James Copley: Sunderland’s 8/10 bright spark may have altered transfer future after Stoke City performance

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The Sunderland attacker may just have altered his transfer future against Stoke City but some questions still remain...

Adil Aouchiche’s career trajectory has taken some bizarre turns since he arrived at Sunderland but the attacking midfielder may have just earned himself a lifeline...

The Frenchman signed a five-year deal at the Academy of Light in September of last year under Tony Mowbray and came highly rated from Lorient, where he was allowed to leave by future Black Cats head coach Régis Le Bris.

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Now, we all know the story of last season in which Aouchiche became an unfortunate victim of Sunderland’s chaotic 2023-24 campaign. Mowbray was, of course, sacked and replaced by Mike Dodds for a couple of games before the disastrous reign of Micheal Beale. Dodds then retook charge until the end of the season after Beale’s dismissal.

Aouchiche made nine substitute appearances during Sunderland’s early season until making his first start against Huddersfield Town. Two more consecutive starts followed versus Millwall and West Brom, making it the player’s second-longest run in the Black Cats’ first-team from the opening whistle at just three games.

The 22-year-old would then drop in and out of Sunderland’s first team with a mixture of starts and substitute appearances without managing to get any momentum going. The tricky attacker fell out of favour under Beale, perhaps unfairly, after being subbed on against Ipswich Town away from home and making a mistake which cost his team a goal. After that, he was limited to just two minutes of football until the head coach’s eventual sacking following a somewhat ironic loss to Mowbray’s Birmingham City.

Under Dodds, Aouchiche was handed a four-game starting run towards the back end of Sunderland’s season and produced a good display away to Cardiff City as the Black Cats won 2-0, with the Frenchman managing to score a penalty and assist another goal on the day. But, after that four-game block, Aouhciche wasn't trusted against the big-hitters Leeds United and West Brom but was given the nod for the Black Cats’ final two league games of the campaign. All told, the player ended the season with 28 appearances in the Championship with two goals and two assists, having shown flashes of talent but never really earning the trust of his bosses throughout a topsy-turvy season.

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Régis Le Bris’ impact on Aouchiche’s first-team prospects

And then came the summer and the arrival of Le Bris. Who, to be frank, didn’t seem to fancy the player at all, Aouchiche earned 12 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday on the second matchday of the campaign but then wasn’t seen again until Sheffield United away in November, where he made a late substitute appearance. 15 league games went by without Aouchiche being handed a single minute. During that spell, he only made the bench five times.

It looked like Aouchiche would be heading towards the exit door come January, with Le Bris strongly suggesting his fellow countryman could leave during the winter window. Still, football is unpredictable, and injuries begin to pile up. Attackers Romaine Mundle and Tommy Watson were both ruled out in quick succession. Ian Poveda’s availability continues to be an issue, and Patrick Roberts has needed to be rested during some games. Chris Rigg and Alan Browne are also currently absent, which has afforded Aouchiche a way back into the fold.

Le Bris gave the attacker three substitute appearances off the bench against Bristol City, Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers before giving him the nod to start against Stoke City in the Championship last Sunday, which has to be seen as a huge step forward in the relationship between player and head coach. He did well during the game and was Sunderland’s most promising attacking outlet. The Echo rated Aouchiche, who started on the left wing, as Le Bris’ best player on the day alongside Anthony Patterson with an 8/10 score.

The stats behind Adil Aouchiche's display against Stoke City

Aouchiche took up some great positions in the first half and looked to regularly make runs into the box and perhaps a tad unfortunate not to be found by Eliezer Mayenda for a goalscoring opportunity. The Frenchman also combined well with Wilson Isidor, who played in Milan Aleksic for Sunderland’s first shot on target of the afternoon.

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Though questions remain about Aouchiche’s capacity and desire for the defensive side of his game, the wingershowed several flashes of class against Stoke City and was unlucky not to find himself on the scoresheet but came up against one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship in Viktor Johansson. Aouchiche also put several decent balls into the box through set pieces, one of which could have resulted in a goal from a corner if Chris Mepham had not been cynically pulled back by Wouter Burger. He also put the ball on a plate only for Mayenda to head wide when it was easier to socre.

There’s no doubt that Aouchiche was Sunderland’s brightest attacking player. He created four chances during the game and two big chances that the Black Cats failed to convert. Aouchiche also had three shots on target during the clash, with another three off-target or blocked. It was encouraging, though he will undoubtedly have to improve his awareness with his teammates often in better positions. He will also have to improve his passing accuracy and defensive nous, having completed just four out of his 18 crosses and one out of three long balls while also being dribbled past twice in the game, though he did make six recoveries.

Football is a funny game. Aouchiche’s departure in January, which at one point in the season looked nailed onto happen, is not so certain anymore given Sunderland’s injury record and the player’s hard work to get back into the fold under, it is fair to say, a rather sceptical Le Bris. After his display against Stoke City, Aouchiche has certainly given his head coach something to think about and may have altered his future in the short term this January, though it is hard to see where he plays when Sunderland’s injured attackers return.

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