As Sunderland wings were clipped away to Watford, at least the travelling party could console themselves on that long journey back to Wearside with a first Black Cats goal for Wilson Isidor.
For all of Eliezer Mayenda’s talents, and despite the free-agent signing of Aaron Connolly, the late-summer signing from Zenit St Petersburg could prove to be an inspired addition to Regis Le Bris’ squad.
Mayenda prizes himself on his ability to drop deep and play across the frontline. Connolly will run the channels. Isidor, meanwhile, gives Sunderland a different dimension in the final third.
Formerly of Zenit St Petersburg, Wilson Isidor is arguably a more classic number nine than either Mayenda and Connolly. His clever movement and instinctive finishing skills were clear for all too see as Isidor darted to the near post to convert a Patrick Roberts cross at Vicarage Road.
And Le Bris will be hoping that – should he build on a first Sunderland goal – Isidor fill the role at the Stadium of Light which had initially been earmarked for one Alexandre Mendy.
Alexandre Mendy back in form after failed Sunderland switch
It is no secret that Mendy was desperate to make a move to Sunderland during the summer transfer window.
The player himself has never made any attempt to hide his disappointment, either. With Caen turning down an offer in the region of £2.5 million, he was denied what might have been his final chance to cross the Channel with his 31st birthday only a few months away.
“[Have I] 100 per cent recovered? No, despite everything, there are some after-effects,” Mendy told reporters back in September when opening up on that aborted switch to England.
Forced to stay in France’s second tier after a Caen outfit under the control of Kylian Mbappe’s family rebuffed Sunderland’s advances, the striker says – maybe only half-jokingly – that he is yet to even unpack the boxes that had been bound for Wearside.
“The furniture is reassembled, but the boxes are not yet unpacked!,” Mendy adds with a smile. “There are a lot of boxes to go through, but right now we’re concentrating on football.”
Fortunately for Caen, aiming for promotion after last season’s sixth place finish, Mendy’s form does not appear to have been affected by all that summer drama.
His towering header against Guingamp on Sunday followed up a brace versus Amiens. Mendy, the Golden Boot winner in France’s second tier last term, is now picking up where he left off with four goals in his last four outings.
One more, and Mendy will break Cyrille Watier’s record for the most goals scored by a Caen player.
Regis Le Bris hoping Wilson Isidor can fill Mendy role at Sunderland
“He’s going to get the record!” Caen coach Nicolas Seube laughs, delighted to retain the services of a player he must have thought he had lost. “Good for me, good for him, good for the team, and bad for Cyrille!”
Back at Sunderland, the task now falls on Isidor to prove that missing out on Mendy will not halt Le Bris’ promotion charge.
Another goal against Derby County on Tuesday night – his confidence boosted by that Watford strike – and that will go some way to consigning that Mendy saga to the past.
“Wilson did very well,” Le Bris told reporters after Isidor, who he coached in the youth team at Rennes, got off the mark on his first start in Hertfordshire.
“He ran a lot and helped the team. It was difficult with one player against their back three. He tried, and it was a reward to score that goal.”