Matchday Musings: Midfield impress again as Sunderland’s depth is exposed at Hull

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

The lads made the trip down to Hull again this pre-season, as Regis Le Bris made two changes to the side which lost at Hearts on Saturday. Harrison Jones came in for Niall Huggins at left back while Noah Sadiki returned to midfield at the expense of Dan Neil.

The lads fell 2-1 after the hosts took advantage of our wholesale changes for the last 20 minutes, constantly menacing the hard-working but ultimately quite naive young defence.

The first half started at a more promising pace than the weekend,

which seemed very much like an exhibition match in which Sunderland were unwilling to try to match the host’s aggression. However, from the outset, we pushed higher up the pitch and looked to dictate the play.

However, the hosts should have taken the lead early on when Jenson Seelt and Harrison Jones were caught out by a direct Hull break, reminiscent of the goals conceded on Saturday.

Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images

Sadiki, Habib Diarra, and Enzo Le Fee continue to develop a solid understanding in midfield, with the trio involved in everything good (and some bad, to follow) that we created down at the MKM Stadium.

Sadiki and Diarra look like they could run all day and continue to boss midfield areas through their aggressive off-the-ball work. Both seem to spring into action before leading a long drive up the middle of the pitch that usually results in us fashioning a chance on goal.

The opener came from just that as they combined with Simon Adingra - who cut in from the left - before shifting over to the right ot Chemsdine Talbi. His ball was weighted very nicely through a small gap in three Hull players back to Adingra, who slotted away with a first-time finish.

Winger to winger pic.twitter.com/2udlwYY49u

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 29, 2025

Sadiki marshalled the midfield from deep throughout the opening half of the football and has again proven why we have spent £17 million to pry him out of Belgium.

It was also a more improved performance from Talbi, who had looked tidy in his interplay and passing so far in pre-season but, until tonight, didn’t take many risks or try and take players on. Here, he notched an assist, played a few great balls in behind the defence and took on Ryan Giles down the left-hand side both on the ball and in defence, tracking back to protect Trai Hume. He’s a work-in-progress, but it was more promising from the Moroccan tonight.

Photo by George Wood/Getty Images

However, Hull equalised within ten minutes. Le Fee dawdled while being pressed by Matt Crooks, and sliced a clearance onto the on-rushing midfielder straight to Nathan Tinsdale, who volleyed it home past Moore. It was a poor piece of play from Le Fee, who was guilty of giving the ball away and running into danger a few too many times while being pressed by Hull. He had a real Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde performance, as some of his crisp passing and first touches were sublime, marred by these poor moments.

The second half continued largely in the same vein, with Mayenda going close after some good play by Hume as Hull continued to try and look direct, giving Seelt and Jones a bit of a torrid time over the top, until the game changed in the 68th minute when Sunderland made wholesale changes and Hull took over total control.

The winning goal came from Jenson Jones being outmuscled in what looked like a man against boy challenge (probably unsurprisingly at this point in pre-season), and Niall Huggins was caught ball-watching while Kamara spread out to the right and slotted home past Moore.

We again almost conceded on the break, just three minutes later, as Hull hit the post. But generally, this was an improvement on the weekend, and Hull did play well. They looked well-drilled, fitter and had a game plan to press and break - which worked.

️ 'It's all about connections and new experiences, and we will learn.'

RLB reflects on tonight's pre-season workout at the MKM Stadium... ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/rSLNw43Bxr

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 29, 2025

However, it is abundantly clear, to me, that we require a goalkeeper and defensive reinforcements. Patterns of play will come, we will improve, and we will make mistakes. This is all about gelling, and we are playing so many pre-season games precisely because we expected to make so many transfers this summer. To help along the bedding-in process.

Reinildo Mandava, who should play his first game of pre-season against Real Betis on Saturday, will help, but two central defenders are an absolute priority. In the second half, we had a defence of Timur Tutierov, Tom Lavery, Jenson Jones and Niall Huggins. I know there are extenuating circumstances, but the current injuries to Luke O’Nien, Aji Alese and Dennis Cirkin only emphasise this further. I’m hoping there will be movement on that this week - we need it.

It is probably worth reiterating here that, ultimately, pre-season results are meaningless. Last year, we lost away to Gateshead and Bradford before having the best start to a league season for over a century. The side which is currently seeing off games has been cobbled together from what is remaining due to injuries and others’ not having joined up in time to play a part. We are currently missing 10 players and have a whole raft of new signings expected to join in the coming month - as usual, it’s probably best just to see these for what they are - games to prepare fitness and patterns of play. But defensive recruits are an immediate priority.

Starting XI: Moore; Hume, Ballard, Seelt, H. Jones; Diarra, Sadiki, Le Fee; Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra

Finishing XI: Moore; Tutierov, Lavery, J. Jones, Huggins; Roberts, Browne, Neil, Aleksic; Ogunsuyi, Abdullahi

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