IT has been a busy summer on Wearside, with Sunderland appointing a new head coach, making a raft of changes in the transfer market and starting the new Championship season with a perfect four wins from four games.
Scott Wilson and Dominic Shaw answer some of the key questions relating to the Black Cats as they prepare to return to action after the international break.
HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW?
SW: A qualified success. Losing Jack Clarke was a disappointment, and while Ahmed Abdullahi arrived on deadline day, Sunderland once again failed to recruit a proven centre-forward. However, in a shift away from previous windows, the Black Cats added experience in other areas with the loan signing of Chris Mepham and addition of Alan Browne as a free agent. Other arrivals look exciting – Sunderland beat off a host of competition to land Serbian teenager Milan Aleksic for around £3m – and while a lack of firepower remains an issue, the squad has been strengthened in most parts of the pitch.
DS: Mixed. Alan Browne looks a fine signing and his qualities and character will likely prove pivotal this season but at this stage it's too early to know what sort of impact the other arrivals will have. Several are unknown quantities in the Championship and there have been more misses than hits when it when it comes to young players arriving from overseas in recent years. That said, Sunderland are excited about Milan Aleksic and Salis Abdul Samed has pedigree. The striker question remains. Have Sunderland left themselves short? Losing Jack Clarke was obviously a blow but the Black Cats did well to retain their other star talent.
HOW BIG A BLOW IS LOSING JACK CLARKE?
SW: Time will tell. Sunderland decided to cash in when Ipswich offered a total package worth £20m, and while comparable players have left the Championship for more money, the time was probably right to allow Clarke to test himself in the Premier League. Romaine Mundle has slotted into the left-side attacking slot effectively so far, scoring two goals in his last two games, but it is a leap to suggest the 21-year-old could be a like-for-like replacement for Clarke. More than anything, Sunderland will miss Clarke’s ability to alter the course of a game in one attacking dribble.
DS: How many times last season did Clarke bail Sunderland out of problematic positions? It might not look to be the case just yet but there's no doubt that Sunderland will miss the star winger after his Ipswich move. He was by far Sunderland's best player last season. That said, Romaine Mundle has stood tall and took his chance so far. He came into the team under pressure to perform but has looked like a player who welcomes the weight of expectation.
WHICH OF THE SUMMER SIGNINGS WILL HAVE BIGGEST IMPACT?
SW: Browne has made a solid start to his Sunderland career and already looks like he’ll add something different in midfield, while Mepham’s experience should make him an important figure. He has to get into the team at centre-half first though, and that’s not a given. Wilson Isidor has only made one substitute appearance, but the loan signing from Zenit St Petersburg can play in a number of different attacking positions and looks to have a bit of a swagger about him. I just have a feeling he’ll force his way into the team.
DS: Aleksic is an exciting talent but Browne was just what Sunderland needed, even if it's hard to see how he gets in the midfield if everyone is fit because Regis Le Bris surely can't leave Chris Rigg out on current form. But Browne has also impressed, quickly settled and will help to provide some much-needed experience on the back of Corry Evans' summer exit. It was a shrewd signing.
HOW IMPRESSED HAVE YOU BEEN WITH REGIS LE BRIS?
SW: It’s impossible not to have been impressed. Given how chaotic things were looking when Le Bris was finally appointed earlier this summer, the speed with which he has got Sunderland back on track is remarkable. Off the pitch, he has helped pull the club back together and avoided the kind of pitfalls that did for Michael Beale. On it, he has introduced an energetic, high-pressing game that looks ideally suited to the players at his disposal.
DS: Extremely. Understated, unpanicked and focused - Le Bris isn't one for fuss and drama but has shown he has a ruthless side and deserves immense credit for getting his message across so quickly and clearly. Not only has Le Bris got Sunderland playing as he hoped, he also managed to clear the hangover from last season - all the more impressive when you consider he's come on his own without a backroom team. It's a long season but his start has been largely faultless.
IS THE SUPERB START TO THE SEASON SUSTAINABLE?
SW: Well, Sunderland aren’t going to win every game. And given the attacking question marks that have already been discussed, there’s a need for Eliezer Mayenda to keep performing at the levels he’s been hitting in the early weeks of the season. Sunderland have the air of genuine promotion contenders though, and given that the teams relegated from the Premier League do not look as strong as in some previous seasons, there’s absolutely no reason why they can’t remain key participants in the battle for the top six.
DS: There are clearly going to be challenges and bumps in the road for Sunderland and Le Bris himself has admitted he doesn't yet know how his team will react to setbacks. Hopefully he doesn't find out any time soon. On the back of last season, it felt more important than ever that Sunderland got off to a good start. The excitement and the feel-good factor that had completely disappeared just a matter of months ago is back. Sunderland aren't going to win every game, clearly, but the start of the season has reminded us of the quality in the ranks. Top six looks extremely achievable.
HOW DO YOU SEE SATURDAY’S GAME GOING?
SW: I’d be confidently backing Sunderland to win. Plymouth have started poorly under Wayne Rooney, picking up just two points from their opening four games, and Saturday’s game feels similar to the away games the Black Cats have already played at Cardiff and Portsmouth this season. They won those with a minimum of fuss, so will travel to the South-West justifiably confident of making it a perfect five from five. I’ll go 2-0 Sunderland.
DS: I can't see anything other than a Sunderland win. In fairness to Plymouth, they haven't conceded more than a single goal in a game since their 4-0 opening weekend hammering at Sheffield Wednesday. But they've only scored two goals in their four outings so far, which doesn't bode well for Argyle against a side that have only conceded once - and that was a last minute own-goal. I think Sunderland will have too much for Plymouth - which sets up a mouthwatering Wear-Tees derby.
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