Sunderland ‘have major Eliezer Mayenda concern’ after Augsburg triumph
Sunderland defeated Augsburg 1-0 in their penultimate pre-season friendly.
It hasn’t been the best pre-season for Sunderland, though the latest victory against Bundesliga outfit Augsburg will certainly have calmed some nerves ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Sunderland’s record signing Habib Diarra scored the only goal of the game, despite the Black Cats having several chances.
Several of those fell to Eliezer Mayenda, who will have sparked concern ahead of the clash against West Ham.
Mayenda has been far from his best this summer
Mayenda enjoyed a breakthrough season last time out, and the hope was that he would be able to kick on and showcase his worth in the Premier League.
However, his performances in preseason have left a lot to be desired, and it was no different against the Germans.
Mayenda’s stats from promotion-winning campaign.
- Appearances – 37
- Starts – 22
- Goals – 8
- Assists – 5
The Spaniard missed a penalty and just generally struggled in front of goal, showcasing a lack of composure and perhaps sharpness.
Sunderland have, of course, brought in Marc Guiu to bolster their forward line, but the lack of form from their other attackers will be a slight worry.
Mayenda looked to be a perfect fit for the way they would set up in the Premier League, but reservations may start to creep in over those assessments if he doesn’t turn this form around.
Sunderland need to sign another attacker
Especially with Romaine Mundle injured, and likely for a while, Sunderland simply have to add another body to their forward options.
That is unlikely to be a centre forward, and instead will be a versatile forward who can cover several different positions.
The Black Cats look set to improve their defensive options with the signing of Omar Alderete, although there is still work to be done.
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