How excited are you about Sunderland's start?
10/07/2024 12:00 AM
The Lads will spend the international break at the top of the league after Friday's draw with Leeds, so how excited are we about what's happening at the Stadium of Light?
Andy Thompson says…
My current thoughts are that we should be extremely happy about the way we've operated in the transfer market in recent seasons, and it's been excellent to see the academy being utilised so effectively.
The club has invested in players for low prices who are able to operate at the top end of the Championship, and that's very encouraging indeed.
The question is whether they'll be able to compete at this level for the rest of the season, but the early signs would suggest we can and the prospect of others coming back to fitness will only strengthen this argument.
In recent seasons, the likes of Coventry and Luton have demonstrated that you can operate like this and be successful, and so far this season, we've shown that we're definitely heading in the right direction.
For me, our league position right now is irrelevant.
Instead, it's about our performances, and based on that it looks like we'll be competing at the top end of the table for the remainder of the season. We're showing that we're competitive and on Friday, we went toe to toe with a team on that cost £90 million to assemble, whereas ours cost under £10 million.
The players look like they're committed and Régis Le Bris looks like a fine coach who has us playing some lovely stuff.
Hopefully we have some luck with injuries this year and can maintain our level of performance. As long as that happens, I'll be very optimistic indeed.
Anthony Gair says…
We're top of the league, and nobody can take that away from us.
Yes, if Sheffield United didn't cheat, they'd be top by two points, but they did, so there!
For such a young team to have excelled in this way during the first nine games is quite astonishing, considering that you'd think the connection and chemistry between the head coach and the team can only get stronger, as their relationship is nine games old.
The international break gives Régis Le Bris the opportunity to iron out some minor creases and to potentially look at some of the fringe players who deserve an opportunity, and use them in the coming games.
Players like Milan Aleksić, Salis Abdul Samed, Ahmed Abdullahi and Tommy Watson will all be champing at the bit for a start, and that can only lead to better performances from the players already in the side.
It's mad to think that one mistake could see you out of the team at the moment, because the talent on the bench is just as good, if not better, in terms of reputation.
Bring on the rest of the season!
Ewan Bowman says…
At the start of the season, if you'd said to any Sunderland fan that we'd be top of the league at the second international break, everyone would've taken that.
It's been a terrific start and it could arguably have been better had it not been for a last-minute defeat to Plymouth and a moment of madness at Watford.
The lads have been terrific and I hope it continues after the break.
The players have clearly bought into Régis Le Bris' philosophy and way of playing, and they also have to be given praise for the never say die attitude. Take Friday night's game, for example, as we would've lost that one last season.
It's been a brilliant start.
Long may it continue and let's hope the players who are going away to represent their countries come back injury-free.
Malc Dugdale says…
It's a really significant achievement to be top of the league, and not only for the first international break but also for the next one. That shows we've performed well across nine games instead of just a handful.
We haven't kept our 100% winning record as we've lost a couple of away games, mainly due to self-inflicted problems as opposed to being outplayed.
These things will happen, and we were never going to go all season without a draw or a loss. Thankfully, the way we ground out a draw against a very good Leeds side to maintain our unbeaten record at home was both very fortunate and a pleasure to see, and should put us in a decent frame of mind during this break.
For me, we need to focus on two things whilst we can: getting Eliezer Mayenda fit again so he can contribute with goals, and working out what we'll do when the inevitable fifth yellow card happens for Trai Hume.
If we can have a few options ready with our rearguard formations and give Wilson Isidor some help and some competition, I think we'll be in good fettle for the run up to the festive season.
If we can also find a way of getting the likes of Milan Aleksić into the frame to provide options in the middle, even better.
We don't need wholesale changes but we need plans B and C right across the park, and I really hope Régis Le Bris and the lads resume with those options and plans well-drilled.
