy Jones was alright for once but could only make it through 45 minutes.

One of the best things about this season ending is that we probably won’t have to watch any of those three players again in a Sunderland shirt. I’m quite literally counting down the minutes until they’re gone.