Dan Ballard heroics, Diarra quality – Three things learned from Sunderland’s win vs West Ham
Sunderland stunned in their Premier League opener as they won 3-0 against West Ham on Saturday at the Stadium of Light.
Their first game back in the top-flight in eight years brought fireworks, with supporters happy to come away with the three points against established opponents.
Regis Le Bris is still looking to add to his side, with Nordi Mukiele expected to sign, but supporters will be satisfied with the squad they currently have after such an impressive performance.
With that said, Mackem News picks out three things we learned from the win.
Dan Ballard was a rock vs West Ham
A lot has been said about Sunderland’s defence over the summer and the need for more additions.
Omar Alderete was brought in from Getafe earlier in the week, but supporters still felt that the Mackems would need to do more in the transfer window to avoid relegation at the end of the campaign.
- The Mackems conceded 44 goals last season
- They had the fifth-best defence in the Championship
However, Ballard and the Sunderland defence have shown they can hold their own in the top-flight.
The centre back was important at both ends as he headed home the Mackems’ second to put them out of sight against West Ham.
The 25-year-old was crucial, especially in the first half, towards keeping the scoreline down as he cleared the ball off the line after El Hadji Malick Diouf went close to scoring.
While Le Bris still may be keen to add more depth in defence, he won’t be making any wholesale changes soon after such a solid defensive display.
Habib Diarra shows his quality
There had been question marks over how Habib Diarra would adapt to life in the Premier League after his transfer from Strasbourg.
However, the Senegalese international showed his class as he controlled the midfield against an experienced West Ham side.
Alongside Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki in defence, the trio were immense.
Opponents will soon begin to fear the Mackems’ midfield as they continue to put any doubts to bed.
All three players offer a solid mix of leadership, attacking threat, and defensive cover, which will be important in a season where Le Bris’ side are likely to struggle to score goals and keep them out of their own net.
Sunderland put Premier League experience question to bed
Despite the Mackems’ smart investments over the summer, concerns had been raised about their lack of Premier League experience in the side.
Xhaka has been the only player they have signed so far this summer who has a wealth of top-flight experience.
However, Sunderland put that question to bed as Le Bris’ side quickly adapted to the demands of the Premier League against tough opposition in West Ham.
Sign up for the Mackem News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Sunderland AFC news sent straight to your phone.