da wazamba： What you start with
da apostebet： Having flirted with relegation for the past few seasons, your primary aim is to guide Sunderland to a comfortable mid-table finish, ensuring they are well clear of the bottom three come the final few weeks of the season. The board explain that your success will mostly be judged in the Premier League, and ensuring you can lead the team to around tenth place will impress them.
To help you do this the board allocate you a decent initial transfer budget, giving you £13.5m to strengthen the squad with a wage budget just short of £782k per week.
In terms of the domestic cup competitions, the board suggest they would love a cup run and therefore your target of reaching the round of 16 stage is the minimum aim.
The Squad
Who you should build the team around…
Sunderland’s main asset is their striker Jermain Defoe, and he is the man you should be looking to build your team around as much of your success will depend on his goals. Defoe not only has great pace which will help him break past defenders, but is still a top finisher and clinical in front of goal.
His high shot power and long shot rating also mean he is dangerous from outside the box making him the most important player at the Black Cats.
Another important figure in the team is central midfielder Jack Rodwell, who still has plenty of potential for growth and can reach a rating of 82 in the future. A good all-round midfielder with great stamina makes him a great player to have in the team and is another you should build your team around.
And finally in defence, Patrick van Aanholt is someone who could be crucial to your success with his physical attributes making him a very useful left-back. A sprint speed of 90 makes him an easy inclusion in the team, and he has the potential to grow to around a rating of 78 further down the line.
Three players you should sign…
Sunderland’s big weakness appears to be in defence and so improving this should be the primary aim in your first transfer window. The assistant manager suggests looking for a new full-back, but it’s the centre of defence that you need to focus on.
John O’Shea and Wes Brown are your best options initially, and although they have decent defensive stats, both are well into their thirties and their lack of pace is a concern.
With this in mind it would be recommended to sign two new centre halves, the first being Winston Reid from West Ham who at £3m represents an absolute bargain. Fast, strong and solid in all areas; he will be an influential part of the team from the off.
Another centre-back that presents a realistic option is Fabian Schar from Basel who can be signed for £6m. Although just 22, rated 75 already means he can slot straight alongside Reid and then you can sit back and watch him develop into one of the best defenders on the game, who can reach an 84 rating in years to come. He’s also pretty handy at penalties too which is a bonus.
The other area of the squad that could do with strengthening is out wide, given the lack of decent cover for wide midfielders Adam Johnson and Emanuele Giaccherini. At £4m, Ola John from Benfica provides another good option in midfield. Lots of pace, a great dribbler and a good crosser ensures he represents real value for money, and at 22-years-old is also someone who can see his rating shoot past 80.
Three players you should sell…
Sunderland have a fairly small squad, that really lacks in depth when looking beyond the first team. The problem you will find when looking to raise funds for new players is that you can’t sell the likes of Danny Graham and Billy Jones as they have only just arrived.
Therefore it could be worth sticking with what you have for the most part, maybe selling the odd youngster here and there who doesn’t have much of a future at the Stadium of Light.
One man you can afford to lose however is John O’Shea, who will fall down the pecking order after the signings of Reid and Schar. Premier League new boys Burnley came in with a bid of £1.5m, slightly higher than his value of £1.3M, and there’s no reason not to accept that kind of offer for the 33-year-old.
Youngsters…
In terms of youth, Conor Wickham, Mikael Mandron and Lynden Gooch are the three to keep an eye on and try to develop into first team regulars.
Wickham should feature plenty from the off, with Defoe and Steven Fletcher the only real options upfront. The young forward can go onto reach a rating of around 83, highlighting what great potential he has.
Mikael Mandron is another young striker that has the potential for plenty of improvement and can grow to around a rating of 75. He begins the season on loan at Shrewsbury however, so unless you recall him, you’ll have to wait until season two before introducing him into the squad.
Finally we have Lynden Gooch, who at 18 is another one for the future. He plays at CAM and starts with a rating of 58, but can grow to around a 72 in years to come, which might not be enough to make him a star, but will see his stock rise should you wish to sell him further down the line.
Tactics
A simple 4-4-2 formation is the suggested option when starting life at Sunderland and should provide you with success in your quest for a mid table finish.
In goal there’s not much to choose from between Pantilimon and Mannone, so both can be rotated accordingly but my preference is for the former Man City man.
The back four should consist of Jones, Reid, Schar and van Aanholt with the two new signings taking over from Brown and O’Shea.
Cattermole and Rodwell are your best options in the centre of midfield, while on the wings it’s two from Johnson, Giaccherini and John. Personally I’d go for Johnson on the right with John adding some much needed pace on the left. Coupled with Van Aanholt they can become quite an attacking threat down that side.
And finally upfront it’s a case of rotating the three strikers. Defoe is easily your best option, while Fletcher is the man you should look to partner him when possible, although Wickham is a decent option and someone who should be racking up some notable game time over the season in order for him to reach his potential.
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