Gav says…
A lot probably depends on where we finish the season, so it’s probably a little too early to say.
If we — and I know this sounds utterly mental — manage to qualify for Europe, the demands on the squad will be far greater than if we’re just competing for domestic honours next season, so that probably changes how we recruit and also how many players we’re prepared to lose.
Still, I think the writing is probably on the wall for Isidor.
I’ll be sad to see him leave, but he’s going to be twenty six in the
summer and there’s absolutely no way that he’s been happy and content to just sit on the bench and be third choice this season. He’s a striker; they all have huge egos and he knows that there are plenty of clubs out there who would absolutely love for him to play for them, so I guess he could walk away from Sunderland, say “job done” and move on to the next challenge.
I think that Mayenda, at twenty years old, needs to be kept around the squad and dropped in and out in the way he has been this season.
Again, he probably wants to be playing every week but it’s very easy to forget just how young he is, and not many lads his age have had as much game time in the Premier League this season.
He’a going to get better with time and I already think he has shown he is capable in the Premier League, so there’s no way I’d be loaning him out or even considering a sale — he’s got far too much potential for us to be making rash calls.
Ciaran McKenna says…
Both Isidor and Mayenda have earned themselves a lot of credit with me in the short time they’ve been here. They were integral to our promotion last season and became two of my favourite players. However, it perhaps hasn’t worked out perfectly for either of them this year.
Mayenda has done better, in my opinion, despite the lower number of goals he’s scored. The ‘Big Man’ has looked much more dangerous when on the pitch — dynamic, energetic and a handful for the defenders in most of his outings — but he hasn’t been much of a goal threat, which is ultimately what your striker needs to be.
He can be as lively as he wants but if he isn’t putting the ball in the net on a regular basis, I’m not sure if he could be upset if we buy another striker.
That said, I’d still keep Mayenda. We know he has a really high ceiling and at only twenty years old, he can only get better. He’s shown glimpses of Premier League quality and it’s definitely worth keeping him on Wearside — but Isidor is a different story.
At the start of the season, he scored four goals in pretty quick succession, showing the potential to be a first choice Premier League striker. But since then, he’s been a shadow of himself, looking disinterested and vacant, and whenever he’s been given a chance, he hasn’t been pressing when out of possession or being anything of an attacking threat when he has the ball.
I feel for him.
His clear lack of confidence is having a negative impact on his performances, but due to those bad performances, he’s seen significantly fewer minutes and hasn’t really had a genuine chance to get on the score sheet and improve his confidence. Something of a negative cycle, I guess, but a lack of confidence doesn’t excuse his poor work rate.
With that in mind, I think a change of scenery might be better for both himself and the club. Hopefully Isidor will become the first choice somewhere and get his mojo back, and it would probably be of benefit to the club, too. They’ll be satisfied that the player got a good move and would also be in a better position to go in for another striker in the summer.
If Isidor does leave, I’ll be sad to see him go. He’s great lad who really bought into the club, and he can definitely be proud of his time in red and white.
John Wilson says…
I personally feel that both Mayenda and Isidor have different qualities and attributes that give us varying options in attack.
Attackers — probably more than a goalkeeper or in any other position on the field — are confidence-driven players. They need to feel confident in their own ability and if they aren’t being picked or barely getting minutes, it can’t be good for their ego or self-belief.
Brobbey is rightly our first choice at the moment and I’d love to see him working alongside Isidor or Mayenda, but it’s not a formation we can often use in the Premier League — yet I do think they’ve both shown glimpses of skill that I’d like to keep at the club.
Isidor in particular suffers from the team not playing to his strengths. If someone can be brought in who eclipses these two, obviously that’s a no-brainer, but to be honest, my heart has never sunk when either have been used as a sub this season.
The club always does what’s best for the individual — if they’re unhappy and want a move, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of takers, but as I say, unless we can unearth the next Kevin Phillips or Ross Stewart, I wouldn’t be devastated if we persevered with both.
Malc Dugdale says…
I’m fully expecting Isidor to move on in the summer — much as I’m gutted it’s coming — and as I’ve mentioned in other items, he inspired our family so much that we named one of our back garden chickens in his honour!
Isidor was a revelation when he arrived but he seems to be a player who only really has a half a good season and can spend the rest of a season struggling. He hasn’t really found form at this level amid the limited chances he’s been given, and his time has come to take on a new chapter.
I’d like the club to sell him to a club where he can really thrive, as I do think once he gets used to being a new dad and a top footballer, he’ll potentially resume his epic past contributions to games.
When it comes to Mayenda, I think he should stay. He’s good enough to do well and has enough potential to learn from Brobbey and the coaches, and kick on next season. If Brobbey gets an injury, he may well get a chance this season or next, and the ability for him to step up is arguably less disruptive than a new man coming in.
If we get to the winter window and Mayenda has struggled for game time due to his own form or others coming in and displacing him, maybe loan him out, but he’ll only develop by playing, and we can develop him alongside the big Dutchman, for sure.
A lot of what Brobbey does now, Mayenda did for us last season — the hold-up play and strength, the lung-busting runs and the goals — and I think he can learn from Brobbey and add a few other facets of play that he can offer and others can’t.
Can’t wait to see how it pans out. Exciting times ahead!
