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da supremo： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Sunderland’s failure to fix their full-back positions in the summer transfer window is becoming a major problem.
When your 24 year-old midfielder spends no less than 36 of his first 62 games for the club at right-back, you know you have a problem.
One has to imagine Luke O’Nien was not brought to the club in the summer of 2018 to play on the right side of defence – Transfermarkt records no appearances from the position for any of his previous clubs.
Yet, the Englishman has regularly been forced into the role, while 2019 arrival Conor McLaughlin has left fans fuming at his woeful performances there this season, with one even saying the Northern Irishman “makes Gareth Hall look like Rivaldo”.
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On the other flank, Jack Ross has chopped and changed between the likes of Denver Hume and Bryan Oviedo since his arrival, the former of which was hooked at half-time at Bolton last weekend, the worst team in the league, with one fan branding him “like a sleeping ostrich” while another simply said he “can’t defend”.
Oviedo has of course left the club, and the man brought in to replace him, Laurens De Bock, is yet to feature in a league game due to injury and fitness concerns.
It’s no secret that full-back is one of the most crucial positions on the pitch nowadays. Just look at the likes of Manchester City, who have spent close to £200m on the position since Pep Guardiola arrived, and Liverpool, who get most of their creativity from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Roberston.
And then there’s Sunderland, seemingly stuck behind the times just throwing whoever they can find into the role, hoping they make do just enough to get by.
Much was made of the Black Cats’ failure to land an out-and-out playmaker this summer, but given how the full-back position has developed such an influence at both ends of the pitch in recent years, their failure to upgrade the flanks of their defence may be an even more pressing matter, and an even more foolish oversight.