Salut! Sunderland welcomes offerings from anyone with something to say that directly relates to our shared passion for SAFC or offers a fresh, illuminating insight into football more generally. Here is a piece submitted by a collaborator (in its nicer sense, not the French one)* on a subject dear to many Sunderland hearts. Can we have our Borini back and where do we stand in trying to make that happen? Let Sean O’Connor take up the story …
Sunderland have stepped up their chase to bring back Liverpool’s Fabio Borini to the Stadium of Light after reportedly making an £8 million bid for the striker.
The 23-year-old spent all of last season on Wearside, netting 10 goals during his spell, and he was even regarded by some as player of the season [Vito Mannone was the official player-of-the-season but Fabio took the young player award – Ed].
With striking options limited for Gus Poyet, the Black Cats must start strengthen up top if they’re to stay clear of relegation this coming term.
Last season, Jozy Altidore failed to impress, Ignacio Scocco achieved little in his limited appearances and the injury-prone Fletcher was hardly reliable. Connor Wickham, whose goals were crucial in the end-of-season escae act, could be on the move with the likes of Southampton and Leicester keeping tabs.
If we’re ruling out those candidates as unviable Premier League options, that only leaves young Duncan Watmore. The starlet has only made one appearance for Sunderland so far since he joined after an impressive spell with non-league Altrincham, but his performances in the youth team have seen him join up with the first team this pre-season and he could be ready to start come August.
But Poyet can’t rely on an inexperienced youngster, regardless of how promising he looks, which is why the Uruguayan is desperate to entice the fans’ favourite, Borini, back to Wearside.
The enigmatic Italian played a major role alongside Wickham in keeping Sunderland in the Premier League last season, and should he become the spearhead of the attack by kick off next month, relegation will surely not be an issue.
In fact, relegation will be the last thing on the minds of Sunderland fans. Poyet has already brought in goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, Jordi Gomez and West Brom defender Billy Jones this summer; a number of other targets could also be turning up during the coming weeks now the World Cup has ended.
The Nigerian international Michael Babatunde is interested in a move after a solid spell for his country in Brazil and that would certainly help in midfield. And if Borini returned to replicate the form he showed at the back end of last season, then the Blackcats could have a campaign to remember.
The bookmakers agree and Sunderland can currently be backed at 16/1 with a Bet365 freebet to challenge for a Europa League spot come May.
Of course there’s still a lot of work for Poyet and his staff to do. An influx of new faces undoubtedly means they will need time to gel and Pantilimon will have to build an understanding with the likes of Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Billy Jones whilst Babatunde will need to bed in with Adam Johnson and – should they commit their futures to Sunderland – Borini and Wickham.
* This article, on a topic of interest to most Sunderland supporters, was published in collaboration with freebets.com
The last place we ever want to be is the Europa league, unless it seriously changes its format and becomes a straight knockout competition with games played on sensible days, ie, Wednesdays. It might then be worthwhile striving to qualify. Under its present guise it is a total no go area. I can’t think of any club that has had a good season following participation.
… who from time to time, of course, include Toon/Smog trolls
Always entertained by the ‘thumbs downers’. We won’t be in the Europa League. Why? Well, look at last season. MUFC came 7th with Spurs 6th and Everton 5th before we get to the top 4. Just who do you think we’ll surpass to achieve a Europa place? Such cloud cuckoo land thinking is best left to those up the road…the perennially delusional…and the thumbs downers
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we currently do not have an established back4 and we appear to have very little cover in all areas. I’m hoping Giacco comes into his own this season, Johnson eventually becomes consistant and we have Fletcher rattling the back of the net again, we have to just that DoF and Gus have irons in the fire, and Short has money in the bank and allows them to spend it and they spend it wisely. All if’s and but’s I just want us to be unbeatable at home and take points off the bottom teams away and see where that gets us.
Borini has more or less said he does not want to play for Sunderland, should we not be looking for players that want to be here.
Yes, Doug. I pretty much gave up on him when the season ended and there was not even the slightest change in his body/word language about the future. Shame, and who knows what may be going on behind the scenes? But the amazing number of hits for this article – ie just the mention of Borini and even the remote possibility of signing him – shows what the fans think and hope.
No is the short answer. Talk of Europa League is stretching things a bit. I’d take 10th. It’d be great to see Borini return but Safc hasn’t done too well converting loan deals.
What I want is more goals from midfield. Seb, Giach, Johnson et al need to chip in with more. Who knows how fit Fletch will be? And Jozy.
So sorry but no Europa League or me Ta very much. 45-50 points and mid-table respectability will do nicely this season