Sunderland 2012/13 Season Preview
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 18th Arsenal (A), 25th Reading (H), September 1st Swansea (A), 15th Liverpool (H), 22nd West Ham (A), 29th 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
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