Assessing Sunderland's likely first January transfer window priorities as planning steps up

We've barely made it to November, and here you are having to sit through your first column about the January transfer window.

Give us a break, man. I know, I hear you.

But I've already heard my first terrible version of 'Silent Night' in the shops, and besides, doesn't a heavy defeat like the one on Saturday always bring the chance to strengthen into focus?

Lee Johnson told The Echo last month that planning was under way for the window, and that meetings were in the diary to focus on key areas.

The reality is that right now, much of the work will be about being prepared for just about every eventuality in every position.

Although the window is not really so far away in terms of time, Sunderland will play a minimum of 13 games before the window shuts.

How the squad copes with that punishing schedule will have a major say in what business the recruitment team does.

Take up front, for example.

If Nathan Broadhead makes a successful return from his hamstring injury in the coming weeks as hoped, and shows the kind of form that so excited in those wins over Wigan Athletic and Cheltenham Town, then the Black Cats may feel they have what they need to navigate the second half of the season.

If not, or should Ross Stewart suffer an injury, then it would clearly become an immediate priority.

So a big part of the work for Stuart Harvey and his recruitment team, both up until this point and over the next six weeks, is to ensure that there's no developments which leave the club scrambling.

Already, though, it feels as if there are one or two positions where in recent weeks Johnson's options have been a little more sparse than ideal.

And given the way the season is shaping up, you wonder if the club may have to entertain the possibility of running a squad that is one or two players bigger than they may have initially wanted.

Johnson's preference is to work with a smaller group of players, heavy on tactical flexibility and supplemented by one or two talented youngsters.

It's an approach that makes sense, allowing him to keep every player motivated and to feel as if they are always within a chance of getting in the side.

The club's cup success, when heavily rotated sides have slotted seamlessly into the philosophy, suggests the approach has worked.

Those extra fixtures, though, will pose a conundrum.

Few would have anticipated a run to the Carabao Cup quarter final, while progression in the Papa John's Trophy is already secured and it is not inconceivable that the FA Cup campaign could run into the new year, too.

So far, the cup games have not taken their toll on the squad too greatly.

The Papa John's games have been played almost exclusively by U23 players, while the Carabao fixtures have often given game time to players in need of it.

They have not, at this stage, been a hindrance to the club's ultimate priority of gaining promotion in the league.

What will be something of a worry is that it will mean three-game weeks remain a regularity in the second stretch of the campaign, particularly as the Black Cats have had to sit out the international breaks (on this occasion, it should be noted that it was Lincoln City's request to postpone the upcoming game).

Johnson is eager to ensure when those weeks come around, he can rotate as he needs to.

The games he fears are the ones like Charlton Athletic, when he had been unable to make significant changes off the back of two challenging away games.

In that defeat he felt there was a 'zip' missing to Sunderland's game.

It showed how quickly a squad can look a little threadbare, particularly when you consider that Aiden O'Brien, who has been a semi-regular of late, only stayed at the club due to a paperwork error that prevented a late loan to Doncaster Rovers.

Cup exits between now and January might change the picture, but as it stands Sunderland will have to prepare for the possibility of deepening their squad.

At the moment, that group has looked a little light both at full back and central midfield.

Signing a specialist right back would at this stage look to be a way of dealing with both issues in one move.

It would free up Carl Winchester, who has been nothing short of superb this season, to also compete for a place in midfield and would go someway to easing his significant burden at the moment.

It would also give Niall Huggins and Denver Hume some breathing space in their recovery from injury, and mean that there is the option to rest Dennis Cirkin when required once they are back.

Johnson's options would automatically begin to look stronger, and he may even decide to look at adding a further central midfielder.

That may depend on how Corry Evans progresses in the coming weeks. Sunderland feel his injury issues to date have mainly been a consequence of his disrupted pre-season, and that he will be able to put a run of games together over an extended period when fully fit.

It's an area of the pitch you expect them to monitor, though, given the heavy workloads for Luke O'Nien and Dan Neil since the summer.

In the forward areas, Johnson has strong options when everyone is fit, though in the last week or two injuries have meant he hasn't always found it easy to get the right blend.

Though they won't do so if there's any prospect of limited gametime, recalling Jack Diamond from Harrogate Town is one option to consider.

Fitness, and how Leon Dajaku continues to settle, will likely determine that call.

Much for Kristjaan Speakman and Johnson to ponder in the weeks ahead.

A message from the Football Clubs Editor

Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Sunderland AFC coverage 365 days a year.

This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here.

Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor