Reader’s Corner: “Sunderland are more than capable of taking this League by storm!”

This league is there for the taking!

We’re a third of the way into Sunderland’s third season in League One, finding ourselves sitting ninth in the table, and whilst for many fans, including myself, that thought leads to a feeling of disappointment and underachievement.

I would argue that Sunderland are more than capable of taking this League by storm and finally propelling ourselves to a step closer to been back to where we belong.

Sunderland are without a win in the League since 3^rd November where we beat Ipswich, and as a result, we’re now ten points from league leaders Hull City. But, this League is renowned for throwing up surprises and I have no doubt that come the end of the season the table will have a different look to it, and hopefully Lee Johnson has what it takes to make Sunderland a promotion-worthy side.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

I fear no team in this League...

With the greatest respects to every team in League One, Sunderland shouldn’t fear to take on any side that reside in it. The season so far has been characterised by inconsistency for most teams, and no team has yet to earn a right to be considered as worthy contenders for automatic promotion.

Hull City top the table with eleven wins from a possible fifteen, which is a solid point return but defeats to Swindon Town, Peterborough United, and Fleetwood Town, opposition that Sunderland picked up two wins and a draw, shows that they certainly shouldn’t be feared.

Saturday’s opponents, Lincoln City occupy second position in the table with ten wins from a possible fifteen, but just have also suffered defeats against Plymouth Argyle, Bristol Rovers and Doncaster. This illustrates that they are vulnerable on any given day and shouldn’t be feared.

Ipswich, Portsmouth, Peterborough, and Charlton currently occupy the play-off positions and much of their form is clouded by inconsistency and underachievement, much like Sunderland’s.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Yet Sunderland sit three points off the play-off positions going into this weekend’s game and off the back of a much-needed win, I believe Lee Johnson’s Sunderland has what it takes to really make a statement and put together a run which would clamber us up the table.

Momentum is key

In recent years, Sunderland have been notoriously poor at stringing a long period of good results together and building strong momentum, but is Johnson the man to change that?

After Johnson’s first game in charge, he spoke about developing a three-goal mentality, which is something that Sunderland fans have been screaming for under the likes of Ross and Parkinson, who seemed content to adopt a ‘hold what we have’ mentality – something which makes supporters pull their hair out when we conceded.

Yet In last night’s post-match comments Johnson commented on how they “want to win whatever we do” and this is the mentality that Sunderland are lacking. He also mentioned that Sunderland’s standards need to raise at all levels and areas. Hopefully it doesn’t take long for Johnson to really make his mark and turn them into a team to be feared, who are capable and worthy of taking this League by storm!