Matchday Musings: Enjoyable In The Solar As The Lads See Off Lens!

Yesterday’s match was a rarity for me: a pre-season recreation that appeared to have one thing approaching an precise environment.

I wasn’t overly fussed in regards to the Lads’ North American tour.

I’m happy all of it went properly however sinking $25 Michelob Lights with a facet of grits within the PricewaterhouseCoopers THUNDERDOME is not my concept of enjoyable. Knocking the froth off a number of Saint-Omers in superb sunshine, nonetheless? Yes, please. Incredibly jealous of all the beautiful lads and lasses on the market, and a snug 2-0 win was simply the cherry on high for all of them. Santé!

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Even with all the same old caveats round pre-season friendlies — “Results don’t matter”, “It’s about fitness”, and many others, and many others — I really feel yesterday’s pleasant was as near being necessary as you will get this time of yr.

Lens have been a constantly sturdy facet for a lot of years and need to retain their title of “Best Of The Rest After PSG” in addition to having a Champions League marketing campaign forward of them.

They’re no mugs, because the previous adage goes, and a powerful Sunderland facet (extra on this later), Granit Xhaka’s first run-out and a packed Stade Bollaert-Delelis added on additional layers of intrigue to the fixture.

Maybe that sense of significance rubbed off on the gamers too as we have been at it straight from kick-off.

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Our urgent all through the sport particularly was a delight to look at. We largely managed the primary half with out being dominant and, whereas it appeared like we nonetheless had gears to maneuver up by, Lens barely landed a punch.

Xhaka was Xhaka, Brian Brobbey was Brobbey and Trai Hume was Hume, together with a stunning volley that left the crossbar quaking like Lewis Hall. Just beautiful lads, aren’t they? Thomas Meunier appeared very achieved, which you’d count on, and was unfortunate to have his header chalked off.

After their subdued first half, Lens stepped it up after the break and it took us a short while to settle after Xhaka and Meunier went off, though we by no means appeared something aside from snug on the again.

Robin Roefs did not have a save to make till after the seventieth minute. We most likely did lack one thing going ahead so Régis Le Bris turned to Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor, and it was this second spherical of subs that sealed the sport.

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Rigg continued his nice pre-season and simply appears like the actual deal the extra you see of him. A stunning help for Hume and a key function in creating the second for Isidor, and it simply feels an enormous season is forward for Sunderland’s favorite son.

Always beautiful to see Isidor on the scoresheet and Le Bris was very agency afterwards in shutting down any speak of a transfer away which was good to see. Isidor, to me, simply feels like a Europa League striker and I can not wait to see whether or not that performs out or whether or not I’m simply chatting shite once more.

Depending on Nordi Mukiele’s availability, that’ll doubtless be our beginning XI for Ipswich in a few weeks and I’m completely nice if that is the case.

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There’s clearly been a bit of little bit of noise across the membership’s perceived inactivity within the switch window. I’d say I’m most likely calmer than most about this, the membership have very a lot earned that belief, nonetheless I’d be mendacity if I claimed a number of small niggles hadn’t began to creep in. Seeing the line-up yesterday and watching them go about their enterprise, nonetheless, was the proper antidote.

Given how monumental final season was, it feels odd that I’d momentarily forgotten how fucking class the Lads are. If we won’t discover worth till later within the window and must crack on for a number of weeks with the XI that completed seventh and stuffed the Mags twice, so be it.

All in all, a vastly profitable day on the workplace — though I did come away with one minor concern.

Watching Big Dan Ballard throw each fibre of his being in the direction of any potential signal of hazard is a pleasure; nonetheless, it does call to mind the chance of him and Omar Alderete selecting up niggly accidents right here and there all through the season and maybe will increase the necessity for defensive reinforcements greater than I’d appreciated.

I’d usually attempt to finish on a constructive however, seeing as I’ve someway talked myself right into a detrimental area, I would as properly go all in: the pink strip is crap.

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Love the hyperlink up, cherished the roll-out and love the concept of a person consuming a load of burgers and dying on the bathroom, however the precise package? Rubbish. Just actually hope we get to put on our residence package for the Europa League remaining.