Sunderland made a big mistake not signing a playmaker this summer

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sunderland signed seven players in the summer transfer window, but Jack Ross has failed to address an issue that plagued his side often last season.

What’s the word?

Every Black Cats fan must be sick of the sight of two 1’s with a little hyphen in between them.

The club drew 19 of their 46 league matches in 2018/19, and a quite ridiculous 15 of those were 1-1 draws.

Ross’ side constantly found the net in games, and rarely conceded multiple goals, but they never created enough chances to put the match to bed and leave their opponents in the dust.

Given that the likes of Charlie Wyke and Will Grigg both have proven records in the third-tier, and the fact Marc McNulty has impressed fans early on this campaign, the problem is clearly rooted behind the front men.

George Honeyman was the popular pick at the number ten role last season, but assisted just twice in 28 games from the position. Good thing they sold him and replaced him then, right?

Wrong.

On the chalkboard

The club did get rid of their former skipper, but not one of the seven new signings this summer is an attacking midfielder.

Ross has added one goalkeeper, four defenders, one defensive midfielder and a striker, and of the attacking players already in the squad, not one of them is an out-and-out playmaker.

Aiden McGeady for example, arguably the side’s star man, has only played attacking midfield 12 times in his career, and hasn’t mustered a single assist from the position.

The same can be said for Chris Maguire, who has no assists in 11 appearances as a number ten, and Lynden Gooch, who has managed just six assists in 35 showings from the role.

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Ross has plenty of players capable of scoring goals – Grigg has made a career out of bagging in League One, while Maguire already has four to his name this campaign.

However, the lack of a genuine playmaker harmed the Black Cats last year, and whether it is the gaffer behind the decision not to address that this summer or the men upstairs, it is likely to be a huge mistake.

1-1. Get used to that sight Sunderland fans. It has already happened twice in this very young season, and it’s going to happen an awful lot more thanks to this blatant oversight in the transfer market.

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