Cats not ready for Europe says Phil Bardsley

Nov 30 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

PHIL Bardsley has warned Sunderland can not be considered European contenders until they put right the away form which saw them lose to a “very average” Wigan Athletic side.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium, clinched by Hugo Rodallega’s 76th-minute strike, came in the Black Cats’ 16th Premier League away game of 2009. During that time they have won just once, at Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of this season.

An excellent home record, which includes wins over Liverpool and Arsenal, means the Wearsiders currently sit eighth in the table, but Bardsley dismissed any talk of Europa League qualification while they remain such a soft touch on their travels.

“I think we have to sort our away form out before we can think about that,” the right-back admitted.

“It’s no good us beating Liverpool and Arsenal, getting a point at Manchester United, then going to places like this and dropping points. I’m disappointed for everyone but it’s football and it’s how you react to it.

“If we react in the right way we can put it right but overall we weren’t good enough.”

Wigan have been no less schizophrenic this season, losing 4-0 at Portsmouth and 9-1 at Tottenham Hotspur, yet defeating Chelsea 3-1. As manager Roberto Martinez noted: “We were on the lowest ever and Sunderland were on the highest after a great performance against Arsenal.”

Just six days after the Latics’ White Hart Lane humiliation, Bardsley had been braced for a backlash, but was unimpressed by the performance of a home side featuring just one change from North London. “I don’t think they were great to be quite honest,” he said. “I thought they were very average, which shows how bad we were.”