It has taken a few months and a transfer window or two but the Lee Johnson revolution is certainly taking shape at Sunderland.
After the Jack Ross draw-fest and a Phil Parkinson era that promised much but delivered little, the Black Cats appear to have found a coach capable of not only getting everyone pulling in the same direction but also playing the kind of free-flowing, attacking football that, until now, felt like a pipe dream at the Stadium of Light.
Last night’s 2-0 victory at League One leaders Wigan Athletic in the EFL Cup third round was Sunderland’s eighth win in ten games this season.
Sunderland’s summer signings Niall Huggins, Frederik Alves, Corry Evans, Leon Dajaku, Alex Pritchard and Nathan Broadhead all caught the eye at the DW Stadium while Dennis Cirkin, the £1 million teenager snapped up from Spurs in August, produced an inspirational performance at left-back, one full of energy, endeavour and quality.
Dennis Cirkin could be Sunderland’s ‘best signing in years’
Dublin-born Cirkin has made a huge impact in the north east, much to Johnson’s “delight”.
He was a Ben Amos save away from a wondrous solo goal on Wigan soil last night and, as Cirkin powered past opposition players with a burst of rocket-fuelled acceleration, it’s not hard to imagine why the youngster was so highly rated by Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur.
Mourinho isn’t exactly famed for his tendency to put faith in youth but he obviously saw something special in Cirkin.
Now, the 19-year-old is showcasing those talents to a wider audience on the banks of the Wear.
Here’s what some Sunderland supporters on Twitter had to say about Cirkin’s performance:
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