Sunderland's situation looks extremely bleak. So bleak, that even in comparison to the last few bleak seasons it stands out as looking particularly bleak.
David Moyes has what seems an impossible task on his hands in terms of keeping the club in the top flight of English football, and it doesn't help that some key members of his squad are phoning it in and not giving their best.
At the back end of last season, Sunderland's January signing Lamine Kone was a huge help in keeping the club up, but this season the performances and effort have gone. This was something that missed most fans in recent weeks, but Jamie Carragher singled Kone out for some harsh-but-fair criticism on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports.
After praising Kone's performances at the end of last season, claiming that he had proven his ability at Premier League level, he then let rip on the big Frenchman's attitude.
Spot on from Carragher, outstanding analysis.
To perform like that, and the position he's put David Moyes in... Not acceptable.
Sunderland have some major issues with players in the squad not being good enough, but Kone would have been seen as a major asset, and someone that could help them. If he doesn't get the finger out, then he will be dropped sooner rather than later, although with John O'Shea coming off injured against Arsenal they certainly aren't blessed with options.
You don't often see players called out with such damning evidence to back it up, top marks to the former Liverpool captain.
