Sunderland’s new manager Michael Beale will bring a fresh philosophy to the club that could see him dip into the transfer window and mould the squad how he likes.
The appointment of Michael Beale has left many supporters feeling frustrated.
Sunderland were linked with a whole host of exciting, young managers, including Will Still and Kim Hellberg, but Beale was deemed the right person to take the club forward by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
This appointment comes after he had an underwhelming ten-month stint at Rangers, which saw him relieved of his duties in October following three defeats from their opening seven matches this term.
Although his stock has fallen in the last 12 months after doing a fine job at QPR, he’s been presented with a fantastic opportunity to get his career back on track.
Beale will want to instantly stamp his philosophy and use the transfer window as an opportunity to bolster his squad and mould it how he likes.
Across his managerial career, the Englishman has predominantly used an attacking 4-3-3 formation that isn’t too dissimilar to the system Tony Mowbray deployed.
With that in mind, here’s how Beale’s Sunderland XI could look after the January transfer window shuts…
Michael Beale’s dream Sunderland XI
In goal, Anthony Patterson will undoubtedly keep his spot in the starting XI and Beale will be impressed with the maturity he’s shown in between the sticks this term.
The new Black Cats boss has a selection dilemma at right-back. Trai Hume has been brilliant, Niall Huggins has become a first-team regular and the talented Timothee Pembele has recently returned from an injury.
Out of the three, Pembele is the most attacking and his pace, power and athleticism are what he needs in that position.
At centre-back, Beale could look to find a new partner for Dan Ballard and reignite his interest in Leeds United centre-back Charlie Cresswell on loan after wanting him at Rangers.
Once Dennis Cirkin returns from injury, he could start at left-back. He wants his full-backs bombing forward and the 21-year-old showed his attacking threat with five goals last term.
In the centre of the park, Beale could bring in Tim Iroegbunam on loan from Aston Villa to challenge Pierre Ekwah.
He spent last season on loan at QPR and impressed at the heart of their midfield across 32 matches.
Ahead of him, Jobe Bellingham is likely to partner Dan Neil as the two advanced midfielders.
On the right flank, Patrick Roberts will hope to find his scoring touch under Beale after failing to find the back of the net this season.
Meanwhile, the left side needs no introduction with Jack Clarke looking to continue his exceptional scoring form under his new manager.
Although Sunderland have been linked with Sevilla’s Musa Drammeh, they should instead go for Wimbledon’s Ali Al-Hamadi, who has scored 13 goals in 23 matches this term
Sunderland’s dream XI: Patterson, Pembele, Ballard, Cresswell, Cirkin; Iroegbunam, Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Clarke, Al-Hamadi