Tony Mowbray acknowledges that if Sunderland’s current group of forwards fails to score goals in the upcoming weeks, they may have to consider bringing in a new striker in January.
However, this does not imply that the four center forwards the Black Cats have on their roster are being written off by the manager.Though he acknowledges that strikers are ultimately evaluated on goals, he believes Sunderland will eventually see the best in Mason Burstow, Nazariy Rusyn, Hemir, and Eliezer Mayenda.
And Mowbray acknowledges that adding a striker to Sunderland’s roster may be on their January to-do list, given his conviction that his team will need to score 70 goals to place in the top six of the Championship this year.
“They will all get their chance, and if they do not score, I hope we will bring in a striker who can score to help us get the 70 goals we will probably need to make the play-offs,” admitted Mowbray.
“We’ve talked about the striker position. These lads have a brilliant opportunity, and if they’re not scoring a goal and they’ve all played 10 to 15 games each and there are no goals still, then something is wrong and we need to address it, but that’s every position.”
Sunderland’s strikers are still goalless so far this season.
Burstow started seven games as Mowbray handed the Chelsea loanee an opportunity to nail down a place as the first-choice frontman, but he was replaced by Rusyn for the win over Norwich and draw at Swansea, with the Ukrainian set to keep his place for today’s lunchtime visit to Birmingham City. Hemir caught the eye in the summer but is still finding his feet, while Mayenda has not yet featured after suffering an injury in his first training session. He’s expected to be named on the bench for the first time today.
Mowbray said: “They are all young players on different levels, though Naz is not as young. He is getting his opportunity right now. He came over, did not speak the language well, but he’s still doing his lessons.
“We started Mason for seven games. Somewhere along the line, I hope he can get started coming off the bench because we have moved on to Naz to see if he can impact the team, score goals, and basically help us win matches.
“Mason helped us win football matches; it’s just that he did not score, and strikers get judged on goals scored, data, and assists.
“Hemir did well pre-season, though I would question the standard of opposition. It wasn’t quite the standard we’re playing against now. Mayenda is just coming into fitness now. Everyone will be given the opportunity and given time to see if they can do it.
“Mason will get more chances off the bench; I have to give Hemir another opportunity somewhere down the line; every day we’re ramming into him what he needs to do to play for this club.”
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Where the summer arrivals are concerned—particularly Rusyn, who speaks very little English—Mowbray knows patience is required.
He said, “It may be a year before we look at Naz and say, ‘wow, what a player’.
“They all have to acclimate; it is not fair to judge them on their first few months when they are struggling to learn the language and don’t get the banter in the dressing room.
“You’re in that tight group if you hang around with Clarke, Pritchard, Roberts, Dack, Hume, and Neil, but they’re not because they don’t appreciate the humor.
You can see that it is hard for them because they don’t fully understand everything. Being the odd one out can be difficult and unsettling. Naz is a Ukrainian who moved to the northeast of England and is still learning the language. He must pick up knowledge as he goes. You can’t instantly fit in and be everyone’s best buddy.
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