Black Cats Nearly There
For the first time since 2019, Sunderland AFC has a chance to return to the Championship after four whole seasons in the third division of English football. Following a 2-1 win on aggregate against Sheffield Wednesday, the Black Cats head to Wembley to take on the winners of the other semifinal, Wycombe Wanderers F.C. A few seasons ago, Sunderland famously became just the fifth team in the history of English football to be relegated in consecutive seasons. Between July 2016 and Feb. 2021, the club had 13 different managers. And in February of 2021, 24-year-old Kyril Louis-Dreyfus acquired a "controlling stake" in Sunderland from previous owner Stewart Donald.
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Louis-Dreyfus became the youngest owner in English football, and since he came on board, the Black Cats have started to trend in the upward direction. They have now made it to the Sky Bet League One Playoffs for the second straight season. The hope is to avoid another demoralizing defeat at Wembley and move up the ladder in their journey back to where a club this size belongs.
Following the massive win over Sheffield Wednesday in the semifinal, Sunderland boss Alex Neil spoke on the performance, stating, "I thought we were the better team and that's the first time I've not made early changes because I had so much belief in that team to win this game or get the result we needed.”
He then continued, “And I felt if I was going to change it I would dilute it. I'm really pleased I stuck to my guns... I'm over the moon for the players because they deserve it. We are on an unbelievable run of results and the players deserve a huge amount of credit... But for us, it's only got us to an opportunity now. Although we're happy and we'll celebrate, we need to get our mind on the next one."
Sunderland has seemingly found its man in the manager position for the foreseeable future. Following an embarrassing 6-0 loss to Bolton on the road, the Black Cats made the decision to relieve Lee Johnson from his duties as the manager of Sunderland AFC. The former Bristol City midfielder led the Black Cats for over two years where he had a winning percentage of more than 51 percent and even won the Papa John's Trophy in the 2020-2021 season. On February 11, 2022, Sunderland hired former Preston North End manager Alex Neil on a 12-month rolling contract. Since he took over, the Black Cats have begun to move in the direction the fans and the public thought they would in 2022.
After back-to-back losses against Doncaster and Cheltenham Town F.C, Sunderland had an uphill climb to get back in the position to attempt promotion. Neil has been in charge of 17 matches so far during his tenure, and only one of them has ended in defeat. The Black Cats head to Wembley for the second consecutive season, but this time for a chance for something much bigger as the team is riding a 15-match unbeaten streak into arguably one of the biggest matches in the history of the club.
It has not only been the squad's potent offensive attack but its defense that has put together eight clean sheets in the last 14 matches. The two-time FA Cup champions experienced one of the biggest downward spirals of any club in English football lore. In the blink of an eye, Sunderland was down in the third division, and fighting for its own integrity after several missed chances. Just 10 years ago, this club finished 10th in the Premier League, and with a chance to return to the second tier this season, the Black Cats cannot waste it.
Neil came in one of the most high-pressure jobs in League One, and completely changed the identity and trajectory of this team. In the past few weeks, Neil transitioned the club to a 3-5-2 formation with former Ross County striker Ross Stewart leading the way with a club-high 25 goals. This change is good for second in League One behind only Will Keane of Wigan Athletic. In addition to the forwards, the Black Cats possess Jack Clarke and Luke O'Nien in the middle of the pitch, and with the combination of Danny Batth, and Bailey Wright in the backline, Sunderland has the tools to clinch promotion. There were numerous concerns after last season when the league's leading scorer Charlie Wyke departed the Stadium of Light for DW Stadium on a three-year deal. Stewart has taken on the role of the go-to scorer, and when the team needed it the most, just like in the playoff semifinal, Stewart delivered the goods.
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In one of the most memorable and dramatic playoff semifinals, Sunderland booked its spot in the most remarkable ways possible. The Owls tied the match on aggregate at home through a Lee Gregory goal in the 74th minute, and in a matter of a few moments, doubt seeped into the Sunderland faithful. All the momentum was in Sheffield Wednesday's favor, and it looked almost insurmountable to see the Black Cats turn it back around after a multitude of quality chances from the home side. Out of nowhere, and in a hostile environment, former Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts silenced the crowd at Hillsborough with a tap-in finish to send the Black Cats to Wembley.
Sunderland will meet Wycombe on the afternoon of May 21 for a spot in the Championship next season. The Chairboys upset the third place MK Dons over two legs, surviving a 1-0 defeat in the second leg to advance on aggregate 2-1. Most of the credit has to go to the fact that Josh McEachran received a second yellow for a one-legged tackle, leaving one of their most influential midfielders out for the 31 minutes of the first leg and the entire second leg.
Finishing in sixth place, Wycombe was not expected to defeat a team that almost snatched the automatic promotion places. Nevertheless, after just one season in League One, the Chairboys have a chance to return to the second tier after getting relegated by just a one-point difference between them and Derby County back in the 2020-2021 season.
While the Black Cats will not receive the possibly tougher matchup in the final, Wycombe is a club that continues to play with a chip on its shoulder time and time again. The teams have clashed twice this season including a Sunderland 3-1 win back in August, and a thrilling 3-3 drawback in January where both teams scored goals in stoppage time. While the Black Cats are in prolific form, so are the Chairboys, who before the semifinal were on a 13-match unbeaten streak just to make it to the playoffs. Arguably the two most in-form teams in League One right now battle it out for the biggest match of the season.
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Neil needs to make sure Sunderland stays patient and defends set-pieces as Wycombe will be trying to pounce on as many as it can get. The Chairboys do not get many chances due to their lack of control of the ball, but their ability to counter-attack is second to none. With a player and a closer like Sam Vokes, Wycombe will always stand a chance if the match goes down to the final minutes. Neil has the opportunity to cement himself into Sunderland lore as he can do something that many managers before him have failed to do. This season has the potential to alter the future of the club or continue this disheartening journey up a hill that is seemingly endless.
