First impressions of Sunderland debutants and can these two defenders break through this season?

Sunderland Echo

Phil Smith discusses some of the big talking points from Sunderland's 1-1 draw with Sevilla in Faro

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00:00Defensive reinforcements are needed, but do you think a full pre-season for Sealt and Huggins

00:03may at least put them in mind for a squad place this season, or a loan if one new players come in?

00:08Well, I think that's definitely the case in terms of a loan at the very least, Ross, I think.

00:14Obviously, Nectar Triantus was, as I mentioned, the manager and his workloads didn't feature last night,

00:18but I think the fact that Sealt has started alongside Ballard in both the senior first-team friendlies this season

00:22tells you he's made an impression.

00:25I have to say he's used his time out of the game really, really well.

00:28He is an absolute athlete now. He's huge. So much strength.

00:33And we knew he'd be comfortable in possession when he first arrived, stepping out with the ball.

00:36We'd seen that in his opening appearances.

00:38So the fact that he's built that strength so much gives him a huge opportunity.

00:42I think the centre-out will arrive, and I think the thing for Sealt is that his age, and after so long out,

00:46I think he needs to be playing.

00:48So I'm not sure, personally, that a squad role is potentially great for Sealt this season.

00:53I think if it's clear that he's not going to get minutes, I think it's right for him to go out on loan.

00:56But I agree with you, Ross, that he's come back looking really, really strong,

01:00and putting in mind that in the long term, and I'd put Abdullahi in the same category,

01:05there are players here who could have a role in future seasons,

01:08even if this season might just come a little bit too soon.

01:12Yeah, really excited by both Sealt and Abdullahi.

01:14As for Huggins, listen, I think it's a no-brainer for the time being to have Huggins around,

01:18because he looks sharp, but so nearly produced an assist for Meander yesterday,

01:23a nice little flick from the face, set my way in the channel.

01:25Maybe just the cross was slightly too heavy for Meander, but yeah, a really good bit of play.

01:31Defensively sound, and the fact that he can cover both full-back positions,

01:34if he's fit, I think he's an absolutely huge asset to the squad.

01:37And I think that realistically, for Huggins this season, I think, yes, he'll want game time,

01:41but he just needs to stay fit and get minutes and get long spells of training under his belt.

01:46So, to me, I would like to just keep Huggins around for the foreseeable.

01:49Really, if you go out and recruit loads more defenders and more full-backs, then fair enough.

01:54But yeah, I think it's a little bit of a no-brainer to get him in the team,

01:58keep him playing.

01:59It gives me, I'm absolutely thrilled to see him back looking sharp and playing well.

02:04Okay, I'm going to wrap up fairly soon, because I've been talking on that year for quite a while.

02:09But Chris says, unfortunately, he couldn't see the game with just like a first impression of the new lads.

02:15But hopefully I've talked about Siddiqui there.

02:19Gets across the ground a lot, a lot of passion in his player, really dynamic.

02:24Likes to press, likes to tackle.

02:26Adingra, pretty much as you would expect, to be honest,

02:29likes to cut in off the right and try and get shot away, dribbles well.

02:32To be honest, quite similar, Chris, to all the left-wingers that Sunderland sign,

02:36and I think that's a good thing.

02:37They know what kind of players work in their system, and they go out and get them.

02:40So, positive signs from that.

02:42Chemstein-Talby, I have to say, had a quiet half, not reading too much into that.

02:46It was his first game, as I say, it's pre-season.

02:48One really, really good little bit of play, where he burst in off the left,

02:51drove across a couple of defenders, and had a really powerful shot.

02:54Unfortunately, it was straight at the goalkeeper who could catch it.

02:56But I think that showed that he's got pace and he's got dribbling.

02:59But he wasn't really quite able to impose himself on the game.

03:02So, I look forward to seeing a little bit more of him against Sporting Lisbon tomorrow.

03:05And I'll chat about it a bit more after that.

03:09So, yeah, I'm going to wrap it up there, because I've managed to talk for 16 minutes somehow.

03:13I'm trying to think if there's any other bits of business that I haven't mentioned.

03:17Yeah, Lorientes had his medical yesterday, I believe.

03:20So, I would expect that to be wrapped up in the not-too-distant future.

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