SEBASTIAN COATES has described Sam Allardyce as the “perfect” man to be in charge of Sunderland’s defence.

Allardyce has long been famed for his organisational talents, and his work with the Black Cats’ remodelled backline is already paying dividends in terms of tightening up the defence.

Sunderland might have shipped three goals at Arsenal last weekend, but their three Premier League games prior to that had seen the club concede just once.

That represents a marked improvement from the early weeks of the season, when the Wearsiders let in two or more goals in six of their fight eight league games, with Allardyce’s decision to switch to a five-man defence a key factor in the shift.

The change in formation has been accompanied by a change in focus on the training ground, with Allardyce devoting at least one day a week to working solely with his defenders.

“We have one day in the week where he spends a lot of time training with us,” said Coates, who has formed a successful relationship with fellow centre-halves John O’Shea and Younes Kaboul in recent weeks. “For us, or for me, he is perfect because we need that organisation and that shape.

“He is very hands on, always talking with us and giving information, so it’s perfect. When he first came, he already knew the players, so he gave confidence for everyone.

“Everyone knows that if they work hard and train hard, they can play, so for players and a team that’s perfect. You need to push hard and work hard to get your name in the team.”

Allardyce’s decision to switch to a five-man backline was something of a surprise given that the formation has gone out of vogue in English football in recent seasons.

There was a time when a number of teams were playing with wing-backs, but the flat back four has tended to dominate in recent years with Brendan Rodgers and Louis van Gaal the only other top-flight managers to field five at the back on a regular basis in the last couple of years.

The approach remains much more common overseas, particularly in Coates’ native South America where a number of sides play with a traditional ‘libero’ at the heart of a five-man defence.

“I played this way with my team in Uruguay quite a lot,” said Coates. “So I need the system. For me, it is okay.

“It depends on the team and the manager, but back in Uruguay you can see a lot more teams playing with three (centre-halves).”

Last weekend’s defeat dropped Sunderland back into the relegation zone, but the Black Cats were still able to take a number of positives from their display at the Emirates.

They have won three of their seven Premier League matches under Allardyce, and will look to maintain their positive momentum when they entertain Watford this weekend.

The Hornets have been one of the surprise packages of the season and currently sit in tenth position after recording back-to-back victories over Aston Villa and Norwich.

They have also won at Stoke and Newcastle United this season, and with Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney providing a potent counter-attacking threat, Coates is anticipating a tough test in three days’ time.

“I think they (Watford) are a strong team with really good players,” he said. “It will be tough for us, and we know we have to be focused on the game because we need to get the three points at home.

“The whole of their team is strong and compact, and the came into the Premier League this season and have shown they can win and play well. But we need to get the three points.”