Adam says…
I believe he can be a useful asset going forward with the number of games, or he could be sold for a reasonable profit. His start to the season was brilliant and his end was still solid with his goalscoring record.
He may want a tad more game time elsewhere — however, I’d keep him as he add something a bit different to Brian Brobbey.
Six goals as a striker is still a good record. He can still be a handful in certain games too, so I’d keep him.
David Elliott says…
I would love Isidor to stay for many reasons.
Above all,
he offers something completely different when he’s used in conjunction with Brian Brobbey. He’s also one of only a few Sunderland players prepared to have a shot and we all know that if you don’t shoot, you don’t score.
He’s a confidence player, but that’s part of the striker’s lot. And the mutual love between him and the supporters means he should stay and enjoy another season in the Premier and a European campaign.
He’s an important member of our squad and he offers a lot.
Joe says…
I worry about the dry spells he seems to have every winter, but he really showed his impact off the bench at the end of last season. It was good to see as I expect it’ll be a large part of his role next season.
He shoots on sight and his finishing is top — being a side that creates fewer chances, that’s a great attribute to have.
He feels like the perfect compliment to Brobbey, with both playing of them some of their best stuff right now. We’ll need three competent strikers going into the new season and having Isidor alongside Brobbey is as strong a start as we can have.
John Wilson says…
Sometimes you see something in a player close up that makes you realise just how skilful and talented they are.
I’ve seen Isidor many times, close to the corner flag where I sit. His first touch is superb; I’ve inwardly said “wow” on many occasions, and he’s a brilliant technician.
Then, you watch him more closely and try to analyse why a few supporters think he’s ‘lazy’ or not worth keeping. The truth is that he’s constantly making runs that many teammates don’t spot. It must be infuriating for a forward to make a diagonal run or break through the middle, and for nobody to see you.
I thought the answer arrived in Granit Xhaka, who assisted Isidor two or three times earlier in the season, as does Enzo Le Fée…but then Brobbey came along. I still think it makes huge sense to have options in all positions, and without doubt, Wilson offers variations that Brobbey doesn’t — and I know from interviews that Régis Le Bris recognises Isidor’s contribution to the squad.
Off the field, he’s a positive squad member. An absolute no-brainer for me — give the lad a pay rise and keep him.
Malc Dugdale says…
I think Isidor is different enough from Brian Brobbey and good enough as a player to retain as a second striker, but I fully expect that we may sell Eliezer Mayenda and bring in other options.
I’d hesitate with this statement but that walk round the pitch after Chelsea said more than anything else for me.
Isidor had his first child last year and that’s massive for anyone — he’s human and we have to consider his real
life challenges too. Combine that with becoming a Premier League footballer at a club that he clearly adores, and his performance across the season was more than decent.
Most importantly the bloke “gets Sunderland”
He loves the fans and the club and is a fundamental part of the project that’s got us to where we are now. But unlike a few recent exits, he’s a player I don’t think we should move on unless some stupid money is tabled after that absolute thunderb*stard of a goal for Haiti.
The chances of stupid money are now massively increased after scoring like that in the biggest tournament in world football, but my hope is we retain Brobbey and Isidor and build around them to give us the best chance of further league success, a sniff at the cups and the Europa League too.
Matthew Donne says…
I think Isidor is a very valuable member of the squad and who had a tough season, going from being a main starter to more of a squad role.
He offers a very different profile to Brian Brobbey and only finished one goal behind him despite most of his appearances being off the bench. There were accusations that he wasn’t trying as much as he perhaps could during the season but he’s a player that’s got fantastic finishing ability and scary pace on the break.
I think he’ll feature more in the upcoming with the European schedule and there will naturally be games where his profile fits perfectly.
A must-have in the squad, for me!
Mark Ryan says…
In a beautiful red and white world, Isidor is our Ole Gunnar Solskjær — a smiling assassin off the bench and in spot starts.
His speed and finishing makes him a perfect complement for Brian Brobbey, and we probably can’t adequately replace him for the money we can sell him for. There’s a chance, though, his value may never be higher.
