The complete, position-by-position review of Sunderland's transfer window and where it leaves them

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A transfer window that opened at the end of July and ended in the middle of October.

There were two deadline days, and Sunderland might not even be done yet.

It’s been that kind of summer, both on Wearside and across the country.

There was a positive late move for the Black Cats, with highly-rated youngster Dion Sanderson joining on loan from Wolves until the end of the season.

That made it six senior signings for Sunderland, in a window where manager Phil Parkinson tried to improve his squad in fairly demanding circumstances.

So have the Black Cats achieved it?

We run through it all, position by position, to try and make a judgement….

GOALKEEPERS

IN: Matthews

OUT: McLaughlin

That Sunderland have only conceded one goal in the league (and none from open play) so far this season raises hopes that the Black Cats will not miss Jon McLaughlin too keenly.

Lee Burge started the season with an error against Bristol Rovers but has steadied, even if he has been largely untested.

Remi Matthews has had a difficult time in his opening appearances, though Parkinson has said in mitigation that he needs time to adjust and get fully up to speed, just like any outfield player.

Undoubtedly, though, it’s a position in which Sunderland have lost one of their edges over fellow League One sides.

It’s partly an inevitable consequence of failure in the past two seasons, with McLaughlin earning a financially and professionally rewarding move.

It’s also, though, a consequence of the poor contract management that we have seen too much of in the last two years.

With some key players entering the last year of their deals, it’s a lesson that needs to be learned.

Verdict: Weaker

DEFENCE

IN: Feeney, Xhemajli, Sanderson

OUT: Baldwin, Lynch, Ozturk, John, Smith

Parkinson had perhaps sprung a small surprise with the retained list.

The departure of Jack Baldwin was expected, and while Joel Lynch and Alim Ozturk were not first-choice options for the Black Cats boss, to let both go left work to be done.

Bailey Wright’s arrival on a permanent deal was a huge boost, and the arrivals of Morgan Feeney and Arbenit Xhemajli made sense in a salary-cap era.

Injuries to both left a gap in urgent need of attention, and Sanderson looks a good addition.

He has versatility and athleticism, bringing some much-needed competition and depth.

The obvious concern is on the left, where Denver Hume remains the only natural left-footed option.

The inside story of Sunderland’s Dion Sanderson swoop

There are players who can offer cover, but none who are an obvious replacement and can easily replace Hume’s skillset.

It’s all the more concerning given that it was a position vacant right from the off, and one that has really been an issue to be solved for the last three windows.

It remains to be seen whether Sunderland pursue a free agent in the coming weeks.

With one, their options in this part of the pitch look strong.

Without it, there is a small but lingering concern about the balance of the group.

Verdict: One addition away from being considered stronger

CENTRAL MIDFIELD

IN: N/A

OUT: Robson

The sight of Lynden Gooch playing as the second central midfielder at The Valley underlined the fact that Parkinson’s search for his best combinations is ongoing.

Nevertheless, this is a position in which Sunderland seem stronger without making an addition.

That is mainly due to the excellent form of Grant Leadbitter, who has quickly made himself a vital part of Parkinson’s team this season.

Leadbitter is a natural anchor, with excellent positional sense and the ability to retain possession.

It’s allowing Parkinson to push Max Power and Josh Scowen further up the pitch in search of more chances and more goals.

The Black Cats boss has had midfield targets in mind through the summer months, but Leadbitter’s form, and the emergence of Dan Neil, has seen him opt against it.

Many supporters were disappointed not to see Ethan Robson be given an opportunity, and while Parkinson admires the energy George Dobson brings, he faces a fight to get back into the side as it stands.

Verdict: Stronger

ATTACKING MIDFIELD

IN: N/A

OUT: Watmore, Semenyo

The switch to a 3-5-2 system, in order to accommodate an extra striker, has seen Gooch drop in and out of the side so far this season.

As such, the reduction of options in this position does not feel like a huge gap to be filled.

The question of whether Sunderland have enough depth ultimately comes down to whether Elliot Embleton can make a full recovery from injury.

Special Feature: The inside story of Phil Parkinson’s first year on Wearside

He has suffered a torrid year, and though Parkinson rates him highly, a comeback remains some way off.

Neil is another option to emerge in this position, and both will at some stage have to step up and offer the craft in the final third that has sometimes been missing since Sunderland dropped into League One.

Verdict: Too early to tell

STRIKERS

IN: Graham, O’Brien

OUT: Lafferty

There is a sense of deja vu about this part of the pitch for Sunderland.

After the January window shut, there were hopes that the addition of Kyle Lafferty would offer a different option, but concern about a lack of variety and pace.

Sunderland’s hopes in that regard seemed to rest largely with Antoine Semenyo, whose impact transpired to be limited before the curtailment of the campaign.

Without Semenyo, that raw pace is lacking and Gooch is probably the only truly direct player in the forward line.

Aiden O’Brien has looked a threat in his appearances so far; capable of stretching the opposition defence and picking up good positions in the box.

Like Danny Graham, some excellent all-round play has just been missing the final touch.

With Will Grigg and Charlie Wyke struggling to find goalscoring form, that has led to some understandable concerns from supporters.

Parkinson has a huge amount of faith in O’Brien and Graham, regularly insisting his options are as good as you can expect at this level.

Turning that into a consistent end product is now the challenge.

Verdict: Stronger, with questions still to be answered

THE OVERALL VERDICT

This summer window would have been challenging enough, without the departure of two crucial figures in the recruitment process.

After two challenging years, particularly when it came to contract and transfer negotiations, the departures of Tony Coton and Richard Hill were largely seen as a positive step forward.

There has been some welcome forward-thinking in the aftermath, most notably in the more data-orientated approach that brought Xhemajli onto the radar.

It’s a department still underpowered though, and aside from the headlines of the additions brought in, it’s an issue to be closely monitored as the club try to work their way through the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

With that in mind, the additions made look to be an attempt to create a balance between established players capable of producing consistently in League One, and maintaining room for players who can create value in the side.

Parkinson is not far off having two options for every position, which could be key in this demanding schedule.

The key concern is over whether he has the variety and dynamism up front to turn a resilient, strong side into a top-two one.

With that in mind, it’s worth reflecting on the climate across the division more generally.

Only a handful of sides can be said to have invested heavily, given everything that has been going on.

Blackpool continue to be impressively backed by owner Simon Sadler, and the same applied at Bristol Rovers.

Peterborough United made some eye-catching additions, but made a stunning profit in selling Ivan Toney to Brentford.

By and large it was a modest window, and one that Parkinson believes has left him with enough to win promotion.

The pressure is now on to deliver, and turn a promising start into a very good one.

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