'Incredible' Sunderland blow pundit away after making subtle change which is going ignored

Sky Sports pundit and former Sunderland striker Don Goodman declared the club’s start to the season as “incredible and one you could never see coming.” The 58-year-old couldn’t contain his excitement for how the Black Cats have started the Championship campaign as the club sits five points clear at the top of the pile after 12 matches

While Sunderland’s underlying principles remain the same, the first summer of the Regis Le Bris era proved that the Black Cats are not completely averse to making the odd exception. They learned that experience is key – and it’s paying dividends.

Under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and on the watch of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, Sunderland have centred their rebuild around a foundation of young, developing players and there is no doubt that is producing results. They are players that boast considerable potential but more importantly from a business point of view, resale value.

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But Sunderland dropped off alarmingly towards the end of last season with little or no experience in the squad hampering them. In the summer, the youngster strategy continued and their two most expensive acquisitions – Serbian Milan Aleksic and the currently-injured Ahmed Abdullahi – are aged just 19 and 20 respectively.

But the Wearsiders looked to balance that exuberance with some much-needed experience and it’s worked.
In came 26-year-old Chris Mepham and 29-year-old Alan Browne – Mepham playing a huge part in central defence since the injury to Dan Ballard. Those two arrived with a combined 435 Championship appearances between them.

Back-up goalkeeper Simon Moore impressed in Anthony Patterson’s absence as Sunderland beat Oxford United 2-0 on Saturday. Goodman feels Regis Le Bris’ league leaders are benefitting from having increased the average age.

“This is an incredible start to the season,” Goodman told Sky Sports. “We were all worried. [We wondered] what should we expect from Sunderland?

“They got off to a flyer and they haven’t looked back since. You could never possibly see it coming. Credit to the hierarchy. They have brought in Alan Browne, Chris Mepham. Even Wilson Isidor, at 24, is older than the players they brought in before. Simon Moore is a great character.

“I think the penny has possibly dropped, that they needed a bit of experience in the building. When the going gets tough, they have got lads who have been there before and that will be a help to Sunderland.”

Isidor has hit four goals in six Championship starts and produced a wonderful finish against Oxford on Saturday. After Sunderland spent much of last term relying on a teenage Jobe Bellingham in a somewhat unfamiliar number nine role, a relative elder statement in Isidor is belatedly filling a void that has been present in the Black Cats’ attack ever since Ross Stewart left for Southampton in 2023.