Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland and Narcis Pelach’s Stoke City have more than a penchant for red and white shirts in common.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash between the Championship promotion chasers and struggling Stoke at the Stadium of Light, the Potters boss highlighted a transfer market tactic that both clubs appear to have bought into.
Sunderland, in their 1-0 win over Burnley, sent out the joint-youngest second-tier line-up this season with an average age of just 22.7.
Stoke, when defeating Plymouth Argyle back in August with exactly the same average, join Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats as the division’s most inexperienced outfit.
Narcis Pelach’s seven-goal top scorer Tom Cannon – Sunderland wanted the Leicester City loanee before his summer switch to Staffordshire – is still only 21.
Andrew Moran, Million Manhoef, Lewis Koumas, Ashley Phillips, Bae Jun-Ho and Junior Tchamadeu, six regular starters in Stoke colours, are all aged 22 and under.
So, as Pelach prepares his team for the challenge of Jobe Bellingham, Dan Neil and Chris Rigg on Wearside, the former Huddersfield Town coach is keen to point out that, while their league positions may be very different, their approach when it comes recruitment and talent development is pretty similar.
Stoke boss Narcis Pelach highlights Sunderland similarities and defends winless run
“[Sunderland and Stoke] are the two youngest sides in the Championship, which is a very interesting thing,” Pelach muses, speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“I think we will see a lot of energy from both sides because this is what young players give, first of all. I think, for the fans, it will be an exciting game. There are offensive players on both sides who want to attack.”
Surprisingly, given that there are nine places and 12 points between the two teams in the table, Sunderland are in the midst of a longer unbeaten run than Stoke’s at present.
Pelach’s team have drawn three and lost one of their last four games. Sunderland, meanwhile, recorded five straight draws before slipping up at Sheffield United on Friday last week.
But, while Stoke may be a little more confident of claiming a shock win than they might have been earlier in the campaign, Pelach insists that any criticism towards Le Bris must be delivered in context of their recent successes.
“[Sunderland] have been exceptional this season,” Pelach argues. “They have done very, very, very well. They have shared time together because, last season, lots of them were playing together already.
“The standard they have had is unbelievable. Now, they are having a little bit of a down in comparison to the first games of the season but they are still doing very well with lots of talent.
“It’s an exciting team, an exciting game in the Championship; Sunderland versus Stoke City at the Stadium of Light. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Regis Le Bris wants more goals despite Romain Mundle absence
Sunderland will be without star defender Chris Mepham following his contentious red card against Sheffield United. Le Bris confirms that Dennis Cirkin is available, however, the left-back returning following surgery.
Stoke’s visit to the North East will come far too soon for Romain Mundle, however.
And Le Bris feels the rest of Sunderland’s team must step up and contribute in the final third during Mundle’s absence, demanding more goals from not only the strikers but also the wingers and the midfielders too.
“Players like Romaine are able to score with small chances, so he is important,” Le Bris said on Thursday. “But he is not available and we have to deal with that.
“We won’t wait for him [to return]. We have many elements to develop in the team. The only focus we should have is creating and converting more chances. We have the potential and the players in the team to do it.
“The final [third] is the most difficult area,” the Frenchman adds. “The goal is not big. It’s not only the two wingers though, or the striker [who we need to score goals]. It could be the two [number] eights or [through] our set pieces.
“We have many options to score. We talk about our striker a lot, but we have scored 27 goals and it is not just the striker or winger. Its a question of responsibility and taking risks.”