00:01Morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of On The Whistle
00:04where we're going to be chatting about Sunderland 0, Sport and Lisbon 1
00:07and having a look at all your questions and chatting through all the big talking points as ever.
00:11Yeah, a bit of an odd game to discuss in that although Sunderland lost
00:15I actually thought they were big positives really to come from both halves.
00:18Obviously Regis Labrice as usual in this early stage of pre-season
00:22giving two teams 45 minutes.
00:24The first half again, the kind of stronger of the two teams if you like, the more experienced of the two teams.
00:29And although they lost the half 1-0, I thought they pretty much dominated the game.
00:34The goal obviously is a really sloppy one in terms of I think the goalkeeper probably should do better.
00:39Clearly the defence gets caught out way too easily with a pretty routine long ball forward.
00:43But it's the kind of error that I don't expect to see happen in the season and to be dealt with a lot better.
00:49And other than that, I thought that Sunderland created the better chances.
00:52You know, there weren't sort of huge clear-cut chances but there were some really good openings
00:56and I thought they quite consistently opened Benfica up with the speed and the quality of their interplay.
01:02And speaking to Labrice afterwards, I think he was really, really positive and really, really encouraged
01:06by the fact that so many of these players are playing together for the first time
01:09and yet they're showing a pretty good understanding, especially in that midfield three.
01:13Yet again, on another day, Eliza Meander may be a little bit sharper, a little bit more up to match fitness.
01:19Takes one of those chances. A couple of lovely bits of play to kind of set him up.
01:24And Zola Fez, he's expected very heavily involved in that.
01:27And Sunderland to come away with, you know, a couple of goals against a really strong opposition.
01:31I think that's what's worth pointing out here.
01:33You know, Sevilla had a tough season last year and didn't have a great time in La Liga.
01:37Rotated their squad heavily on Saturday. This was pretty much Sport and Lisbon's full strength team.
01:41They have the Super Cup against Benfica literally this time next week.
01:45So this is a big game for them right on the eve of their season. They're pretty much ready to go.
01:49So for Sunderland to compete so impressively, I think is a huge positive.
01:54Now the second half, obviously, Sporting dominated the ball and were the better team.
01:58But against a young, you know, inexperienced Sunderland side, I think you would expect that to happen.
02:02Although they did have the better of it, they didn't create loads and loads of chances.
02:05So I think Sunderland's young sort of team in the second half can take some confidence really
02:09from the way they dug in and the way they limited them, kept their shape, kept their discipline.
02:14For sure, lacked a little bit of quality in the final third.
02:16And that's why they weren't able to really work the opposition goalkeeper.
02:19But definitely plenty of positives. As I say, it was, you know, the Brees never gets too carried away in a win or a defeat.
02:27But he definitely was encouraged by what he saw last night and feels this team is making some good progress.
02:32So, listen, I think it's very obvious watching this team at the moment that the depth isn't there where it needs to be for a long Premier League season.
02:38There's still a lot of positions in this team to fill, whether it's through new signings or players coming back from injury.
02:43It's clearly a little bit of a concern now that we're only just under three weeks away from the West Ham game.
02:48But I think the players that are here and the team that is in place, I think, has shown some good signs.
02:53And I think that, as I say, the quality of the play in possession was quite exciting to see, especially that midfield three,
02:58who, to be honest, look like they've been playing together for quite a long time, which clearly isn't the case.
03:03So let's have a look through some of your questions.
03:08Elias says, if Jensen Seale keeps playing well, will the hierarchy think twice about potential centre-back dealings,
03:15or is the plan to send him out on loan regardless of performances to gain experience?
03:19So I think it's a really good question, Elias, because I thought Jensen Seale was one of the big positives from the game again last night.
03:25I think, apart from maybe Enzo Le Fay, I think I would probably have made him my player of the first half.
03:31I thought he was excellent.
03:33He really looks to have used his time out in four steps and through injury really well.
03:38He's a big guy now and he uses his frame really well, but his quality in possession was excellent against a strong team.
03:43Whether it's playing a pass through the lines in midfield or out wide,
03:46or whether it's driving forward himself to make something happen, really, really exciting.
03:50And I think he's starting to look like a prospect.
03:53I actually asked Lebris about this after the game, and he sort of just said that they weren't going to rush into a decision.
03:59He was really pleased at how it's sealed, because obviously he's someone he didn't have last season.
04:02He thinks he's making really good progress, and that's obviously really encouraging.
04:06But I think they're just going to give him a little bit more time.
04:09I think it's obvious at the moment they can't afford to lose him with there being so little depth at centre-back.
04:13And so I expect that he'll play the next few games and Sunderland will just make a decision close at the end of the window.
04:18I think Sunderland will recruit at centre-half either way.
04:22I think that's obvious.
04:23I think they want a real proven top-level defender, not necessarily in the Premier League level,
04:28but sort of a top European defender, and I expect them to invest fairly significantly in that if they can.
04:33So my gut says there's still a decent chance that Seal goes out on loan towards the end of the window,
04:38because I think the most important thing for him this season is minutes.
04:41I think after so long out of the game, he just needs to be playing, and especially at his age,
04:44he needs to be experienced in senior football.
04:46So I still think that's the most likely outcome, but there's no need to rush into a decision.
04:50He can just sort of keep getting these opportunities, keep getting these minutes under his belt,
04:54whilst some of the squads still coming together.
04:57And you know, on the evidence of the last couple of days, there's absolutely no reason why he can't show that.
