Sunderland have enjoyed a stunning first campaign back at Premier League level
In the latest episode of The Roar podcast, Sunderland writers James Copley, Jason Jones and Phil Smith got together to reflect on one of the most memorable seasons the club have ever had.
They also handed out their end-of-season awards, covering everything from their favourite goal to most memorable moment. You can watch the episode in full over on YouTube but they’ve also taken some time to pen their thoughts for our Echo subscribers.
So without further ado, here goes...
Favourite game of the season
JC: Really hard to pick one. West Ham on the opening day was brilliant and cathartic, the draw against Arsenal with Brian Brobbey’s last-minute equaliser was a superb atmosphere, Woltemade’s goal against Newcastle was ridiculous, and I absolutely loved the comeback win against Bournemouth in the rain and under the lights. Up until Sunday, I would probably have said winning at St James’ Park with half a team injured, coming from behind and completing the double over Newcastle. But after the scenes against Chelsea, I think that has to take top spot. Sunderland, as a team and a fanbase, were utterly dominant. It felt like a proper statement day.
JJ: In a season of memorable matches, Sunday’s win over Chelsea might just have topped them all. The atmosphere throughout the day, the team performance, and the scenes of celebration after the final whistle made for a game that will go down in Sunderland folklore. A proper “I was there” moment.
PS: It has to be Sunday's win over Chelsea, one of the great days following Sunderland. I would put the win at Stamford Bridge up there, as well. I still have such vivid memories of Sunderland's last game as a Premier League club there under David Moyes, when a guard of honour for John Terry just seemed to sum up how badly the club had lost its way. To go back there was special in itself, but to win and to do so by playing the better football was something else entirely. Sunderland had started the campaign well but this was the moment i knew they were a proper team for the level. The moment of anticipation and realisation as Talbi lined up thjat shot from the edge of the box was properly spectacular to witness.
Favourite moment of the season
JC: Again, there are loads to choose from, but I think it has to be Brian Brobbey’s goal against Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Wilson Isidor scoring in the 96th minute against Brentford, after Sunderland had come from behind and just hours after his wife had given birth to their second child, was very special as well. Régis Le Bris' speech after the Chelsea game was sensational, and the Roker End singing Granit Xhaka’s name while he could barely get his words out was incredible. The tributes to Gary Rowell on Sunday were brilliant too. It has been absolutely jam-packed.
JJ: Again, almost too many to choose from, but the moment that the tifo of the Lambton Worm rose up before the Roker End on the opening weekend of the season, it felt like Sunderland were truly back. After so many years of disappointment and heartache, this was a perfect encapsulation of what the club can be, and set the tone for a stunning campaign.
PS: Hearing the roar around the ground as Sunderland players and staff gathered for a team photo in front of the Roker End after beating Newcastle United at home. I'm glad they didn't do it after the away game because these things have a habit of coming back to bite you, but this was such a cathartic moment after that FA Cup a few years back. This felt like Sunderland saying that they were back and that they were here to compete.
Lowlight of the season
JC: Losing to Port Vale in the fifth round of the FA Cup has to be the biggest frustration. I really felt like the cup was there to be attacked this season, but a combination of injuries and probably Sunderland’s worst form of the campaign meant it didn’t happen. Had they beaten Port Vale, they were one game away from another Wembley appearance. Nottingham Forest at home, losing 5-0, was obviously a very sobering afternoon, and I was also really annoyed to see Sunderland’s home record go in February against Liverpool. But let’s face it, this is all small fry. It has been a largely excellent season.
JJ: A minor quibble given everything that we’ve witnessed this season, but Enzo Le Fée’s fluffed panenka against Brentford had my head on Mars. Really though, things have been so good this season that the pickings here are slim.
PS: Port Vale. A big opportunity missed and a rare day where the whole mentality just wasn't right. Fair play to the team for finishing the season strongly, though. I feared the campaign could fizzle away but the way they roared back to finish seventh was hugely impressive.
Favourite goal
JC: I’d probably go Brian Brobbey at St James’ Park, purely because of the moment, the opponent and the sheer significance of it. Away end carnage, derby context, a huge result and one of those moments you know will be replayed for years. I would like to give a big shout-out to Chemsdine Talbi at the Stadium of Light against Burnley and Brian Brobbey's little give-and-go with Enzo Le Fée at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
JJ: Not the most aesthetically pleasing strike, but Brian Brobbey’s last gasp winner at St. James’ Park has to be the best goal of the season, surely. It was just perfection. The vindication, the relief, the satisfaction, all bundled up into one ecstatic moment - and in Newcastle’s own backyard too. 1-0, 2-1 up... You know the rest.
