Sunderland struggled to make a breakthrough against West Brom in midweek, leaving them to draw yet another game.
That’s five draws in a row now for Sunderland, and the early pace-setters are losing ground in the Championship title race.
It was a frustrating night for Regis Le Bris and his players, as their dominance on the ball and amount of chances created all came to nothing.
Clearly, the Sunderland squad needs to improve when it comes to creativity and composure in attacking areas, but one player could fix all of that.
Romaine Mundle’s creativity is key to Sunderland
Unfortunately, Romaine Mundle is the answer, but the young winger is out injured, and could be on the sidelines for some time.
Le Bris suggested Mundle’s recovery will take at least six to eight weeks, which means he will miss the crucial festive run-in and a chunk of the New Year schedule, too.
| Statistics | Romaine Mundle 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 16 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Passing accuracy | 75.1% |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 3.51 |
| Successful take-ons per 90 | 2.37 |
The 21-year-old had registered four goals and two assists this season before injury struck, and those numbers alone tell us just how influential Mundle was within this Sunderland team.
Away from the facts and figures, it is simply Mundle’s adventurousness, his desire to take people on and make things happen, plus the quality of his ball into the box, that make him such a dangerous and creative presence.
When you don’t have that out wide, the knock-on effect can be huge. Wilson Isidor, for example, now has to alter his game, dropping deeper to create chances for himself, when he could and should be in the box waiting for the ball.
- READ MORE: The ‘key’ thing Regis Le Bris is doing to combat biggest challenge facing Sunderland this season
Tommy Watson will have to fill that gap
The Sunderland squad is not exactly short on options to fill in on the left wing, but whether they are enough to compensate for the loss of a player like Mundle remains to be seen.
18-year-old Tom Watson has started the last two games in Mundle’s absence, and has shown signs of promise, with good footwork and that same eagerness to carry the ball into the box.
However, Sunderland fans have labelled Watson as ‘wasteful’ and criticised his decision-making in the final third.
Watson will have to learn from his mistakes, and quickly. It will all benefit him in the long-run, but Sunderland need that end product to be a lot better if they are to get through this spell without Mundle.