JUST shy of a year ago, Sunderland were making their final preparations for the trip to Norwich City with the spectre of three consecutive league defeats looming quite large in the rear view mirror.
Having lost to Rotherham United, Coventry City and suffered a chastening 5-1 reverse at home to Alex Neil’s Stoke City, the chances of getting into the Championship play-offs were slim. The season, for many, was dead.
Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland could not count on their best player for the trip to East Anglia – the injured Amad Diallo missed out.
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On that day, Sunderland were resolute in defence. Compact and mean, the Black Cats went to Carrow Road with a counter-attacking mentality. Abdoullah Ba’s well-taken goal proved to be the difference as Sunderland sat in and came away with a much-deserved yet unexpected three points.
Ahead of last year’s trip to Norwich, Sunderland fans were concerned as to where the next three points were coming from, with games against Sheffield United, Luton Town and Burnley immediately following.
And while they were beaten by a better Sheffield United side three days later, it was the last time they’d taste defeat in the regular season, going on that incredible run that resulted in a sixth-place finish and a shot at promotion to the Premier League.
For many, that Norwich win, where Sunderland eschewed their front-foot attacking game for something a little more clever, a little more cute, was the catalyst for that run, instilling belief in Mowbray’s young charges that anything is possible.
A year on, and the similarities are clear to see. Swap Tony Mowbray for Mike Dodds. Swap Amad for Jack Clarke.
Sunderland, at the weekend, once again went into a game with Norwich City having lost three on the spin and missing their best player. And with games against Leicester and Southampton on the immediate horizon, it is once more difficult to see where Sunderland can pick their next win up.
But, sadly, that is where the similarities end.
I had seen some comments from Sunderland supporters suggesting that Jack Clarke’s absence was a good opportunity to see what we would look like in the seemingly-inevitable eventuality of Clarke leaving in the summer.
And while I applaud the incredible ability to glean a positive, however small, out of an overwhelmingly negative situation – we can all agree that a Sunderland future without Jack Clarke is a very dark one indeed.
So many times this season, Clarke has been the player to score a match-winning goal, especially away from home. And on Saturday, while we had some opportunities, the quality was just not there. Try as they might, the likes of Luis Hemir, Romaine Mundle and the versatile Callum Styles, could not find a breakthrough against a Norwich City side with very little to write home about.
Mike Dodds reminded fans a couple of weeks ago that the Jack Clarke we signed in January 2022 is not the same Jack Clarke we have on our hands now and to keep faith with the young, inexperienced talent we have at our disposal.
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There are two pretty big differences there. The Jack Clarke we signed in 2022 had already played a decent whack of football, and had made a £10million move from Leeds to Tottenham. It’s not as if we unearthed a diamond in the rough.
And while you can accept that Clarke has improved on Wearside, we signed him in League One, not the Championship.
The second tier of English football isn’t as forgiving for blooding young players, try as we might. And while it is to be applauded that we put so much trust in youth, you need experience, you need quality alongside them.
Because without that, you’re just hanging these players out to dry against the division’s most seasoned campaigners. Norwich’s centre-halves, Grant Hanley and Ben Gibson, have seen it all and came off the pitch on Saturday with barely a grass stain on their kits. An easier day at the office they will not have.
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It’s not Hemir’s fault. It’s not Mundle’s fault. It’s not Jobe’s fault. It’s not Dan Neil’s fault that he’s now the first name on the teamsheet in only his second full season of professional football, and that a bad day for any of these players could cost us the game. It shouldn’t be their fault.
Saturday’s defeat was exactly what we deserved, and a portent of a Sunderland future without Jack Clarke.
We should be very worried about that. I know I am.
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