League One Sunderland signed goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin on a free from Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts during the summer transfer window
Sunderland fans won’t want reminding of the goalkeeping dramas of last season.
Robbin Ruiter, Lee Camp and Jason Steele all shared the gloves for the Black Cats as they were relegated from the Championship, between them making countless errors that cost the club goals, points and a place in the second tier.
So Jon McLaughlin was supposed to be a safer pair of hands. The 30-year-old joined on a free after a stellar 2017/18 season with Hearts in which he kept 15 clean sheets and earned a debut cap for Scotland.
But Sunderland’s 4-1 win against Gillingham on Wednesday night showed that McLaughlin is capable of the sublime but also the ridiculous. The former Burton Albion goalkeeper is excellent with his feet and made a superb save from Josh Parker late on but was also caught in no man’s land as he gifted Tom Eaves the opener at Priestfield.
McLaughlin did not look a reassuring presence and seems to have difficulties commanding his area – a weakness League One clubs are certain to try to exploit.
So Sunderland fans could be in for another rollercoaster ride thanks to the man between the sticks. For every fabulous McLaughlin save, he could have hearts in mouths seconds later.
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