It has been an up and down ten years for Sunderland. Two relegations, a promotion and now are challenging at the top of the Championship. Let’s take a look at the lineup 10 years ago.
The difference between today and the Black Cats ten years ago is quite staggering with so many changes in that time.
Nowadays Tony Mowbray is guiding his side towards the Championship Play-Offs with a team boasting plenty of youth.
Money is being spent in different ways to maximise the value. Young players are being focused on, signed on the cheap and sold on.
Here’s a look at the Sunderland of ten years ago.
Swansea City 4-0 Sunderland- 19 October 2013
Once a Premier League fixture, these two sides are now in the Championship. The Black Cats are better than their Welsh counterparts right now, but at the time they definitely were not.
The match finished 4-0 at the Liberty Stadium with two own goals, supplemented by Wilfred Bony and Johnathan De Guzman goals.
With that being said, how did the Sunderland team look?
Kieren Westwood started in goal. More well-known for his lengthy spell with Sheffield Wednesday, the Irishman has always been a solid goalkeeper.
Ondřej Čelůstka, John O’Shea, Valentin Roberge and Phil Bardsley made up a back four. Looking at it now, there is no pace in this backline at all. There is no surprise this got caught out on four occasions.
The midfield has a nostalgic feel to it that is for sure. Lee Cattermole, Seb Larsson and Gary Gardner as a three is reminiscent of mid-2010s Sunderland.
Fabio Borini came off the bench in the second half, another man who is surrounded with nostalgia. His celebration alone is enough to think about, such a fun player.
Emanuele Giaccherini and Steven Fletcher were the front two on the day with a mix of arrogance, gile and Premier League experience.
XI: Westwood, Celustka, O’Shea, Roberge, Bardsley, Cattermole, Larssson, Gardner, Borini (61′), Giaccerini, Fletcher