Sunderland lost 2-1 away at League Two Bradford City during a pre-season friendly on Tuesday.
Sunderland lost their second-to-last pre-season friendly on Tuesday evening, against Bradford City at Valley Parade.
The Black Cats lost the game 2-1 with Romaine Mundle on the score-sheet for Regis Le Bris‘ side, who play Marseille in their final summer friendly this weekend.
The defeat vs Bradford was a bit of an eye-opener; although Le Bris made several changes and gave some newer faces a run-out, the defeat highlighted the lack of depth and quality within the first-team squad.
And the defeat highlighted the poor performances of several individuals who received poor reviews.
Right-back Timothee Pembele was among those to receive a poor rating, with Nazariy Rusyn another.
The Ukrainian attacker appeared to start up front on his own but couldn’t make an impact on the game, following on from Rusyn’s difficult first season at Sunderland last time round.
Nazariy Rusyn player rating in Sunderland defeat vs Bradford City
Sunderland paid a fee reported to be in the region of £2million for Rusyn last summer, bringing him in from Ukrainian outfit Zorya.
But the 25-year-old would score just twice in 21 Championship outings for the Black Cats, with debate emerging round what his best position actually is; as a striker or as a left-sided attacker.
Against Bradford City, Sunderland Echo gave Rusyn a 4/10 rating, with journalist Phil Smith adding: “Put himself about in the second half but by and large the game passed him by.
“Little sight of goal and relatively well handled by the Bradford defence.”
Earlier this summer, it was claimed that Kristjaan Speakman and Sunderland hope to see Rusyn and Mundle step up next season, amid fears that Jack Clarke could leave for Ipswich Town before August 30th.
Nazariy Rusyn poor pre-season could change Speakman plans at Sunderland
Rusyn hasn’t shown a lot of promise in pre-season, and so very few are expecting him to improve at all on his performances from last season.
Given that, it might not be sensible for Speakman to place any hope on Rusyn stepping up and softening the potential blow of Clarke leaving.
That, combined with Mundle impressing vs Bradford City, could push Rusyn well out of favour before the season has even begun, and then even more if and when Sunderland sign a new striker or two this summer.
For Speakman then, a new plan may emerge; keep Clarke and sell next summer or even in January, then offload Rusyn and cut his losses on a player who’s showing no signs of becoming a top performer for the club.
Whilst Speakman has had multiple successes in the transfer market at Sunderland, he’s had some mishaps, and Rusyn is certainly looking one of the latter.