Underwhelmed. That was the one word that came to my head when I first saw the team sheet ahead of the Coventry game. Those names I saw… they were the same names who had lost to the likes of Lincoln City and Doncaster Rovers. They were the ones who had finished 5th in League One. Yes, we had beaten Wycombe at Wembley - probably one of the best days of my life as a Sunderland fan - but would that team put up a fight in the Championship? With the likes of bigger names and relegated Premier League teams swarming around us, I didn’t think we would have a chance.
But Speakman did. And he may have got it right!
First of all, there are players who, in my opinion, have stepped up extremely well. The likes of Cirkin, O`Nien and Matete are a few examples; they have all fitted in with Championship life supremely. Until getting injured, Cirkin had been a brick wall at the back. His partnership with Batth and Ballard was second to none. And when he did get injured, Mr Versatile himself stepped in. The energetic nature of Luke O’Nien really does epitomise the nature of the squad.
Passionate, enthusiastic and hard-working. He too has been solid at the back, a far cry from the player that received some negativity last season for his sloppiness in midfield. Then there is Jay Matete. A player who I didn’t think would have a chance in the Championship. But in the spells he has had on the pitch, he has been neat and tidy. Whilst I think he has room for improvement he has shown enough quality and determination that is needed at this level. But you can`t deny that the whole squad has really taken the Championship to the sword. Coming up against the likes of Watford and putting up a fight; scoring a goal that Barcelona would be envious of…
Then there are our signings. Bringing in well-proven players - like Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts- was a good strategy for the club. Knowing that they have already got that level of quality needed for the Championship reassures us that we are spending our money in the right places.
Talking of which, nothing less can be said of the new boys who have come in through the door! They have all fitted in seamlessly!
Most notable is Ellis Simms, who came in through the door and immediately washed away any fans’ annoyances of us not attaining Nathan Broadhead. As well as his goals, Simms’s strong partnership with Stewart upfront has been really effective. Both have been terrorising defences, and up until their injuries, had formed one of the most prolific attacks in the league.
Could Sunderland’s transfer strategy under Speakman be working a treat?
Bringing in some experienced players and some young players who we have, quite frankly, never heard of, has given the squad a really good balance. Young players such as Dan Neil, who despite being naive at times has shown great quality, excelling around experienced players like Cory Evans.
Other players in my opinion have already expressed great individual talent. We have seen glimpses of Jewison Bennette’s potential, with some great skills and an equally impressive finish from the Costa Rican. Abdoullah Ba has also been neat in midfield in the short time we have seen him on the field. Aji Alese has also put in excellent performances, and the ex-West Ham man has really shown his Premier League pedigree. It feels as if they have been at the club for years: all the players seem so in tune with the philosophy of the club.
What’s more, in the face of adversity, having no attacking players, we have regrouped and persevered to find a different solution, playing in a 4-6-0 formation.
Thank you Mr Speakman!
However, you can`t deny that Speakman has made some errors. The big, obvious standout from last season is Jermain Defoe. There was so much hype in the build up to the signing… and then he did… well, nothing. There are also those who argue that Speakman could have signed reinforcements over the summer, an opinion with which I agree. I would probably be feeling more comfortable now in the knowledge that we had a backup striker/defender.
But this is only a small chink in the club’s armour. The whole culture of the club from top to bottom seems really positive in this moment in time. We have a structure in place. If you didn’t know that we had changed managers, you wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at our performances!
For now, we are exceeding expectations.
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