The upcoming triple-header will be a good test of Sunderland's staying power

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

With a trip to Watford followed by home clashes with Derby and Leeds United, Régis Le Bris and his squad are sure to be tested over the next week.

After the elation of beating Middlesbrough in the non-derby derby and the intriguing midweek addition of Aaron Connolly to the red and white ranks, the next seven days are sure to provide a stern test for Sunderland's players and Régis Le Bris.

If the victory over Michael Carrick's visitors was the perfect response to defeat at the hands of Plymouth in both result and execution, our upcoming league clashes with Watford, Derby County and Leeds United will likely pose a different kind of challenge; broadly speaking, how will this exciting group of young players deal with the task of three league games in a week and all that goes with it?

We know that Sunderland, under the increasingly exciting stewardship of Le Bris, have youthful zeal, creativity and enthusiasm oozing from every pore.

We're approaching games with a positive mindset, we aren't burdened by the failures of last season, and the Lads are showing the kind of form that must surely leave Le Bris smiling when he leaves the training ground or the stadium at night.

This was illustrated in Chris Rigg's jaw-droppingly audacious backheeled winner last Saturday.

It was the kind of goal that'll be spoken about and relived twenty years from now, and the industrious manner of our victory over Boro, during which we often had to be patient, work hard and ensure that we maintained our discipline, certainly sets us in good stead for what's to come.

During the most recent international break I suggested that it was key that we developed alternative ways of playing if our favoured approach didn't yield results.

Against Boro I felt there were signs that we were starting to do just that, with Jobe in particular controlling the midfield with ease, but starting against the talented if always-unpredictable Hornets, who are coming off the back of a bruising league loss to Norwich and a plucky League Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, we'll need to be fleet of foot and ready for whatever Tom Cleverley's side may throw at us.

Derby in midweek should be another interesting affair.

Off to a strong start under Paul Warne following their welcome return to the Championship, the Rams might attempt to sit deep, turn the game into a frustrating affair and keep the back door firmly bolted, and the Friday night visit of Leeds United, stripped of several formerly key players following last season's near-miss but still a dangerous prospect under Daniel Farke, will be a passionate and fiercely contested affair.

For Sunderland, squad depth is now becoming ever more important, and Chris Mepham's accomplished debut last weekend was a major fillip for Le Bris as he attempts to maintain the generally impressive standards of defence that we've seen so far.

Further forward Alan Browne's return to the first team picture will be welcome, and this run of games, particularly on Saturday and against Leeds, is also a wonderful opportunity for Romaine Mundle to add further clout to the growing argument that he's already proving an exciting replacement for Jack Clarke.

If there's plenty to ponder in terms of how we tackle the next three games, the signing of Connolly provided an interesting talking point in midweek.

The former Brighton striker chipped in with eight goals for Hull City last season and in my head, I'm imagining him as a more effective Joe Gelhardt; a punchy, spiky forward who can get in the faces of opposition defenders, make life tough for them, and hopefully contribute with goals.

However, as much as I think he could prove to be a good addition, Connolly's reputation seems to precede him and as many others have said, this feels like a pivotal move as he bids to resurrect a career that once promised a lot but has so far delivered comparatively little.

It goes without saying that Le Bris won't tolerate slackers and Connolly needs to knuckle down and get his head back in the game to play a role for us. Can he do it? Absolutely? Will he? Only Connolly knows for sure.

Sunderland are in a good place right now. Confidence has been restored following the blip at Home Park, and as has been the case all season, Le Bris and his players will doubtless be relishing the chance to launch into this next run of fixtures and prove that they've got what it takes to stay the course.

A positive haul of points banked from our next three, and those murmurs of the top six (and maybe more) being a genuine prospect may well grow louder as the nights start to draw in.