A lot of people overrate them and downplay other teams though, works both ways. If the players were THAT good you’d think they could hold their own to an extent and not totally capitulate when the manager was sacked. I think we are probably on par with someone like Coventry/Norwich but the league this season will be weaker than last season so it could be any one of many teams who are up there. I guess it comes down just how much an impact the new manager will make. I think Leeds will do well again.
Tbf like this entire year I've not seen anyone overrating this squad, just constant over the top negative opinions, the squad is **** blah blah blah, even spilling into Ba being jeered off by his own fans, it's mental
1st – Sunderland The common approach to judging teams ahead of a new season is looking at where they finished in the previous campaign as a benchmark, before making a prediction based upon improvements made through positive recruitment or a managerial appointment. In this case, Sunderland finished 16th last year. Nevertheless, our prediction isn’t primarily based on signings nor, especially, the appointment of Régis Le Bris as head coach. So, why do we have them as our Championship title-winners? The answer: the anticipation of rapid, seismic developmental growth. Let us explain. Under the ownership of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, and the guidance of technical director Kristjaan Speakman, the Black Cats have adopted black kittens, employing an uncompromisingly youth-led recruitment and strategic policy. This policy has helped them attain, and retain, the prodigious talents of Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham, and Chris Rigg. Neil has recently added a defensive reliability to the control and creativity he’s demonstrated since coming into the side as a teenager. Jobe is making a name for himself in his own right after snubbing Spurs, while Rigg plays with a fearlessness that suggests the 17-year-old could become anything he wants. Furthermore, Sunderland also boast recent France U20s prospects in Pierre Ekwah and Adil Aouchiche, both now 22. The former brings an infectious energy while the latter possesses stunning vision. And that’s just in midfield! The Wearsiders also possess two of the best wingers in the Championship in Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke, if the latter were to stay. They equally boast one of the top right-backs in the tenacious Trai Hume, who also has the intelligence to invert into midfield. The potential in this squad is through the roof, to the extent that it might only take a few subtle tweaks and shifts for them to go from being bottom half dwellers to one of the greatest second-tier sides of all time. One of those tweaks is having a more settled environment under a good coach. After the chaos caused last season by Tony Mowbray’s dismissal and Michael Beale’s appointment, perhaps Le Bris can live up to his reputation in France as a respected developer of talent. A second can be the young players, themselves, having had a couple of seasons of development under their belts, beginning to learn how to translate their glowing youth reputations into the senior game. It’s common for elite youth talents to underwhelm in men’s football in their first season or two, but to then enjoy an enormous spike in their progress. In Sunderland’s case, just three teenagers remain in their 27-man first-team squad. 17 are now into their early 20s, at an age where they can be relied on to consistently influence games at Championship level. The third is the influence of Luke O’Nien, who’ll be their most important player: even if he doesn’t start a single game. The 29-year-old never had the natural ability most of Sunderland’s squad possesses, but he’s overcome his technical limitations – and every other challenge that’s come his way – with the same relentless positivity, infectious exuberance and sheer determination. Having signed as a midfielder in 2018, the utility man has also filled in at both full-back and wing-back spots, operated as a pressing #10. More recently, he has established himself at centre-back in the last two seasons. In fact, O’Nien initially covered central defence in 2022-23 due to injuries, but he played so well there that he started 43 league games in that position last season: an extraordinary mentality. So, if the former Wycombe man can rub off on natural centre-backs like key man Dan Ballard, who himself has now played 61 games for Sunderland, Nectarios Triantis and Jensen Seelt, as well as the rest of the squad, that will make a transformative difference. If this young group adopt that same mentality as O’Nien, with greater ability, they’ll improve exponentially and hit some incredible heights. The O’Nienification process will be helped, further, by the addition of midfielder Alan Browne, who plays every game with a unique urgency. Browne is 29, while Simon Moore has signed at 34 to back-up an outstanding goalkeeper in Anthony Patterson. Evidently, Sunderland have been prepared to compromise their policy this summer to fine-tune the balance between youth and experience. So, why do we have Sunderland as champions? This is the highest-potential squad in the league by a country mile. The Black Cats have already had two years of exposure, with most players about to hit their peak. This, alongside a few experienced heads now to lean on, with perhaps a more stable coaching regime for guidance. Add the right striker and it could be a perfect storm…
Well we apparently have the best CB in the league in Ballard, best CB on the ball in O’nien, best LB in Cirkin, best RB in Hume, best CM in Neil, best winger in Clarke.. all mentioned regularly on here. So we should storm the league. I agree with the criticism of some players it was a disgrace. Normally foreign lads. Sitting in Roker end I hear the worst of the worst, some absolutely wild opinions in there. I remember half the stand singing for Danny Bathh against Rotherham when we conceded early after O’nien went tooling out to the left and got caught out. We were about 15 minutes into the game. Embarrassing.
