Starting XI: Is this Sunderland's team for our game against Watford this afternoon?
27/04/2024 07:01
Mike Dodds has no appetite for experimentation, was the message from Mike Dodds this week – so we're expecting a rather predictable lineup this afternoon
The message midweek from Mike Dodds was clear: no room for experimentation. Which, I don't know about you, but I find really bizarre. I'd argue this game today, a dead rubber if ever their was one, is absolutley the perfect time for experimentation.
No one's talking about trying out that new 1-1-8 formation, or chucking Nathan Bishop up front, but finding out if certain players are capable of playing for us next season would be smart. Giving a young lad or two a bit of championship experience would be wise. If it was good enough for Big Sam – who, remember, gave first team debuts to Rees Greenwood and Tommy Robson in the starting team at Vicarage Road back in 2016, it should be good enough for Mike Dodds.
But no. So, rather than giving Tommy Watson a run, or seeing if Oliver Bainbridge, Marshall Burke, Harrison Jones or Timur Tuterov could be part of the first team squad for next season, we're likely to see pretty much what we've seen so far from Dodds – a defensive minded, rigid team that's far more concerned with defence than attack. Oh well.
Goalkeeper: Anthony Patterson
Same again in goal today, and as we near the end of the season it's worth noting Patterson's consistency - he's not missed a league game for the best part of two and a half seasons, which is some going.
Defenders: Trai Hume, Luke O'Nien, Dan Ballard, Aje Alese, Callum Styles
I thought we would at least try Styles out in midfield last week, but no, so I don't see much change here. If Dodds is going with his strongest team, Hume will likely come in for Pembele, but I think five at the back is nailed on again today.
Midfield: Pierre Ekwah, Jobe Bellingham
With Dan Neil out and Styles likely at wing back, it'll be Ekwah plus one in the centre of midfield. Personally, I'd like to see Rigg in there in his natural position but I reckon Jobe will drop back into midfield, as he did for the first half on Saturday against Millwall. I actually thought he had a good 20 minutes there, and is probably more suited to playing there than further forward. Ekwah's a certainty alongside him, although if I was him I'd be worried about next season as he's been anonymous for large parts. The other option, of course, is Corry Evans, but I think it would be a risk to throw him in from the off.
Attack: Chris Rigg, Bradley Dack, Jack Clarke
I reckon Dodds will go with the same here as he tried last week. For me, Dack's pointless while Rigg is wasted on the right, but there we go. It'd be nice to see Clarke hit some form, as he's not quite been at it since returning from injury.
