Sunderland have been handed another huge injury blow ahead of their clash with QPR.
Sunderland have endured some particularly bad form in recent months, but they certainly aren’t helped by a flurry of key absences.
Jack Clarke was the biggest blow, and after missing only one game in the Championship since promotion, his time on the sidelines was going to come, it just depended on how prepared the club were for that.
Of course, we weren’t at all prepared and have since felt the effects of his absence, while our lack of defensive options has also punished us.
Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin and Niall Huggins remain out, while we haven’t played both Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien together in almost a month due to suspension.
This weekend’s clash against QPR is absolutely huge and will be an absolute disaster if we fail to beat a team battling relegation, but our latest injury concern is putting us in a very difficult position ahead of the tie.
With Ballard and O’Nien both unavailable, the Sunderland Echo have now reported that Jenson Seelt is also a ‘major doubt’.
The Dutchman was our only remaining centre-back and leaves us with full-back duo of Trai Hume and Leo Hjelde as the likely pairing to take their place.
Is it time for Timothee Pembele to earn his first start?
Mike Dodds has tried his very best to keep Timothee Pembele out of the team so far, even opting to bring Callum Styles in against Southampton – despite his horrific showing in the backline against Swansea City.
We know Dodds likes to come across as a tactical genius and make changes to the team and the formation that no one would expect, but all he can really do at this point is give Pembele his first start for the club.
The 21-year-old has struggled to impress so far, but has only managed 85 minutes worth of cameos in the Championship so far.
I would much rather the ‘dynamic’ defender be given an opportunity against one of the worst teams in the league, than Dodds somehow managing to work in another midfielder or winger to our defence.
Pembele hasn’t quite settled into life on Wearside yet, but there’s no denying the potential that he has. The likes of Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino have already had the Frenchman in their first-team plans at Paris Saint-Germain.
His attacking traits are clearly his strongest and we should take advantage of that against QPR, given our struggles going forward this term.
It could be a very painful watch at the Stadium of Light this weekend, but I honestly don’t think it will be Pembele’s side that is the major concern.
Callum Styles has so far only shown that he will never be a defender, but this time we have no choice but to play him there. Though I wouldn’t even complain if young Tom Lavery came in instead.