The 2023/24 season can’t finish soon enough for Sunderland, whose campaign is widely regarded as a poor one.
Sunderland are limping across the finish line this season.
Under interim boss Mike Dodds, the Black Cats have won just two of their last 14 games in the Championship, losing their last two games by 1-0 scorelines.
Defeat at Watford last time out summed up a lot of the issues and feelings towards this season.
The campaign started steadily under Tony Mowbray, but his sacking and the hiring of Michael Beale, combined with some poor transfer planning from sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has made this season one to forget.
There’s hope for the summer ahead, though.
Sunderland are set to hire a new manager and Speakman will surely make some adjustments to the transfer philosophy following the struggles of this season.
But the campaign won’t be easily forgotten, with Sunderland tipped to have done much better this time round.
Where Sunderland were predicted to finish in the 2023/24 Championship season
Sunderland secured a dramatic 6th place finish last time round, later crashing out of the play-offs at the hands of eventual winners Luton Town.
They largely overachieved last time round, but that didn’t stop most pundits and football neutrals, and many Sunderland fans, expecting even more this time round.
And the Opta Analyst Championship supercomputer was also among the culprits, predicting a 5th place finish for the Black Cats this season.
As things stand, the Black Cats sit in 15th place of the Championship table.
They can finish as high as 13th this season or even as low as 18th depending on other results and a huge swing on goal difference.
And with Sheffield Wednesday vising the Stadium of Light this weekend, needing a point to confirm their Championship status, taking even anything at all on the final day will be difficult for the Black Cats.
Interestingly, the supercomputer predicted Sunderland to finish above both Leeds United and Southampton, whilst 2nd place Ipswich Town were predicted to finish in 18th.
Two key pitfalls for the Black Cats this season
Sunderland’s downfall this season could be attributed to a host of reasons and factors.
But it seems like, generally speaking, the season’s struggles can be attributed to two main things; sacking Mowbray, and not signing a proven striker.
The Black Cats have looked good in spells this season, even at times under Dodds, though they’ve constantly paid for a lack of a prolific goal scorer.
Whilst finding one is easier said than done, Sunderland and Speakman have had enough transfer windows now to do so, failing with signings like Nazariy Rusyn and Luis Hemir.
And Mowbray; whilst he may not have been the long-term answer for the Sunderland owners, they really should’ve timed his exit better and had a better replacement in mind than Beale.
Still, Sunderland are finishing fairly comfortably in the Championship and are still a team with great facilities and some top young players, so there’s still huge potential on Wearside.