Making sense of a difficult fortnight and what’s next
Sunderland's exciting campaign has hit a major bump over the last week or so, with three defeats seeing Tony Mowbray's side drop back into mid-table.
So what's happened and most importantly, what lessons are there to learn both in the short and then also the longer term? Phil Smith takes a closer look in his Q&A.
What changes do you think Tony Mowbray will make for Norwich City?
As Mowbray has himself said, there aren't a huge number of changes he can make to the side and certainly not ones which will fundamentally change the way his team plays.
Having said that, I think the schedule and the current run of form has probably caught up with a few and so there is definitely a strong case for freshening in it up in some areas of the pitch.
In defence, it will depend on whether Mowbray feels either Lynden Gooch or Dennis Cirkin are fit enough to start.
In midfield, though it isn't ideal because Mowbray sees him as a defender in the long run, there's definitely a case for playing Luke O'Nien at the base of midfield - it's a position where Sunderland could probably do with some fresh legs.
The biggest question is probably whether Mowbray sticks with Joe Gelhardt, or moves Amad into the most advanced role.
That would in turn clear Alex Pritchard to move into his most familiar position, but it clearly leaves Sunderland lacking a player who thrives in the opposition box.
So while there are options available to Mowbray, and I'd expect him to make two or three changes for sure, he doesn't really have the scope to make sweeping alterations that address some of the key problems from recent weeks - at least in my opinion.
Are Sunderland any closer to contract breakthroughs amid all the talk of Premier League interest in some of the younger players?
Generally speaking, the Black Cats are pretty well pro
tected. Anthony Patterson, for example, is contracted until 2026.
Dan Neil has another two years after this one, so there is no major cause for concern.
However, Sunderland are very aware of the Premier league interest and the need for even greater protection, and there's also a desire to reward the superb progress made since promotion from the Championship.
Managing these situations is generally something that’s been done pretty well under the new regime, so it’s most definitely an active consideration between now and the summer.
Ross Stewart's situation clearly remains a key priority, as he will only have a year left at the end of this season.
Kristjaan Speakman said the situation would be revisited as the S cot begins his recovery. The two parties had been some distance apart for some time, but it's imperative Sunderland find a way to bridge the gap.
Which areas of the squad need strengthening as a priority in the summer?
Well, I think there are probably three main areas of focus to begin with.
Sunderland will begin the summer with one contracted striker, and hopefully by then Ross Stewart will be signed
to a new long-term deal and making good progress in his recovery.
Even so, Sunderland will need two more (or at least two more capable of playing through the middle) and it's crucial they make a permanent addition to prevent a repeat of the Ellis Simms situation-amoment of real bad luck for the club but a reminder of loan perils.
They absolutely need a holding midfielder, given that Corr yE vans is recovering from a major injury.
And they also need to make sure that they have sufficient fire power to cover for the likely loss of Am ad, who is in poor form at the moment but has won a clutch of points through his individual quality over the course of the season.
That position will of course be guided by Isaac Li hadji progress.
Will Sunderland regret letting Jay Matete go out on loan?
Jay has made a big impression at Plymouth but that was the point of loaning him out, to expose him to a high-pressure environment on a regular basis.
It reminds me a little bit of when Elliot Embleton went on loan to Blackpool. He could definitely have featured for Sunderland during the time he was away, but his prospects of being a regular in the long term were improved by that regular football and by having the pressure of being required to deliver day in, day out.
Matete would probably be pushing for a start in the current climate but I'd also add that he wouldn' t solve Sunderland's biggest issue in mid field, which is the lack of an experienced holding midfielder while Corry Evans is injured.
That's not Matete's preferred role any more than it is Dan Neil's. Matete would absolutely add physicality but his best attributes are driving forward in possession - Sunderland do have players who can do that in the squad.
What I think is fair is to say that it would be good to see more of Abdoullah Ba and Pierre Ekwah in the weeks ahead, particularly asEkwah' s imminent arrival was one of the key reasons Matete's departure was sanctioned in the first place.
How do you see the season panning out and where will Sunderland likely finish-are the play-offs done?
I think it's very difficult to see Sunderland maintaining the form of some of the sides around them with deeper and more experienced squads.
I don't expect Sunderland's poor form to continue despite the challenging run of games ahead, as there is still enough individual quality in the group to churn out some points between now and the season end.
I expect a mid/upper midtable finish, which would represent a very solid campaign tinged with a touch of disappointment - purely because of just good Sunderland look at times with Ross Stewart leading the line at the turn of the year.