DICK ADVOCAAT will preside over a crisis meeting at Sunderland’s Academy of Light training ground later today as he begins to sift through the wreckage of yesterday’s 3-1 home defeat to Norwich City.

The Black Cats head coach will ask his players to engage in a frank exchange of views as he attempts to account for a dreadful start to the season that has seen his side concede seven goals in two games as they have slumped to the foot of the table.

Having overseen three wins and three draws in his nine matches in charge at the end of last season, the Dutchman seems to be at a loss as to why his side have performed so poorly at the start of the current campaign.

He will also discuss potential transfer options with sporting director Lee Congerton ahead of the final two weeks of the transfer window, but his initial priority is ensuring the current group of players produce a marked improvement when they return to action against an in-form Swansea City next weekend.

“It was even worse than last week,” said Advocaat, after watching Sunderland’s defence crumble as they conceded goals to Russell Martin, Steven Whittaker and Nathan Redmond. “We have to discuss with the players how we go on.

“We have to find the solution because otherwise we have no chance. I have an idea about it, but we will have a meeting and they can talk and I will talk.

“It is very frustrating - not only losing 3-1, but the way we played. I did not expect it. You hope that at the end of pre-season, you train less and the shape will come back.

“It is very difficult to explain the reason it is not a team. Eleven players played, but it is not a team. I have to really think about the reason, and I am responsible for that, the reason why it is not a team.”

Advocaat has stuck with the 4-3-3 formation that proved so successful at the end of last season for the opening two games, but he concedes that the system is not currently working.

However, he is more concerned by the individual errors that are littering Sunderland’s play, with left-back Patrick van Aanholt seemingly devoid of confidence after two desperately poor displays and Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul struggling to strike up a functional partnership at centre-half.

“Last season was quite simple, everyone had to do what we asked,” said Advocaat. “It was quite a simple system, but that is not working anymore. We have to try and find an answer as quick as possible.

“But if I see players playing – and I don’t want to mention names as it was almost the whole team – and they do thing you don’t expect from a player at this level, then I have to know why that can happen.

“It is really strange for me. You can play badly, but not knowing what to do is even worse.”

The one slight positive to emerge from yesterday’s game was the performance of second-half substitute Duncan Watmore, with the 21-year-old producing some welcome drive and energy as he marked his Premier League debut with a goal.

“He did more in ten minutes attacking wise than some others did (in the whole of the game),” said Advocaat. “If you start as a regular there is a different way of playing, but he did well.”