Sunderland should join Cardiff City in Premier League striker chase | OneFootball

Highlights

Successive defeats to Plymouth and Huddersfield Town have halted Sunderland’s progress this season, as they battle to reach the play-offs once again.

Sunderland’s striker issues continue

Tony Mowbray has implemented a clear style of play since his arrival at the Stadium of Light, and, generally, it has been a joy to watch and successful.

They play on the front foot, look to keep the ball, and the attacking style is one that the supporters get behind.

However, one common criticism can be the lack of a plan B when things are going wrong - which is exactly what has happened in the past two games.

Sunderland had 24 shots at Home Park, and 27 against the Terriers, yet they came away with one goal to show for it.

Of course, some of that has to be put down to pure bad luck, particularly against Argyle, where the ball wouldn’t go in. But, the team should be doing more, and they don’t create the clear chances they should for the possession they have.

At times, their hand is forced. Mowbray generally favours a mobile attack, but that presents problems when a side sits deep and lets the Black Cats play, as there’s no space in behind.

Ross Stewart was a focal point for this Sunderland side in the past, and even Ellis Simms had the physicality to mix it up.

Right now, there are doubts about all the strikers and their ability to play with their back to goal, along with their finishing, with Mason Burstow, Lius Semedo, Nazariy Rusyn and Eliezer Mayenda all yet to score, which is a massive worry when you've reached December.

Sunderland should target Kieffer Moore

Clearly, a new number nine must be a priority in January, and one man the Wearside outfit should consider is Bournemouth’s Kieffer Moore.

The prospect of the giant Welsh striker joining may not appeal to some Sunderland fans, but he would give them a different dynamic in attack.

Firstly, he is a proven goalscorer at this level, having hit 20 for Cardiff a few years ago, whilst he also helped the Cherries to promotion. So, it’s a relatively low-risk move, which is important in January when you need new recruits to make an impact straight away.

Crucially though, he will give the team a focal point.

We’re not calling for Mowbray to abandon his philosophy and to start going long, but there are times when you need a target man, whether that’s to relieve pressure or to give you a presence in the box.

You can be sure that the likes of Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts would also appreciate having someone they could play off.

The first few months of the campaign has shown that Sunderland are lacking something up top, which is preventing them from competing with the very best in the Championship.

A new striker is required to rectify that in the New Year, and if Sunderland can land Moore, ahead of his former club Cardiff, he could give them a different dimension as they push for promotion.