Sunderland legend Gordon Armstrong has urged his former club to dip into the transfer market to strengthen two key positions before the 2024/25 campaign commences.
The Black Cats were in the race for a place in the play-offs at the turn of the year but a dismal run of form from February onwards killed any chances the Wearside club had of returning to the Premier League this summer for the first time in seven years.
From mid-February to the end of the campaign, Sunderland picked up merely two victories in 15 matches, both of which came away from home against Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion. The Stadium of Light hasn’t seen a win since the side beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 under Michael Beale on the 10th of February.
😲 Outrageous from Lawrence Shankland
The Premiership's top scorer produced this sensational outside of the boot finish
#cinchPrem | @JamTarts pic.twitter.com/avvKAEdORF— SPFL (@spfl) January 29, 2024
In the end, with interim head coach Mike Dodds in charge for the second time this season, Sunderland finished up in 16th place, just six points above the relegation zone and a whopping 17 points adrift of the final play-off spot.
There are a number of areas in the squad which need strengthening, particularly up top. Jack Clarke was the club’s top goalscorer this season, having bagged 15 goals in all competitions but the wanted winger was heavily relied upon. Jobe Bellingham, who was Sunderland’s second-highest scorer, reached less than half of Clarke’s tally.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo this weekend, club legend Armstrong, who spent over a decade in the first-team from 1985 to 1996, has called on the board to buy a striker who can bag over 20 goals this summer [quotes via Sunderland AFC News]:
“It’s not rocket science at the end of the day. If you have a striker who scores 20, 25 goals it’s certainly a big help,” the 56-year-old said.
“Our strikers, the maximum anyone has scored is Rusyn with two. It’s been a problem there is no doubt about it.”
Armstrong also believes that the Black Cats need some experience in the holding midfield position and that Corry Evans’ injury woes this season were quite costly throughout the campaign.
“Listen, the club has got a model and way to do things, I understand that, but you still have to have one or two players with experience in there in my opinion,” he continued.
Also, I think the holding midfield role has been key to us as well. Corry Evans has missed most of the season and we’ve needed someone like that to just maybe get hold of the ball a little bit, bully people and get stuck in.”
Writer’s View
Failing to sign a striker when one was desperately needed during the January transfer window was a mistake from Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and the recruitment department. Ipswich Town went out and signed Kieffer Moore and Ali Al-Hamadi, two players who were linked with a move to the Stadium of Light, and both men scored important goals as the Tractor Boys were promoted to the Premier League.
There are not many prolific goalscorers out there that the Black Cats could sign this summer. Perhaps Heart of Midlothian frontman Lawrence Shankland is the best value for money as the Scottish centre-forward has scored 27 times this season for the Jam Tarts, but any summer activity will depend on who the new manager is going to be.
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