<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4DvEbf_0vB6W5cQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4DvEbf_0vB6W5cQ00" width="820" height="1093" ></figure>Based on the evidence of what we had seen in the first two league games of this season, the majority of fans including myself had a pretty fair assessment that Sunderland under Regis le Bris had far more to offer this season - particularly as an attacking threat. We were looking forward to the Burnley game as a true test of our team, albeit not with completely overwhelming confidence.That is up until late on Thursday when the first whispers started to emerge that Jack Clarke was on his way to Ipswich. Cue, a wave of discontent and pessimism the latter of which is very understandable. After all, this is someone who has been a key player, particularly in our two years in the Championship.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=11YSVl_0vB6W5cQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=11YSVl_0vB6W5cQ00" width="1920" height="1344" >But when you consider that the Stadium of Light fans pretty much said farewell to Jack in the final home game of the season just a few months ago, it was pretty much a surprise that he was still here to take part in our first two games of this campaign.If he had been sold in the last January transfer window - which was a real possibility - we would have badly missed him and when you consider how the second half of last season went, he would have been a disastrous loss. Sunderland’s attacking threat in the first five months of 2024 was pretty much Jack Clarke and not a lot else.Yet this is a Sunderland team that are a different proposition this season. Saturday saw us take on what was considered to be one of our biggest tests against Burnley and not only did we win and come through it but we came through it well. The factors that had served us well in our first two games were on display again, and these are the reasons why Sunderland were never going to be just a one-dimensional Clarke-inspired team this season.Patrick Roberts looks rejuvenated this year and back to a player that Tony Mowbray completely adored in 2022-23 yet just couldn’t get going last season. It has been pointed out many times that for all his wizardry in a red and white shirt in his first two and a half years on Wearside he had a meagre return for goals and assists. This season he has got off to a flyer and has three assists already. His all-round play has brought back a threat from the right flank which just wasn't there last season.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0gIg23_0vB6W5cQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0gIg23_0vB6W5cQ00" width="1920" height="1390" >Eliezer Mayenda is offering something we didn’t really have at all last season and that is a striker who is at the very least trying to hold the ball up and get into scoring positions. That in itself is giving our opponents something more to think about.Criticised after our opening game of the season, my own thought was he was making the runs to put himself in the right places and at some point he would settle down and sort his feet out - I didn’t expect him to manage it so quickly and spectacularly just a week later against Sheffield Wednesday.If he gets a run in the first team he will surely beat the sum total of three goals from all our strikers last season. In addition we have the incoming Wilson Isodor and possibly another striker to come. In the striker’s department in my opinion I think Mayenda at least will offer more than we had in the last campaign and his all round play will improve with game time, in addition to hopefully an upgrade in performance brought in from our new signings.The returned Dennis Cirkin has also started the season on a mission and hopefully will not have a reoccurrence of the long term issues he had last year. His play down the left has brought a lot more balance to the team and superb back up for whoever plays in the left wing berth.Finally, the elements Regis le Bris has worked on the training ground is paying off, with a well-drilled high press and our set piece routines paying dividends already. I’ll say it again, imagine what he could do if he brought his own staff in.These were all elements that were missing from our play last season and especially at home, when there was a lot of head-scratching on the pitch on how to break down an opponent. A lot of matches followed the pattern of an enthusiastic start, followed by a drain of ideas and confidence with the ball passed from one side of the pitch to the other, until eventually our (quite often mediocre) opponents realised we were there for the taking.This season our team look like they have options, believe they can win and are a lot more confident for it.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1WMxk9_0vB6W5cQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1WMxk9_0vB6W5cQ00" width="1920" height="1280" >Romaine Mundle looked like a man who wanted to make a statement of intent yesterday and he has a difficult act to follow. He is raw and nobody should expect him to be another Jack Clarke, but so was Clarke when he came in. We will miss Jack Clarke, but last season we missed a firing Patrick Roberts, a fit Dennis Cirkin, a striker that did anything and an effective game plan - we have all of them in the first weeks of the season. If Mundle can make a contribution to the team going forward along with the improvements we have seen from the rest of our attacking play then we should be able to overcome the loss of our talisman.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Sunderland will miss Jack Clarke — but not as much as we would have last season

Based on the evidence of what we had seen in the first two league games of this season, the majority of fans including myself had a pretty fair assessment that Sunderland under Regis le Bris had far more to offer this season - particularly as an attacking threat. We were looking forward to the Burnley game as a true test of our team, albeit not with completely overwhelming confidence.

Sunderland will miss Jack Clarke — but not as much as we would have last season

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