45 accurate long balls in six games so far this season, 7.5 per 90. Van Dijk is second on 6.0 and Bruno third on 4.5.

He's played every single minute as well.

Is he the most important player in the squad right now?

(Data source: The Prism, a football scouting and analytics tool I'm currently building. Looking for testers, so feel free to sign up to the waitlist if you are interested in this type of data!)

Ultimately it's the result that counts, but overall I still thought it was a poor performance on the day. A side 4th bottom of the second tier of Portuguese football, and it took us to 92 minutes to find a winner.

I thought we were too slow on the ball in the build-up, lacked creativity for the most part until the subs were changed.

Sadiki's goal was great! Ahoka looks a decent find, but i'm still wondering what is there in Fofana and Angulo.

Times have changed on Wearside; it isn't a place for anyone, be it players or staff to take it easy anymore. At Regis Le Bris's Sunderland, you are all in, or you are out.

Not a great performance tonight but got the job done in the end. 100% record so far so can't complain. HTL

What a horrid pitch to play on but Sadiki made sure we took the three points home. The lads fought through and we know it wasn’t the best of performances but we go back home victorious. Ha’way the lads!

Lineups are in

Where is everyone gathering today in Leiria ?

Just got to the hotel, do we have any sort of Trafalgar Square-esque gathering planned?

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Torreense vs Sunderland

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I think Isidor has an important opportunity now that Brobbey is unavailable. He has already shown that he can contribute goals, and I’d like to see him make the most of his chance rather than putting too much pressure on one player. Sunderland need someone who can lead the line, hold the ball up and make life difficult for defenders. I’m hopeful he can give us that option while the squad deals with these injuries. A good performance from him could make selection decisions much more interesting when everyone is fit again.

It's a weak XI but we can bring Xhaka, Le Fee, Isidor etc off the bench if things go pear shaped. If we are able to get a few goals in the first half we could bring the likes of Tutierov, Geragusian and Proctor off the bench. We should be beating these comfortably even with a weakened XI

Former Danish national team assistant coach Thor Herdal joins SAFC to replace James B with set piece duties plus more I'm sure. Hope leads to some goals like the one we scored at Forest last season and no more free headers after a while from Brighton replicated across rest of fixtures.

Good luck and welcome!

Talbi deserves another proper chance in the team. Sunderland struggled to create much against Brighton, and I think his attacking ability could give the side something different. I understand the manager has to make difficult decisions, but leaving a player with his potential on the bench feels like a missed opportunity. Do you think Talbi could make a real difference to Sunderland’s attack?

Who here is off to Portugal tomorrow then 🔥

Anyone heard anything yet ?

Has anyone heard from the ballot for the gnk dinamo game?

Watched full match on Saturday, I know we’re down Ballard and Brobbey but our big players didn’t perform to the levels I know their capable of. Also have to do better against 10 men. Disappointing to come back to a loss after the international break, need to get some results to lift us off that side of the table.

On the bright side lovely to see those Mags get thumped by Coventry today, made my day.

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I made a post about Talbi at the start of the season because I was genuinely curious to see how Sunderland fans viewed him:

https://www.reddit.com/r/safc/s/McKqzOhV94

And honestly, a few months later, I understand the situation even less.

I thought he had a good first season at Sunderland. Then he went on to have a good World Cup with Morocco and looked like a player who was progressing.

From what Talbi himself has said, the idea of leaving didn’t really come from him. It sounds more like the club was prepared to move him on, and I still don’t really understand why.

Then when he finally got a chance this season, he scored that brilliant lob against Hull.

And after that? Basically nothing.

No real minutes, no proper run in the team.

Le Bris is playing Meunier as a winger, Angulo on the other side, Fofana gets minutes off the bench, and even in games where Sunderland clearly need something different offensively, Talbi just sits there.

That’s the part I don’t understand.

He’s still only 21. He needs minutes. How is he supposed to develop or show what he can do if he never actually gets a proper chance?

At this point it feels like Le Bris has made his mind up about him and simply refuses to change it. He seems determined to live or die by his ideas, regardless of what happens on the pitch.

Maybe I’m missing something, but from the outside this whole situation makes very little sense.

And if Le Bris genuinely has no intention of using him, then for Talbi’s career I honestly hope he gets the chance to leave and play somewhere that actually believes in him.