Are Sunderland Ready for the Demands of a Bigger Season?

After all the heroics and triumphs we enjoyed last season, the new one is just around the corner. Are we ready to raise our platform? Do we have the squad that can take on more responsibility when the need arises?

More than midway through pre-season, I feel that there are far more questions than answers.

Starting with the USA trip. There were three good first-half performances and, as expected, the players from last season’s first team did well, albeit these are friendlies. Ultimately, they are mainly about fitness. Both the Leeds and Wrexham games were more competitive (for 45-60 minutes), allowing Régis’s DNA – press as a unit, defend as a whole, control the ball and break – to be prevalent.

The Liverpool game was a very hard game to take anything from but fitness. Sunderland played a much stronger team in the first half, and Liverpool brought on the likes of Szoboszlai, whilst we brought on Jack Whittaker and gave our youth a chance to step up.

There are still more players to start their pre-season, with the likes of Xhaka, Meunier, Talbi and Alderete still on World Cup hiatus, and Ta Bi frustratingly refused entry. He did show some touches and moments against York City, but missing the link-up with most of the senior squad is a massive blow to both the club and the lad.

That aside, Chris Rigg was a bit of a standout; he looked bigger and stronger. With all the guile and class we know is in his locker, it should be a big season for him. With the potential for over 60 games this season, he will get plenty of starts and time to develop into something special. But who else can?

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Ultimately, we have a similar squad to last season, but it is at a significant deficit presently, with only Thomas Meunier arriving, and the Big Man Mayenda, Dennis Cirkin, Bertrand Traoré and Dan Neil leaving. This quartet made over 50 appearances last season. Apart from Neil, all three of them were on the bench against Chelsea. I am not expecting Meunier to make much more than 20 or 25 appearances, based on his age and the fact that we have Nordi Mukiele and Trai Hume, barring some unthinkable injuries.

The youth did get a good deal out of the USA trip, namely minutes, but being in and around the first-team squad will help the development of many. I am led to believe they don’t mix much at our training ground, with separate training, eating and physio times.

Can some step up from the youth ranks, or from loans?

There were a few positives, namely Timur Tutierov and Tom Proctor. Timur looked sharp and seemed to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time. I think he has done enough to be included in the French leg.

Tom Proctor showed great awareness at times and similarly should be given a little more time to nail down a place in the first team. With him being home-grown, he may have a stronger chance of making the Europa League squad.

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Some others don’t quite fit into either the youth or the first team. All are at a good age – 22-24. Mundle and Adingra. Seelt and Hjelde.

I would love Mundle and Adingra to make a dent in the first team; they have talent, can be exciting, and have had plenty of opportunities. Seelt has had opportunities too – 10 for Wolfsburg and three for us at the start of the season. Then there is Hjelde.

The question is, are any of these reliable enough to play football at European level? For me, they would struggle to get anywhere near the Premier League match-day squad. Mundle is home-grown, which gives him my nod. Unfortunately, I would say it should be the end of the Sunderland careers of the other three.

On the home-grown front, coming on in the 60th minute against Wrexham was Anthony Patterson. He was looking in good shape, both in terms of fitness and ability. Mooted transfers away, for £5m-£8m, have not yet materialised. If you compare that to Mayenda’s money, it is pretty insignificant.

I would also put Patto ahead of Ellborg, bar his distribution. Hopefully he will get another chance in the French games and change a few minds.

Alan Browne had a good USA trip. He looked pretty solid when he played in a deeper role, albeit not taking a shot when in a great position against Leeds slightly blotted his copybook. Browne has come away with his stock higher on the back of his performances, and he should be involved in the final pre-season games. Despite being a Republic of Ireland international, Browne also qualifies as a home-grown player.

There is no doubt we are all hankering for new blood – a centre-forward and a right winger in particular. It is hard sometimes to take a step back and take stock of what has occurred over the last year. It has been immense. Arguably the best season Sunderland has ever had.

Trust in the process. The stewardship has earned that.

Can we top it? Can we match it? I don’t know. All I know is Sunderland’s on its way.