The alarming stat which sums up Alvarez’s struggles at Sunderland

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Ricky Alvarez has not had the desired impact at Sunderland so far.

Sunderland’s Ricky Alvarez was brought to the Stadium of Light by Gus Poyet to be the club’s match-winner this season.

The Argentine winger was expected to enhance the Black Cats’ attacking threat considerably, but he has failed to make much of an impression so far.

The Inter Milan loanee has not claimed a goal or an assist in Premier League action and his struggles are summed up by the fact that he has had just two shots on target all season.

Alvarez has made 13 appearances for the Black Cats now, but both his shots on target came in the same match – a 2-0 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers.

It is a staggering stat for someone who was expected to take on attacking responsibility for the side and it is fair to say that his impact has been minimal at Sunderland.

Although all of the blame for this cannot be his own, as Poyet seemed reluctant to utilise him regularly, it is still a poor return for someone Sunderland fans had such high expectations of before the campaign started.

Alvarez’s only goal so far came against Fulham in the FA Cup and unless he improves considerably by the end of the season it is hard to see him extending his stay on Wearside.