Wilson Isidor is an unusually negative talking point after Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with Preston on Tuesday night. He’s so often lauded by fans.
Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw against Preston on Tuesday night in what was another frustrating home game against weaker opponents: one for Regis Le Bris’ growing collection in 2025.
The first half was goalless before Emil Riis then fired Preston into the lead. It took a Romaine Mundle beauty to secure a point in the race for promotion, but said race is becoming more and more difficult for the Black Cats.
Burnley remain in 3rd place compared to Sunderland in 4th place of the table, though there’s a six point gap between the two. Whilst there’s still a 13 point buffer between Sunderland and Coventry City in 6th, there’s growing fears that Sunderland might be set for play-off heartbreak.
They need the players to sand up and be counted, and perhaps none more so than top scorer Wilson Isidor.
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Gary Bennett rues Wilson Isidor performance for Sunderland vs Preston
Isidor was the man on many Sunderland fans’ lips after the draw against Preston. Isidor missed a sitter in the first half which could’ve proved to be the winning goal on the night, heading wide from six yards despite being unchallenged inside the box.
The 24-year-old stared alongside Eliezer Mayenda in the Sunderland XI. In the two games before, Le Bris rested Isidor and Mayenda had fired Sunderland to back-to-back wins. Speaking on Total Sport after the game, Gary Bennett sung his praises of Mayenda, but not so much of Isidor.
A former Sunderland striker himself, Bennett said: “I think it can work. But again, you look at the two of them as strikers and you start questioning… You look at Mayenda, the shift that he put in. I thought he worked hard. I think at times he caused them problems, and then you look at Wilson Isidor, and I just thought that he struggled to get into the game.
“It’s as though you’ve got to create the opportunities. Basically, you’ve got to put it on the spot for him to finish. It’s not as though he’s going to work down the channels or work the opportunity for him to score. Whereas Mayenda, he looked bright at times. At least he caused one or two problems.”
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Marco Gabbiadini’s words of wisdom for Wilson Isidor at Sunderland
Before the Preston game Marco Gabbiadini spoke about Mayenda and Isidor and something he said then seems very relevant for Isidor now, after that missed chance against Preston.
He said: “It’s difficult, sometimes the spotlight is intense, you can watch a chance back in the stadium now… I scored loads but missed lots too and you have to get on with that. The sign of a good striker is the ones who are looking for more chances rather than hiding from it if they do miss.”
Whilst Isidor may get over that missed opportunity, he wasn’t exactly helping himself against Preston, like Bennett suggests.
Isidor doesn’t work the channels like Mayenda does, despite being a physically strong and quick player as well, and maybe that’s another something that Isidor needs to add to his game.
He can certainly finish with his feet which is one part of being a modern day striker. He just needs to work on other aspects, then Sunderland might have a real gem on their hands.