Sunderland: Johnson could be next O’Nien

Sunderland have loved a stable return to life within the Championship this season after spending 4 seasons within the third tier of English soccer.

The Black Cats gained promotion again to the second division by profitable the League One play-offs below Alex Neil within the 2021/22 marketing campaign and at present sit 11th within the desk after 13 matches.

One of many membership’s key gamers this season has been the versatile Luke O’Nien, who has been relied upon by Neil and for the reason that Scotsman’s departure to Stoke, Tony Mowbray.

The Englishman has performed in 12 of Sunderland’s league video games and been called upon at proper centre-back, centre-back and central midfield thus far, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.00.

O’Nien has provided versatility all through his profession as he has performed over 35 matches at centre-back, right-back, central midfield, and defensive midfield to this point.

He was beforehand described as a “revelation” by former supervisor Jack Ross and Mowbray may unearth the following model of the previous Wycombe man by unearthing a participant from the academy – Zak Johnson.

The defender made his first-team debut off the bench within the EFL Trophy on the age of 16 final season and this reveals that Lee Johnson felt he was prepared for first-team publicity, regardless of nonetheless being in his teenagers.

He was handed a three-year skilled contract in the summertime and the teenager was described as an “exciting” participant to be careful for, as he has “key defensive attributes“, by journalist Josh Bunting.

The teenager has performed ten matches as a right-back and 21 as a centre-back for the Black Cats at youth stage and this implies that he has the flexibility to fulfil an identical function to O’Nien in that he can play throughout the defence, as a full-back or centrally in a 4 or as a large central defender in a again three – the place the ex-Wycombe man has spent lots of his time this time period.

Ought to Johnson be given an opportunity?

Johnson has made himself an everyday within the U21 aspect, taking part in 20 Premier League 2 video games for the reason that begin of final season, earlier than his 18th birthday, which reveals how spectacular he has been as he has been capable of stand up the ranks shortly as an alternative of being caught within the U18s.

The problem for him now could be to impress Mowbray sufficient in coaching to earn himself a league debut for the membership within the Championship this season or in forthcoming campaigns. If he can do this and is ready to regulate to taking part in senior soccer then he could possibly be the following O’Nien for Sunderland – offering high quality shows in a number of positions on the again.