Both the club and Isidor could be leaving money on the table if they don’t make the move now, and, like all strikers, “Bangers Only” Isidor probably wants to be the man somewhere.
I don’t begrudge him that. I hope he stays, but I’ll understand if he doesn’t.
Paul Lee says…
A scorer of great goals, not a great goalscorer”, as my mate Geoff describes him.
If he’s happy and motivated to be a squad and impact player, there’s a case for him to stay. He’s given us some magic moments and some not-so-magic moments (Burnley away, and the penalties).
He’s such a likeable lad but the executive, recruitment team and manager have shown that there’s no sentiment when it comes to player retention. I don’t know enough about his personal, family circumstances which seemed to have affected his form last season, and this may still affect the situation.
Either way, stay or go, I wish him the very best. He deserves it.
Ricky Clucas says…
I absolutely love him and I can’t think of a genuine reason to move him on unless he kicks up a major stink, which seems unlikely.
He needs to stay purely because he’s the most Europa League striker I think I’ve ever come across. He feels custom-made for the competition to the point it’s surprising he’s never played for Unai Emery before.
As an aside, if he does stay, we all have to agree to stop suggesting he was out of form because he’s had a bairn. That wouldn’t be accepted as an excuse if some of my Excel pivot tables were erroneous, and it shouldn’t be accepted here.
He can blow hot and cold, as with most strikers, but when he’s at it, he’s a joy to watch.
Tom Albrighton says…
For me, it makes sense to hold onto Isidor — for a multitude of reasons.
As Sunderland head into the uncharted waters of European football, one thing we’re guaranteed to need is plenty of bodies. One box ticked.
The next thing we need is someone who can chip in with goals over the season as the reality for next season is that if we want to develop as a squad, we need to add more goals.
Late in the season, there was a notable shift in Sunderland’s attack which Régis Le Bris didn’t shy away from — with that, we saw a more potent Isidor as our points of attack and style changed.
His return of six league goals last season doesn’t stand out but given his role as a bit-part player, it certainly isn’t to be sniffed at. If we could eke out another four or five goals from him, it would be a second box ticked.
The final box that needs to be ticked is the vibes box, and Isidor brings nothing but joy to this squad and to the fans. His infectious enthusiasm is something that can’t be overlooked and as our squad will invariably change yet again, keeping some level of continuity is key.
The final point which sticks out for me is that if we were to sell Isidor, how much would we realistically get?
After that, if we want a 10+ goal-a-season striker that isn’t going to play ninety minutes every week, can we replace him for the same fee or less?
Wadey says…
I love Isidor and he loves us.
As a foil to Brian Brobbey, I think he’s spot on. He provides a different option and a different problem for defences — sometimes that’s a deciding factor in winning games. If either starts and doesn’t get quite what we’d want from the opposition defence then the other comes in on sixty minutes and changes the dynamic.
His goal against Morocco doesn’t change a lot for me but I was delighted with the goal — what a strike. But then we knew he had that in his locker anyway, didn’t we?
I would 100% try to keep him.
If we swap him out for someone else, we would need to pay far more than we’d get for Isidor, and it doesn’t make financial sense to me. If Eliezer Mayenda goes, we’ll need more cover, but where do you get a Premier and Europa League-ready striker from? Every other team is trying to find one, let alone two!
Stay with us, Wilson. We love you more than them!
Will Patterson says…
I think when you look at Isidor’s future, you’re likely looking at him or Eliezer Mayenda.
They’re both valuable in offering a different option to Brian Brobbey, but are likely not going to be replacing him in the starting lineup anytime soon.
If I’m a centre back and I’ve got either the Haitian or the Big Man coming on after wrestling Brobbey for 75 minutes, that’s a serious headache and so one of them needs to stay. As we become a more known factor in the Premier League, the need for these options is much greater.
I love his pace and think his finishing is really underrated, but consistency is an issue.
For me, at twenty five and coming off a World Cup, his value will never be higher. For me, I’d cash in on him and put faith in Mayenda, who’s four years younger and I think may have a higher ceiling.
