Journalist Matty Hewitt believes two current Sunderland players don’t get in the starting XI when everyone is fit.
Sunderland continue to endure injury hell upon their Championship return.
It was a common theme last season, though Tony Mowbray and his players defied the odds and achieved a top six finish.
But it’s been much tougher this time round.
Mowbray, then Michael Beale, and now Mike Dodds have all had key injuries to contend with; Dodds arguably more than most with Jack Clarke unavailable along with names like Patrick Roberts.
Sunderland injuries
As well as Clarke and Roberts in attack, there’s also Nazariy Rusyn who’s now sidelined, leaving the divisive Luis Hemir along with the equally-divisive Mason Burstow as Dodds’ only fit strikers.
Then there’s the likes of Corry Evans, Bradley Dack, Elliot Embleton, and defenders Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin, and Aji Alese.
Mike Dodds’ Sunderland defensive woes
Sunderland drew 0-0 with QPR before the international break; ending a run of six-straight defeats in the Championship and seeing Sunderland claim their first clean sheet since New Year’s Day.
Defensively, Sunderland have been pretty woeful in recent weeks, especially in games against Southampton earlier in the month where the Black Cats looked likely to conceded every time the Saints went forward.
And a couple of names have come under the spotlight recently, one being Leo Hjelde; the Norwegian impressed initially but has received criticism over the past few games.
Callum Styles is another. He’s featured just five times since joining on loan from Barnsley in January, starting three.
Speaking on the We Are Sunderland podcast recently, Hewitt said that both Hjelde and Styles don’t get into the Sunderland XI when Alese and Cirkin return.
Hewitt said:
“In my opinion, I think when Sunderland get a fully-fit squad, personally I don’t see them in the starting XI. I just that when Aji [Alese] and Dennis [Cirkin] are back, I don’t know if it’s just because we’ve seen more of them (we haven’t this season), but I personally don’t think they’re [Hjelde and Styles] are starting ahead of the likes of Cirkin and Aji.”
Alese signed a new Sunderland contract last week and stepped up his return with an appearance for the U21s, whilst Cirkin is expected back before the end of the season.
Kristjaan Speakman has questions to answer over January business
So far, Sunderland’s January signings under Beale (Romaine Mundle, Hjelde and Styles), have failed to impress all that much.
Whilst Mundle and Hjelde are players for the future, they’re not showing all that much in the here and now which suggests they’ll go on to become valuable assets for the club.
The change in defensive shape from Dodds won’t have helped the likes of Hjelde who showed promise as a left-back but struggled at left wing-back.
Styles meanwhile has played in multiple positions since, failing to impress and failing to settle in during this rocky patch of Sunderland’s seasons.
So there’s definitely questions for sporting director Kristjaan Speakman to answer and yet more gaps to fill in the summer.
Another poor transfer window could really expose Sunderland and Speakman as they continue on this vision.