New signings will have a big role to play
I, like many others probably, was quite surprised that Phil Parkinson decided to stick with the same team when Ipswich Town rolled into town on Saturday following our below par performance at Portsmouth.
A momentous game that Sunderland really couldn’t afford to lose.
If we had, we could almost definitely have kissed our promotion hopes goodbye.
Though - and what is now a reccurring theme - Parkinson’s choice paid off and I was left pleasantly surprised by the energetic, high-tempo performance the Lads put on in the second half.
Skip forward to Tuesday, and again I was indeed surprised that he had once again stuck with the same team.
People like to bang on about ‘keeping a winning side’, though that’s something you’re more likely to hear in a Sunday league dressing room rather than in today’s modern professional football but it’s certainly something that Parkinson has belief in and again it paid dividends.
I think the hidden agenda I have towards tweaking the team is because I’m excited to see what the new players have to offer.
I’m also curious by a few changes that have been made. A common theme is Denver Hume being hooked and Lynden Gooch being pulled into a wingback position, but why?
Declan John, a Welsh international and former Premier League player hasn’t made the squad yet, so is it a case of bedding them in before chucking them out there, I wonder.
I’m eager to see what he brings and if it’s different to what we have.
Another is Josh Scowen, who made over 20 appearances for a team in the league above before being snapped up on a permanent deal and bar a last minute appearance at Tranmere, we’re yet to see him at all.
There are plenty of points left to play for and I’m sure our January additions will make their impact sooner rather than later, though right now, Parkinson keeps getting it right, and full credit to him for doing so.