I have to disagree. To simplify it to the level of two coaches is to miss so much of what went on and to ignore the state of the squad as it stood. Every coach said the same as the fans. No centre forwarf capable of playing at the level. It left a very unbalanced squad. Then add to that the lack of a left back for a large part of the season. When Clarke was injured there was no suitable replacement. Roberts injury and form, nut again the replacements werent up to it. Ekwah I thought was poor for large parts. Huggins out for most of the season. Then of course, as a lot said, we had a very young squad and maybe that was a problem too. In my opinion we have lacked quality in the squad for the here and now. Last year was a prime example. We are on track to remedy some of that with the likes of Poveda and Browne hopefully. We need a few more though in my opinion, and to let go some who arent up to it. Players like Bennette and Hemir arent ready for this level. I personally dont think the likes of Adil and Ba were good enough last season to make a difference, but they are anothef year on now and maybe will. Hjelde and Mundle came in January but werent ready to add much in my opinion. Point is we ended up with players in the squad who I dont think were ready or able to push us up the table. We had coaches with options they couldnt trust. We relied heavily on 6 or 7 players IMO to keep us just about afloat. The others werent up to it. I think some have a hell of a lot to prove this season personally, and a coach can only do so much for them, and certainly cant get on the pitch for them.
Thanks for that. I think the most optimistic fan on here would struggle to write anything more glowing. OTT but there are many grains of truth.
I do agree, that we needed a CF etc but it really doesn't help with the tactics that were being used by Beale and Dodds with the squad we had. I also do think we need 2 strikers, a CB and maybe a DM. I'm just trying to point out that a lot of this squad is still capable of being great for us
Cannot find it but @louorns on twitter who's a Watford fan and is involved in recruitment in football has us 17th. My personal belief is that you simply cannot predict us to finish 1st with our current striker options, fail to sign one and we'll be bottom half again. Even if someone like Mendy comes in I think it'll be a case of chasing 6th.
I love that, and shudder at the same time. I think we have some elite talent in the squad, but also some gaps and some areas where other sides, as it stands, look better equipped. I dont know who wrote it but I like them.
Sutton been on that space dust like. We are still short in the striker position and you have to factor in RLB in all of this. First season in English football and he still doesn't have a team of high quality assistants around him. Play offs would be am achievement, as it currently stands.
Agree, lots of talented players. Still a bit unbalanced as a squad in my opinion. That lack of balance affects directly a coaches tactics and their options. I would go so far as to say upto this season we have built a squad to rejuvinate the club, and not to give a coach the chance of success. That is not necessarily a criticism as going into this season we have the talented youth hopefully growing into their own, and seem to be sprinkling older heads with quality into it. I just hope the balance of the squad is better come the end of the window, I think it will be. Then we can judge the coach in my opinion.
I’ll have a pint of whatever he’s been drinking!! simply cannot predict us (or anyone for that matter) to finish top purely based on potential, never mind the current striker situation at the club. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if we are challenging for play offs
They do but at the minute it’s pinned on how fast their progression accelerates. Dodds has been in and around that squad for years so how did it go so bad when they had to take the remainder of the season? I still worry a bit about the midfield if I’m honest we won’t sign a DM in my opinion and if it’s Neil who’s going to play there then it could be a steep learning curve it really is a difficult role to undertake. I’ve seen a few say he’ll be the best midfielder in the league but in his first real season as a 6 is he going to be as good as the likes of Hamer, Cullen, Sheaf, Nunez etc in that holding role? It’s a big ask. With our full backs getting forward more under RLB there’s probably going to be a lot of pressure on the DM/CB’s, whereas last season we just played defensively.
I would also add in that we need a high quality DM and an upgrade at centre back to even sniff the top positions. Even then RLB would have to perform incredible.
Definitely been on the pipe This squad is nowhere near. I’m sure a few will be along to tell me we reached the play-offs not so long ago (with a class above in Diallo playing most games)
