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31st Oct 2016

Jamie Carragher savages Lamine Kone for Sunderland’s defensive woes

A damning assessment

Darragh Murphy

For his self-esteem’s sake, we hope that Lamine Kone wasn’t watching Monday Night Football this week.

The Sunderland defender was torn apart by analyst Jamie Carragher who, being a legendary centre-half, didn’t like the look of Kone’s dedication on the pitch this past weekend.

The Black Cats are currently in the midst of the worst ever start to a Premier League season of any side and Carragher has singled out Kone as the main player responsible for the plight of the club.

“I don’t see a bad attitude at Sunderland, I see a group of really poor players who I think would struggle in the Championship,” Carragher said.

Sunderland v Arsenal - Premier League

“But there’s one player whose attitude on the pitch this season has been nowhere near acceptable and I think that’s (Lamine) Kone at the back.

“I think he was a man-mountain last season. Him and Defoe virtually kept them up. Defoe at one and, Kone at the other.

“He’s nowhere near where he needs to be and he’s causing Sunderland a massive problem.”

Carragher then went on to provide video evidence of Kone’s lack of desire to run during Sunderland’s defeat to Arsenal at the weekend.

And it was a far cry from the Liverpool legend’s comments on the Ivorian just six short weeks ago when he claimed that Sunderland ought to build their side around Kone.

What a difference a bad month makes.

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