Time for McGeouch to step forward and show what he’s really capable of
Abrief cameo but an encouraging one nevertheless. As is always the case in his Sunderland career, Dylan McGeouch popped up where his defence needed him to be in the closing moments at Bloomfield Road.
There were some good covering runs, some important headers, a clever pass into the channel to buy his team time.
Jack Ross will have been pleased to get McGeouch back into the action, particuarly given the first half yellow picked up by Lee Cattermole.
Ross will now be without Cattermole for three games, and likely George Honeyman for all of those too. They are crucial matches. League encounters against Charlton Athletic and Luton Town, as well as that Checkatrade Trophy clash against Newcastle United U21s.
Ross is short of bodies in midfield.
Ethan Robson is only just returning to training and while Bali Mumba will no doubt feature at some stage, it seems likely that McGeouch will be asked to step up.
It is a big opportunity to kickstart what has been a promising but ultimately stop-start time on Wearside so far.
The 25-year-old has divided opinion at times.
When he plays, there has been frustration that he has not been as influential in the final third as his talent promises.
Ross admitted as much before the win over Bristol Rovers, a game that McGeouch nearly dropped out of the squad for.
“I know him really well because of how often I watched him in Scotland and we’re still trying to encourage him to affect the game more going forward because he has the ability to do so,” Ross said.
“It’s just about the encouragement to get him to play forward as much as he can,” he added.
“I can’t criticise him because when he’s been asked to do a job in games he’s done fine. It’s just encouraging him to believe that he can he show his qualities every single game.”
There is no doubt that McGeouch has more to offer.
Yet his contribution to Sunderland’s best winning run of the season should not be underestimated.
Defensively the Black Cats have not always looked robust and when McGeouch has played, he has proved to be a very reliable source of protection to the central defenders.
What he lacks in height and power he more than makes up for in positioning and intelligence, regularly breaking up opposition attacks.
When absent, Sunderland have often looked like they are lacking some poise in possession.
it summed it up that at half time in that Bristol Rovers game he almost missed entirely, Ross nearly brought him on to try and bring some control to proceedings.
Especially at home, that willingness to recycle the ball and keep the side ticking will be important between now and the end of the season.
Ross has rarely raised eyebrows with his selections this season and at Blackpool, Lee Cattermole and Max Power were the obvious pair to help Sunderland compete despite playing two genuine strikers.
The Black Cats boss will now need to have a rethink and McGeouch will surely be top of the list.
Another option, of course, could be to drop Power deeper and move Luke O’Nien back into midfield.
In the bigger picture, McGeouch has everything required to be a crucial player for the Black Cats as they look to rise up through the divisions.
This could be the perfect chance to show it.