Ex-EFL Star Points To ‘One Of The Most Telling Stats’ About Sunderland This Season
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Former EFL star Adrian Clarke has pointed out that Sunderland lack depth in their squad and questioned whether the ownership will go big in January to give Regis Le Bris a group that will be able to seal promotion.
In the 2022/23 season, Sunderland missed out on promotion after getting knocked out by Luton Town in the Championship playoffs.
Under Le Bris this season, Sunderland have proved themselves to be contenders for automatic promotion and they are currently top of the table.
However, Clarke pointed out that in the ongoing campaign, Sunderland have used fewer than three substitutes per game, which shows that Le Bris does not have depth on his bench to call upon in times of need.
The former EFL star thinks that Sunderland will try to be in the top two going into the January window and believes that it will be up to the owners whether they will spend big in the winter to give Le Bris a deeper squad to get promotion.
“This is maybe one of the most telling stats and this might be something that might hurt them in the long run; they have used ten less substitutes than anyone else in the Championship this season”, Clarke said on What The EFL.
“They made just 31 substitutes in eleven games; it is less than three a game.
“Most are four and five a game clearly, and you know what that is: they don’t have the depth; they don’t have subs.
“At the moment, when they go on two injuries, who can come on and change the game? When it is [Wilson] Isidor and [Eliezer] Mayenda, it is fine.
“In other positions, I do not think the backups are quite as strong.
“That is what might trip Sunderland up; they will get to January and stay in the top two if they can and then will the owners go big?
“Will they invest and give the manager a deeper squad to get them over the line? Because, football-wise, I think they are good enough, I do.”
The Black Cats are unbeaten in their last five league games and at the weekend are set to face Queens Park Rangers.
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