Why Sunderland’s new Lynden Gooch should hand in a switch request

Sunderland have endured an extremely irritating begin to the 2026/27 Premier League season after they misplaced 2-0 to Bournemouth on the Vitality on Sunday afternoon.

The Black Cats are sat within the relegation zone after seven video games and have solely gained one match within the division, which got here towards the staff immediately above them, Fulham.

Sunday’s loss to Bournemouth was a catastrophe from begin to end. Marcus Tavernier scored after six minutes and Kevin Danso was despatched off 11 minutes later, earlier than Omar Alderete’s again cross gifted Evanilson the second objective simply after the break.

5 defeats in seven video games reveals a sample of underperformance, quite than the loss to the Cherries being a uncommon off day, and that’s what is actually regarding for Regis Le Bris.

Why Sunderland are struggling this season

Brian Brobbey’s absence by means of harm has been a blow, as he scored a hat-trick in his final Premier League look towards Manchester Metropolis, however scoring objectives has been a difficulty with and with out him because the begin of final season.

The staff’s struggles this time period might be defined by their defensive regression. They’d the fourth-best defensive file within the league final season, however Daniel Ballard’s harm has disrupted their rhythm defensively.

Offensively, Sunderland had been one of many least efficient groups within the Premier League within the 2025/26 marketing campaign, regardless of ending seventh, as they ranked round relegation degree in most attacking metrics.

Now, the Black Cats are struggling as a result of they’re nonetheless blunt offensively and now they’re conceding extra objectives, having let in 14 objectives in seven matches this time period.

REUTERS/David Klein

Le Bris must discover a solution to get his assault to click on and that will imply that he must be ruthless within the subsequent switch window with a few of the gamers who’re at present underperforming.

Sunderland’s new Lynden Gooch should hand in a switch request

For instance, one of many membership’s present attacking choices appears to be like like the brand new Lynden Gooch on the Stadium of Gentle and should hand in a switch request to maneuver on from the Stadium of Gentle in January.

Gooch got here up by means of the academy system on Wearside and confirmed thrilling promise in League One with a return of 15 objectives and 12 throughout the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns.

Nonetheless, he was unable to make the step-up to the next degree and solely scored one objective in 71 matches throughout the next two seasons, earlier than being offered to Stoke Metropolis in the summertime of 2023.

Now, Chris Rigg is shortly on his solution to changing into the brand new model of Gooch as a result of he’s struggling to kick on after exhibiting such promise earlier in his profession on the membership.

The 19-year-old expertise scored 4 objectives and supplied one help in 44 matches as Sunderland earned promotion to the Premier League within the 2024/25 marketing campaign.

But, the left-footed attacking midfielder has solely scored one objective and provided one help in 26 appearances in all competitions because the begin of final season.

Within the Premier League this season, Rigg has but to provide a shot, key cross, or dribble in three appearances, regardless of beginning the 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday.

The England youth worldwide additionally began the 2-1 win over Torreense within the Europa League final Thursday night time and was unable to ship a objective or an help.

Final season, Rigg averaged 0.5 key passes and 0.7 pictures per sport throughout 18 appearances and 11 begins within the Premier League for the Black Cats, which reveals that he not often made an influence within the closing third.

Like Gooch, the 19-year-old appears to be like like he isn’t but able to ship at the next degree than he beforehand impressed at, and he’s now prone to watching his personal profession stagnate.

Rigg must play common video games to develop as a participant and he could not get these minutes if he continues to underperform within the Premier League for Sunderland, which is why a transfer away from the membership could possibly be in his greatest pursuits.

That’s the reason the academy graduate needs to be banging down Le Bris’ door at hand in a switch request, whether or not that results in a everlasting or a mortgage transfer in January.