Ben McKevitt says…
The Lads stepped up!
Among all the new signings, there were some questions over whether our Wembley heroes could compete at this level, but they immediately demonstrated their ability in the Premier League.
Dan Ballard, Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda’s goals were galvanised by another typical colossal defensive performance from Ballard, and it’s an absolute thrill to see them thriving.
The fans roar the team on
The fans were on absolute top form and it’s exactly what we need to drive us through this campaign.
It won’t be particularly difficult
to keep it up if the performances are always this good, but it’s very promising to see as we’ll face tougher challenges this season.
Jenson Seelt’s injury
Seelt was entrusted with his Premier League debut from the first whistle and it was truly unfortunate that despite a promising pre-season, it’s injury that cut that opportunity short again for the big Dutchman.
Hopefully he can rebound and it’s not a serious setback.
No second negative!
…
John Wilson says…
Sunderland are back!
The stadium. The sun. The new strips like first day at school. The buzz. The tifo. The Premier League. The excitement and tension, and just being here!
Many hard times to come — but we’re back. Happy days. What a game. Dream world!
New heroes emerge
We have new heroes to follow — the three scorers were heroes from last season — but if I had to pick a standout, for me it was Omar Alderete.
He changed the game at the back after coming on for Jenson Seelt. What a commanding figure, but they were heroes to a man.
Ongoing team bonding
We can only get better, and in many respects it’s obvious, but with seven players making debuts, they’re never going to click and be making that extra run to cover or help a teammate.
That comes with time and experiencing success and adversity together, but it seemed to take us forty five minutes!
Say what?!
The loudspeakers were muffled, but happy days!
Lars Knutsen says…
Raw energy and no fear
That performance symbolised the best attitude from a newly promoted side — a bit full of themselves having achieved promotion in great style, and this feeling ran through the whole team, not just the players who represented Sunderland last season.
We played without fear and with a raw energy that just blew West Ham away. I know Graham Potter has underperformed as manager, but the Hammers are a solid Premier League team that have recently won a European trophy.
The intensity of our play combined with the noise of the crowd just made sure that our opponents were overawed and eventually totally nullified.
Last season’s key figures stand tall
I’m happy with our new signings, but I was a little concerned about how we would blend as a team. No trepidation was seen from any of the players, though, and they were lifted by the 46,000 crowd.
We were solid in defence, Robin Roefs kept a clean sheet on his debut, our midfield couldn’t be faulted for both style and purpose, and new captain Granit Xhaka must be on a real high now.
Dan Ballard was man of the match and scored with another towering header, and I was also delighted for young Eliezer Mayenda and his substitute Wilson Isidor, who both picked up where they left off last season.
In the context of the new dressing room, it was great to see our familiar scorers asset themselves in our first Premier League game for over eight years.
No worries now about their transition to the next level, and there must be a new respect for the talent already at the club among the players we’ve brought in over the summer.
A goalless first half — shock horror!
No first half goals…only joking!
Bad luck for Jenson Seelt
The Seelt injury is a worry, but Omar Alderete proved a capable replacement.
Lee Morrison says…
Rewards for our promoted contingent
Although every single player deserves praise, there was something poetic about seeing goals from those who’ve been in the trenches with us.
Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and WilsonIsidor deserved all the plaudits and took their goals brilliantly and I couldn’t be happier for them.
Sunderland’s strength of character
The first half was tense but I was so pleased with the determination of our squad.
We need to remember that the team hasn’t had long together, and if this is how we played in the first game, there are exciting times ahead.
Tackles weren’t shirked, and we were clearing the ball with ease, showing all the signs of a squad who belongs in this league.
A slight dip in the atmosphere
Hearing Wise Men Say before kick off caused goosebumps and we really did act as the twelfth man, but if had to offer one piece of criticism, it’d be after half time where there was a slight lull.
I appreciate that half time pints are part of the routine but we need to remember that we’re playing nineteen cup finals here. Sing your hearts out from minute one until minute ninety!
Jenson Seelt’s injury
On BBC Newcastle, Régis Le Bris said that initial signs for Seelt were not too serious, but it’s never pleasant to see someone having to come off.
Seelt — although he might end up not playing at this level — deserves praise for his performance and composure during this game. He’s done really well to step up and support the squad.
Malc Dugdale says…
The promotion winners rise to the occasion
This was a massive occasion with seven new starters, but the fact that the three goals were scored by the lads from our promotion was massive for me and I’m sure for them.
The new lads did a cracking job but the blend of old and new took us to the next level.
Amazing.
Our new boys took the baton and ran with it!
I was really impressed with the new players and given the churn in the team, to deliver a performance like that was something we dared not dream of.
My favourite had to be Habib Diarra. He could’ve scored and was a perennial pest in the middle of the park, tracking back and pushing up when he could or needed to.
Amazing output and cohesion for such a new collective, for which the head coach and staff have to take a lot of credit.
A goalkeeping masterclass
Robin Roefs had a cracker of a game, really commanding his box and making quality saves when needed.
You have to feel for Anthony Patterson but based on yesterday, you can see why the Dutchman has grabbed the number one spot.
We finally have real depth of quality in the green jumper and that has to be a plus.
Plenty of fighting spirit
There was a spell late in the first half when the Hammers upped their game and the grit the team showed was that of a group who’ve been together way longer.
They grafted their arses off and found a way to get to half time with no goals conceded. In the second half, whatever the gaffer did changed things massively and the result was something to cherish.
I’m just gutted I couldn’t get up for this one and experience this — although with this performance, we have to think very positively for the season to come.
