Keane Disappointed By Slow Start

Sunderland manager Roy Keane was disappointed by his team`s first half display as they started the game slowly against Everton.

It took a goal from Andy Johnson to jolt Sunderland in to playing well.

Keane told safc.com "I was disappointed with the result, I thought we deserved a bit better but I suppose I've said that far too many times."

"We probably didn't start playing until we were a goal down so we're disappointed but you have to get on with it."

"Sometimes when you come into a game and you're hoping to start quickly and it doesn't happen, it can be a long afternoon."

"In these games you do have to start quickly, it's very hard to change it when you start slow."

"Credit to Everton, they slowed it down and kept it well. It was only in the last 10 or 15 minutes that we had a real go."

"We got punished for some sloppy play, we gave the ball away cheaply and we never quite recovered."

"There was only Kenwyne up front but we had Murphy on the left and Stokes and Chopra on the right and the likes of Grant and Kieran in the middle - very attack-minded players. It was far from a defensive shape."

"It was a cagey type of game and when we went 1-0 down there was no need to start panicking. It's dictated by the result, people will say that it didn't work because we lost."

"I've no problems with the way we tried to play today, it just didn't quite happen."

"We just have to try to keep the players' spirits up but it's easier said than done. After a result like that, you are disappointed and upset - myself, the players and the fans. We've got to deal with it, deal with the setbacks."

"It came off his arm but it would have been harsh if the referee had disallowed it. We've got the benefit of watching it on video again but at the time we never thought it came off his arm."
"Five or ten seconds before that we were in decent possession and we gave away the ball cheaply and we got punished for it, that's what the Premier League does to you."

"The keeper made a brilliant save. When Reidy hit it, it had goal written all over it. Tim's very athletic and a good goalkeeper and that's what you hope your keeper can do. I was cursing him when he saved it but credit where it's due, it was an excellent save."

"There are a few teams fighting and it might go to the last week or two. When you look at the run-in, ours is a difficult as any."

"We've got two tough games coming up, that's why the last few weeks have been disappointing, we thought it was a chance to get points on the board, especially last week at Derby."

"We'll lick our wounds, get back in training in the morning and get ready for a tough game next weekend. You have to keep believing, the spirit of the players is the least of my worries."

Vital Sunderland Says
We played the wrong formation against Everton it was too defensive and there was nobody trying to get forward to support Jones.