The Rise and Rise of the Black Cats: Sunderland to Become the Top Dogs in North-East: Newcastle & Middlesbrough be Warned
The 2008/09 Season is literally two weekends away and already excitement is growing up and down the country as the anticipation for another Premier League campaign kicks in. Once again, big money signings have arrived, new managers installed and new teams are about to experience what competing in the best League in the world is all about.
Here’s part three of our preview to what is exciting us in the run up to the 2008/09 campaign:
The Rise and Rise of the Black Cats
The 2007/08 campaign was a disappointing one for North-East clubs Newcastle and Middlesbrough as they both flirted with relegation prior to mid-table finishes. However, it was the side that finished lowest of the North-East clubs that arguably had the best season. That team was Roy Keane’s Sunderland.
In his first season in charge the Irishman led the Black Cats to the Championship title and built on that great success by leading the club to a more than respectable 15th in the Premier League in the last campaign. Last summer Keane had to raid the Championship for players to join the club as it was widely expected that Sunderland would indeed struggle to make the step up in class. The likes of Michael Chopra, Kenwyne Jones and Andy Reid came in to help the club remain in the top flight which was achieved. However, this summer the club have shown that they are now a Premier League force to be reckoned with as they finally can attract experienced higher level players to the Stadium of Light.
The signings of Teemu Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and El-Hadji Diouf will reinforce the Black Cats squad and add a touch of class to a team with arguably the strongest work ethic in the Premier League. I expect a few more signings before the season starts with a new centre-half and a striker needed as Jonny Evans has now returned to Old Trafford after his loan spell and Kenwyne Jones is expected to miss most of the season due to a serious knee injury. However, now Keane has finally been able to attract some high profile talent to the club, I would expect those new arrivals to join with Louis Saha strongly linked to the Stadium of Light. After years of watching the likes of Newcastle and Boro signing big name players, it’s now the Black Cats who are showing the most ambition in the North-East.
I expect Sunderland to be a lot stronger this season after gaining confidence that they can mix it with the big boys after survival was achieved last season. Therefore Premier 10 and Footy 15 players should not write them off as Premier League whipping boys, particularly on their travels where they struggled last season.
Only rock bottom Derby lost more away games than the Black Cats 14 defeats last season so this is a statistic they will need to address of they are not to struggle as they cannot rely on their home form to keep getting them out of trouble. Goal scoring was a major trouble away from home but with the added class arriving I’d expect Keane’s team to win more than the 2 games they managed last season. Their meagre total of 13 goals on their travels meant that only the hopeless Rams scored less. However, I expect the signings of Tainio and Chimbonda to enforce the defensive area of the team and thus the need for goals shouldn’t be as great as they won’t find themselves chasing matches as much.
The excitement on Wearside with the season almost upon us could be a key factor as the Black Cats are fast emerging as the most ambitious club in the North-East.
Read Part One: The New Look Attack-Minded Chelsea
Read Part Two: Liverpool’s Deadly Striking Duo
Tags: footy 15, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Premier 10, Premier League, Sunderland
August 5th, 2008 at 16:38
if you were going to join a club in the north east, sunderland are looking more and more likely a miore attractive destination as time goes on. Can’t see Keegan lasting much past November….