Sunderland 2012/13 Season Preview

By Chris Linnell

We take a look at Arsenal’s prospects leading up to the new Premier league Season.

Manager: Martin O’Neill

Stadium: Stadium of Light – 48,707

Nickname: The Black Cats

2011/12 League Position: 13th

Summer Signings

Carlos Cuellar – Aston Villa – Free

Key Players

Stephane Sessegnon – Sunderland’s star man scored seven goals and secured nine assists last season.

Sebastian Larsson – A player with pinpoint accuracy from set-pieces is an asset to any side, but to a team who have so far failed to replace goal scorers Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan, Larsson’s dead-ball specialism is crucial. The Swedish midfielder contributed seven goals last season.

Phil Bardsley – The tough tackling right back is one of the Premier League’s most underrated stars.

Likely Line-Up

Mignolet, Bardsley, Cuellar, Brown, O’Shea, Larsson, Colback, Cattermole, McClean, Sessegnon, Campbell

Team Tactics

• O’Neill likes to play a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Sessegnon behind the main striker.
• The Black Cats are strong on wings – Larsson and McClean run full backs ragged.
• Sunderland can be very defensive. Their full-backs don’t attack very often and Lee Cattermole tends to sit back in the midfield.

Opening Fixtures

August 18^th Arsenal (A), 25^th Reading (H), September 1^st Swansea (A), 15^th Liverpool (H), 22^nd West Ham (A), 29^th Wigan (H)

Verdict

It’s been a quiet summer for Sunderland. They’ve kept hold of Sessegnon but loads of squad players have left and only Cuellar has arrived. I expect O’Neill will bring in a few fresh faces before the end of the summer.

The lack of transfers is currently a worry, but Sunderland already have more than enough to secure a mid-table finish. 11th