Sunderland's right back conundrum: How does Mowbray juggle his four options?
The World Cup break, it has been argued, came at just the right time for Tony Mowbray's Sunderland side.
The team had suffered inconsistency (putting it mildly) in the run up to the break, with hugely important players like Ross Stewart and Daniel Ballard joining Aji Alese and Lynden Gooch in the treatment room and a first team showing signs of fatigue at times.
Just before the break, a vital, and somewhat unexpected, win away to Birmingham City saw injury stricken Niall Huggins make his long-awaited first team return following a year out with a back injury.
The Wales U21 international slotted in at left back in a makeshift defence which missed Luke O'Nien through suspension and first choice left back Dennis Cirkin nursing a calf injury.
Since the break, a position which has lacked a great deal of options, at right back (or wing back, if the mood takes us), Sunderland all of a sudden find themselves with no fewer than four options to fill that slot.
Let's explore those options, what their prospects are and who would be the best fit.
Trai Hume
The young Northern Irishman joined the club from Northern Irish Premiership Champions Linfield in January 2022. During his time at the club, he has failed to nail down that right back position despite being the only fit recognised right back at the club for much of this season.
He has made only nine appearances and has failed to impress enough to make that position his own, despite obvious promise. Tony Mowbray recently sung his praises, however, building up his chances of being Sunderland's first choice right back after an impressive performance in their recent abovementioned win at St Andrews.
He certainly did his chances no harm whatsoever, although he once more lost his place to the fit-again Lynden Gooch in the recent 3-0 win against Millwall.
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Lynden Gooch
Speaking of whom, the "Californian Messi" has made that right back position his own this season, although he did seem to lose his way a little shortly before a foot injury forced Mowbray to ring the changes.
The American has had to reinvent himself as a right back since the club's promotion to the Championship, and the emergence of huge talents like Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke preferred in more advanced positions.
Gooch hasn't completely lost the opportunity to affect the game higher up the pitch, making many forays into opposition defences since his move to full back, notching a goal and two assists in the process.
He certainly seems to be the preferred option right now, but it's a long season and it's fairly certain that we may see him rotated out of the side from time to time.
Luke O'Nien
Next up is Mr Versatile himself, the smiling assassin Luke O'Nien. The 28-year-old's preferred position is in central midfield, but has spent much of his career at Sunderland at either right back, centre half and even partnering Charlie Wyke up front in a game vs MK Dons which him score a delightful lob, hit the post and force a good save from the Dons keeper.
The lad would no doubt do a decent job in goal given the chance.
It is this versatility which makes him an option at right back (as mentioned, he has played there before) if injuries start to bite, and we know he would do an excellent job if called upon.
Niall Huggins
The young Yorkshireman showed real promise in his early appearances at the club in 2021 before sustaining a hairline fracture of the spine which has kept him out of the first team picture for the majority of his time at the club.
He's been slowly working his way into Tony Mowbray's side, making several U21 appearances before being called upon to fill in at left back for the injured Cirkin at Birmingham recently.
He was only supposed to play for an hour of that game, but completed the 90 minutes in an assured display. You would not have known the injury frustration he'd endured for the past year, Huggins was very confident in possession and put in a solid shift defensively, too. It was like he'd never been away.
Mowbray has indicated that he will feature plenty as the season goes on, despite finding himself out of the matchday squad completely against Millwall.
It is, as they say, a good problem to have. Expect to see at least three of the above to feature at right back for the remainder of this season, Tony Mowbray seems to know how to manage his squad and is renowned for working with young players.
Huggins and Hume in particular will hopefully feel they will be given their chance to make a case for that right back berth their own, and it will then be upon those two to oust Gooch from that position in the second half of the season.
O'Nien, meanwhile might find himself vying for that spot too, assuming Dan Ballard replaces him alongside Danny Batth at the heart of Sunderland's defence. Promising times to have such riches to call upon in front of the impressive Anthony Patterson in goal.
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