THE transfer window is finally shut now, bringing to an end for another four or five months all the gossip and speculation we’ve had for weeks and weeks now.
Personally, I was hoping we could get more signings in on deadline day than we did.
But in the end we had to settle for only Danny Graham following in Alfred N’Diaye and Kader Mangane as our January acquisitions.
With a centre-half, central-midfielder and centre-forward signed up, it’s clear Martin O’Neill felt we needed beefing up down the spine of the team.
All three have height and physical power that we’ve previous lacked and in my view they’re useful players to have in.
I think most of our fans would agree that at times this season, we’ve appeared light-weight, especially in the centre of the park, and these three players can help Sunderland address that problem.
Of course Danny Graham has been the signing that has captured the media’s attention, but as always it is performances and results which will determine how a player is judged; not their roots.
And if Danny Graham bangs in the goals for Sunderland, the fans will quickly take him to their hearts. No question about that.
Alfred N’Diaye seems to have nailed down a place in the team from the off and it remains to be seen when Martin O’Neill integrates Mangane into his starting 11.
But as we enter the final third of the season, injuries and suspensions will start to kick in and hopefully when he and the other pair get their chances, they will all make the favourable impression we want them to.
I’m happy with the three and I do think that they have improved the squad’s first-team resources.
I would though, have liked to see one or two more issues addressed.
I think we still need a bit more pace in the team.
That’s an area that teams often seem to have an advantage over us in Premier League games.
And I would have liked to see the signing of a right-back because you wonder how long the current situation is going to go on of Phil Bardsley looking to find his best form after spending so long on the sidelines, while a central midfielder deputises there.
You can’t solve everything in one transfer window though and I’m sure that these and other things will be looked at afresh in the summer.
READ the full Gary Rowell column in Tuesday’s Echo
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