July 10 2006

The Football League

Sunderland have had more ups and downs than Jamie Theakston's career in recent years, writes Danny Hayes.

Although highly successful at Championship level, Sunderland are the worst team in Premiership history. If you combined their points total of their two previous campaigns in the top flight, they still wouldn't have had enough to save them from relegation last season.

This is down to the fact that their squad does not possess the quality required for the Premiership. But in the Championship, they have got players who have been there and bought the t-shirt when it comes to winning promotion and it would be stupid to underestimate them for going up.

The problem for Sunderland has been their off-field problems. Kevin Ball is still in charge but his future is uncertain. Unless this is resolved before the start of the season it could see them struggle early doors.

Their Squad

Sunderland’s one high quality player is Julio Arca, a player that deserves to be playing in the Premiership. Whether he plays at left-back or on the left side of midfield, he will be a threat with his crossing and his eye for scoring a goal.

In Jonathon Stead and Stephen Elliot there is defiantly potential for goals in the side, Elliot had a fantastic season when Sunderland won the Championship two years ago, averaging a goal every other game.

As for Stead, this is a huge campaign, after rivalling Ade Akinbyi for the worst striker in Premiership history last season he will need to get off to a good start to rebuild his confidence.

Sunderland certainly possesses a goalscoring threat from midfield. In Tommy Miller, Dean Whitehead and Liam Lawrence, they have three players who can all reach double figures.

Whitehead was their most consistent player last term and if he can build on that, he can really make his mark at this level. Miller has already proven how good he is at this level with Ipswich, topping their goalscoring charts a few years ago.

The backline for Sunderland certainly does not stand out and is expected to be solid rather than spectacular. Defensive mistakes cost them dearly last season but in Kelvin Davis they will have one of the best stoppers in this division, and in Stephen Caldwell and George McCartney, they have internationals that should proves successful at this level.

If there is a weak link it could be that their backline does not contain much speed, apart from Nyron Nosworthy, and they look a bit flat-footed at the back.

Probable Starting XI

Kelvin Davis

Nyron Nosworthy Stephen Caldwell Danny Collins George McCartney

Liam Lawrence Tommy Miller Dean Whitehead Julio Arca

Jonathon Stead Stephen Elliot

Previous Meetings

17/05/04 – Sunderland 2-1 (AET) Crystal Palace

14/05/04 – Crystal Palace 3-2 Sunderland

21/04/04 – Crystal Palace 3-0 Sunderland

13/09/03 – Sunderland 2-1 Crystal Palace

When We Meet This Season

23/02/06 – Home

30/01/07 – Away

Prediction

With Sunderland’s off-field problems at the moment they may find things difficult to begin with, but there is no doubting the goalscoring threat that Sunderland possesses throughout the squad. And the fact that they will not just be relying on the strikers for goals will be telling, so Sunderland are certainties for the play-offs at least this season.