PS: I loved Brian Brobbey's thumping finish against Spurs. The little 1-2 with Le Fée was glorious and set the platform for some of the lovely football we saw at the end of the campaign.
Player of the season
JC: For me, it is Enzo Le Fée. I think he has been superb and Sunderland’s most consistent attacker and producer of goals, both through assists and scoring himself. He also didn’t start the first two games and played largely from the wing for much of the season, yet he has still stood out. Since moving into the centre, he has been sensational. I almost think this category should be split into two, because Granit Xhaka is right there with him. Enzo has been the player of the season to watch, but Xhaka has been the most important and influential. Signing him was a genuine game-changer.
JJ: The head says Granit Xhaka, the heart says Enzo Le Fée. Sunderland have boasted so many standout performers this season, but I’m tempted to give it to the magical Frenchman, purely because I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more technically gifted player in a Sunderland shirt. Everything he does oozes class, and his work rate and guile off the ball are nothing short of stellar. Ever since he made the move into a central role, both he and his side have reached another level, and his goal contributions all season long have been vital.
PS: Le Fée's goal contributions and all-round performances mean I find it really hard not to pick him. His combination of flair and tenacity mean for me he is just the perfect Sunderland player. I just can't get away from Granit Xhaka, though. This was a team that struggle to keep the ball and create early doors in the season and Xhaka's ability was absolutely vital to that fast start that set the platform for everything that followed. Without him I think many of those games could have gone differently. More important is the way he has changed the feel around the club, and the ambition he brought. If you look at the calibre of player who joined after he agreed to make the move, you can truly understand his influence: His arrival was a sliding-doors moment in the modern history of this club.
Young player of the season
JC: Hands down, Noah Sadiki. To do what he has done this season at his age is staggering. He has a massive future ahead of him and, if he can find that final ball more often and become a bit more composed in his build-up play, his value is going to skyrocket even further. There simply aren't players around that can do what Sadiki can do in terms of his engine and willingness to do the dirty work. He has been brilliant.
JJ: Noah Sadiki, for me. The manner in which he adapted to the Premier League - and the speed at which he did so - was genuinely remarkable, and perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay him is that Sunderland notably miss him when he isn’t in the starting XI. Omnipresent, tireless, and seemingly a great lad to have around the place, the 21-year-old embodies a uniquely impressive profile that could lead to interest from all kinds of suitors.
PS: As Sunderland adjusted to the Premier League in the early weeks of the season, they needed their goalkeeper to be excellent. For Robin Roefs to be as good as he was with the limited experience he had was remarkable. One of the great Sunderland bargain transfers.
Player you want to see more of next season
JC: I am really looking forward to seeing the development of Habib Diarra. He has had a stop-start season, and it has been tough for him with injuries, AFCON disruption and trying to find his place in the team. His decision-making has let him down at times, but he has the raw attributes to be a fantastic player. With another pre-season under his belt, he could be a dangerous weapon for Sunderland next season.
JJ: Aside from Lutsharel Geertruida, who I desperately hope stays on Wearside - however improbable that may seem at the time of writing - I’ve gone with Nilson Angulo. His injury came at a really unfortunate juncture, and probably hampered his acclimatisation to life in the Premier League quite a bit, but since his return to fitness there have been plenty of glimpses of the potential that convinced the club to sign him in January. The winger is positive, direct, and a willing grafter, and given a full preseason and a little more experience in the top flight, he could become an important player for Sunderland.
PS: Definitely agree on Diarra. I'd also be desperately disappointed if Eliezer Mayenda was to depart this summer, even if I could understand the reasons why. He's just such an exciting player who I still firmly believe can thrive in the Premier League.
Overall mark out of 10
JC: It has to be a 10. This has been the best season of my adult lifetime by far, and I really didn’t think I would be saying that. Sunderland were written off before a ball was kicked. They were told they were 24 points behind the other promoted teams, told they couldn’t integrate 13 new players, told they would go down with a record-low points total, told they hadn’t played anyone during the early part of the season, told AFCON would ruin them and told they would eventually fall away.
None of it happened. Instead, Sunderland have qualified for Europe for the first time since 1973-74, and for the first time ever via league position. It is also only the club’s fifth top-10 finish in 70 years. These have been halcyon days.
JJ: 10/10. Anything else would be harsh...
PS: I'll go 9.5 due to Port Vale... but it has been sensational pretty much from start to finish
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