The Black Cats found themselves 1-0 up against QPR at the weekend, then once again they were made to pay for errors at the back.
There’s no getting away from the fact that Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill needs to have a major overhaul in the summer.
With neither Titus Bramble or Matt Kilgallon (pictured right) likely to still be at the club next season Martin O'Neill must already have a wish-list for the centre of his defence.
Loan signing Kader Mangane has yet to make a big impression (or any impression at all!), so it remains to be seen whether he will become a permanent addition – and it looks most unlikely.
And there remain question marks over whether or not Wes Brown will ever manage to return to full fitness.
But it’s not just at the heart of the defence, where the Wearsiders find themselves short.
Sunderland’s inadequacies at full-back continue to hamper their hopes of climbing the table.
There are obviously problems in other areas of the field, which also need to be addressed, but the Wearsiders’ lack of strength at either right or left-back, sticks out like a sore thumb.
It’s the old story of square pegs in round holes, as central midfielders Craig Gardner and Jack Colback are asked to fill in, and time and again are found wanting.
The loss of loan ace Danny Rose to injury has been a massive blow, but to be fair both full-back areas should have been further strengthened before the start of this campaign.