Perhaps fortunate to still have their Premier League status, Sunderland’s season will be defined by their ability to create chances.
What happened last season
Given they were in the drop zone for all but seven games, and bottom for 17 games, it was quite remarkable the Black Cats were able to finish 14th.
The big escape came very late over a five-game period which saw them draw at home to Manchester City, then go on a four-game winning streak which included victory away to Chelsea and Manchester United.
Under Gus Poyet, who replaced the sacked Paulo Di Canio in October, Sunderland looked a little less frantic, but he still had to rely on strikers Connor Wickham and Fabio Borini to get him out of jail.
Despite their domestic struggles, Sunderland had great runs in the Cup, all the way to the final of the League Cup and the sixth round of the FA Cup, so the season wasn’t a complete write-off.
What happened in the off-season
Poyet took the team away to prepare in Portugal and in the three games there it appeared he lacked the spark out of midfield to regularly create chances.
With Jack Colback amd Ki Sung-Yueng no longer about, the midfield looks light, but Jack Rodwell has been brought in and should be very hungry after a lack of action at City.
Elsewhere there have been some promising signs from the likes of Greek Charis Mavrias on the right and Dutch left back Patrick van Aanholt, two to watch.
The big headline grabber though has been Borini, who seems to struggle in the Brendan Rodgers game-plan but kills it everywhere else. Yet it remains unclear if he’ll move permanently to Wearside.
Why Sunderland fans should be excited about the 2014/15 season
Poyet talks about implementing his 4-3-3 system and has been trying to patiently find the players he thinks fit into it, with Liam Bridcutt as the fulcrum in the number six role.
The manager looks to have built a solid squad, with Rodwell likely to compliment Bridcutt, and if the likes of Emmanuel Giaccherini, Adem Johnson and Whittaker can hit their straps collectively in the front third, Black Cats fans can look forward to a more comfortable season than the last one.
The main man that can carry Sunderland’s 2014/15 hopes
What Sunderland need above all else is a creative spark out of midfield, and to at end Giaccherini looks a key player this season.
With Rodwell and Bridcutt behind him, Poyet will hope the Italian adjusts better to the physicality of the league now that he’s had a year to comprehend things.
If he struggles, Sunderland will need to find their creativity from elsewhere.
Verdict – Battling to stay out of the drop zone
The big question is whether there’s enough goals and creativity out of midfield to support what looks a handy trio of attackers (four if Borini comes in), and Poyet would do well not to pin all his creative hopes on Giaccherini.
Sunderland F.C. team to compete in 2014/15
Goalkeeper: (25) Vito Mannone, (na) Costel Pantilimon.Defender: (5) Wes Brown, (na) Modibo Diakite, (na) Billy Jones, (16) John O’Shea, (29) Valentin Roberge, (na) Patrick van Aanholt.
Midfield: (22) El-Hadji Ba, (26) Liam Bridcutt, (na) Cabral, (33) Lee Cattermole, (11) Adam Johnson, (na) Jordi Gomez, (7) Sebastian Larsson, (35) Charis Mavrias, (na) Alfred N’Diaye, (na) Jack Roddwell, (na) David Vaughan.
Forwards: (17) Jozy Altidore, (9) Steven Fletcher, (23) Emanuele Giaccherini, (na) Danny Graham, (na) Mikael Mandron, (na) David Moberg-Karlsson, (na) Duncan Watmore, (10) Connor Wickham.
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