Sunderland followers have traditionally been considered as a downtrodden, pessimistic set of supporters, with the Black Cats normally struggling on the very prime of the English sport, as a substitute of succeeding.
Certainly, even when Premier League soccer was recurrently on the menu through the 2010s, the Wearside outfit would by no means blow anybody’s socks off, with only one promising top-half end coming on the finish of the 2010/11 season as a consequence of Asamoah Gyan’s heroics in entrance of purpose.
From that time on, it was common scraps and fights in opposition to the drop, with a seven-season exodus from the Premier League then following after relegation was lastly confirmed in 2017.
Eight years on, nonetheless, the temper is a buoyant one at present on the Stadium of Mild on the subject of top-flight life, with Regis Le Bris already steering Sunderland to the dizzy heights of fifth spot from simply six clashes.
Tasting defeat simply the as soon as has resulted in a optimistic new daybreak being spoken about on Wearside, with Sunderland wanting to point out they belong on the very pinnacle of the English sport with assertion signings galore this summer season.
Granit Xhaka is the principle determine that continues to face out from the Black Cats’ luxurious spending this summer season, because the ex-Arsenal battler continues to look each bit well worth the £17.3m it price to convey him in from Bayer Leverkusen.
How Xhaka compares to different top-flight midfielders
Sunderland selecting up Xhaka manner again in July was, arguably, one of many first vital items of the jigsaw acquired that confirmed to the remainder of the top-flight that Le Bris and Co. weren’t there to easily make up the numbers.
As an alternative, they have been prepared to flex their muscle groups within the aggressive market to go all out to win Premier League-ready warriors, with the Swiss worldwide famous as being “valued by so many” when beforehand on the books of Arsenal within the unforgiving league by analyst Ben Mattinson.
His fiery Gunners stint would possibly effectively have seen him tally up a worrying 4 crimson playing cards in league motion, however with 17 targets and 24 assists additionally subsequent to his identify on the Emirates within the top-flight, it virtually went with out saying that he was going so as to add some much-needed high quality to proceedings upon his arrival on the Stadium of Mild, with equal measures of aptitude and chunk the 2 most important parts to his well-rounded and warranted sport.
It has performed out like that thus far, too, with the 33-year-old gathering three assists as a significant cog in Le Bris’ machine from the center of the park, whereas additionally averaging a excessive 6.8 duels gained throughout his close to faultless six league encounters.
Xhaka – 25/26 PL stats | |
|---|---|
Stat | Xhaka |
Video games performed | 6 |
Objectives scored | 0 |
Assists | 3 |
Touches | 422 |
Profitable passes | 270 |
Move accuracy | 83.3% |
Duels gained | 41 |
Aerial duels gained | 20 |
Recoveries | 28 |
Stats by FotMob | |
To additional wax lyrical in regards to the Swiss worldwide, who Sky Sports activities’ Keith Downie stated the crew is “constructed round,” his wonderful numbers thus far this season put him alongside some esteemed competitors.
Certainly, his move accuracy coming in at 83.3% per Premier League contest up to now sees him really trump Sandro Tonali for Sunderland’s arch rivals Newcastle United, who has simply 42.5 correct passes per match to point out for his season thus far.
Furthermore, with eight huge probabilities additionally created from his six outings, he additional trumps Ryan Gravenberch’s tally on this division by two, regardless of current shouts suggesting that the Dutchman is “the most effective participant within the nation” by journalist Daniel Storey for his electrical begin to the season with title-chasing Liverpool.
That simply brings into view much more clearly how spectacular Xhaka has been thus far to be reaching the identical unbelievable heights because the Dutchman, for a aspect believed to maybe be in a relegation battle earlier than the marketing campaign formally bought underway.
But, it isn’t the most important shock on this planet to see the brand new Sunderland captain return to the Premier League and shine, contemplating he confirmed that he nonetheless had what it takes to be an elite-level performer with Leverkusen.
Subsequently, one other of Sunderland’s varied signings could possibly be extra suited to the crown of being the most effective buy made this summer season, with one other shrewd seize maybe a extra worthy recipient.
Sunderland’s signing of the summer season
There would have been some worries within the air this summer season on Wearside that the speedy tempo of the signings may result in a disjointed look on the pitch.
It has been removed from that, fortunately, significantly in defence, as Le Bris has his new-look defence already taking part in like a well-oiled unit.
Whereas Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete are undoubtedly additionally within the operating to steal Xhaka’s thunder, Robin Roefs is a worthy frontrunner, too, together with his early type for the Black Cats being hailed as “completely exceptional” by Sky Sports activities’ Dougie Critchley.
In spite of everything, whereas Xhaka did not price an eye-watering quantity to choose up on the £17.3m area, touchdown Roefs for less than £11.5m already appears to be like to be the steal of the summer season, with pundit Chris Sutton additionally praising the seize of the previous NEC Nijmegen goalkeeper as a “sensible” little bit of enterprise.
High 5 PL keepers for targets prevented | ||
|---|---|---|
Participant | Objectives conceded | Objective prevented |
1. Robin Roefs | 4 | +2.6 |
2. Dean Henderson | 3 | +2.3 |
3. Guglielmo Vicario | 4 | +2.2 |
4. James Trafford | 4 | +1.9 |
5. Nick Pope | 5 | +0.9 |
Stats by FotMob | ||
Whereas Xhaka is in some notable conversations concerning the cream of the midfield crop within the division, Roefs is arguably head and shoulders above the remaining on the subject of the goalkeeper division, with the Dutchman boasting the most effective targets prevented numbers thus far this season with +2.6 subsequent to his identify.
Solely pipped by Guglielmo Vicario by way of save share, too, it is clear, even at this early stage, that the 22-year-old has been instrumental to Sunderland taking the division by storm, with a mammoth six saves managed in opposition to Nottingham Forest final day trip, securing a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Come the shut of the lengthy, onerous season, will probably be fascinating to see what number of victories have been clinched simply off the again of Roefs, being a rock-solid pair of gloves for Le Bris and Co. to depend on.
After all, Xhaka’s experience within the gruelling division will even come in useful, however to outlive within the Premier League, and in the end thrive, you want a reliable ‘keeper that may bail you out recurrently, with Leicester Metropolis, Ipswich City and Southampton discovering that out the onerous manner final marketing campaign when delivery a sorry 248 targets as they have been all relegated.
In Roefs, Sunderland have hit instantaneous gold in between the sticks, with the ex-Eredivisie stopper a agency fan’s favorite already, with that tag solely strengthening if he can preserve his insane efficiency ranges up.
