Flexibility is vital to Cats’ success

SIMON Grayson insists Sunderland must be tactically flexible and adopt a horses-forcourses approach to combat different opponents in the Championship, writes JAMES HUNTER.

The Black Cats boss has already proved that he is not rigidly committed to one approach, employing a series of different formations in Sunderland’s opening seven games – preferring a flat back four in some matches and three centre-backs combined with wing-backs in others, along with multiple midfield set-ups, and switching between a lone out-and-out striker or playing a front two.

And he believes that the best way is the way that works on the day, with Sunderland coming up against sides that each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

“I’ve never been one to play one system because it’s not how I work and ultimately I always put groups together so I can go game by game. I don’t go for one philosophy or a way of playing because at Championship level it’s just about winning games and playing different ways. We’ll have different systems we’ll play throughout the next few months for definite.”

Sunderland’s shape-shifting has also been influenced by the personnel available, with injuries, new signings, and players departing, having changed the make-up of the squad during August and into September.

Injuries are an unavoidable part of football, but Grayson

(below) has spoken of his desire to see the transfer window close before the season kicks off.

That would avoid the kind of uncertainty that Sunderland experienced before Wahbi Khazri and Jeremain Lens eventually departed, and would ensure that new signings are in place ahead of the opening day.

Premier League clubs agreed last week that, as of next summer, the window would close before the campaign got under way – and Grayson hopes the Football League follows suit when the issue is discussed at a meeting later this month.