When Sunderland entered the 2025 summer transfer window, there was a clear sense that the club meant business, with the recruitment strategy blending the signings of seasoned internationals with younger
players carrying high‑ceiling potential.
The arrivals of experienced figures brought leadership and stability, whilst the addition of emerging talents promised energy, creativity and potential for long‑term growth. It felt like the beginning of a new chapter — one shaped by balance, depth and a squad built to compete with greater consistency.
The season began in exactly that spirit.
Sunderland started brightly and several of the new signings made immediate impressions, offering glimpses of the quality and identity the club hoped to build upon. Early performances carried momentum, confidence and a sense of cohesion that suggested the summer’s work had laid strong foundations.
However, as the months unfolded, the campaign became increasingly challenging with injuries, dips in form and the natural bedding‑in period that accompanies squad turnover all playing their part in a first half of the season that proved more turbulent than anticipated.
Some of the summer arrivals have shone despite the instability, standing out as reliable performers and demonstrating why Sunderland moved so decisively to secure their signatures. Others, however, have struggled for consistency, with lapses in concentration or confidence leading directly to goals or making already demanding matches even harder for the team as a whole.
These fluctuations have shaped the narrative of Sunderland’s season so far, highlighting both the promise within the squad and the areas still in need of refinement.
What follows is a examination of each signing’s contribution, the strengths, the setbacks and the moments that have defined their campaigns, as well as an assessment of the loan players whose influence has also been significant. Together, they form the story of a team still finding its rhythm, still learning to blend experience with youth and still striving to turn potential into sustained performance.
Grace Moloney
Moloney’s arrival at Sunderland was met with a sense of excitement and reassurance.
A goalkeeper with significant WSL and WSL2 experience, international pedigree and a reputation for leadership, Moloney represented a significant step forward in Sunderland’s long‑term project. Her presence has brought authority, structure and a level of professionalism that has elevated those around her — yet her season has also been shaped by scrutiny, with moments of brilliance sitting alongside moments that have prompted debate.
Moloney’s strengths remain clear: her shot‑stopping ability is exceptional, and she’s produced several saves this season that underlines her quality; the kind that shifts momentum, lifts teammates and frustrates opponents.
Her reflexes are sharp, her bravery in one‑on‑one situations is admirable and her communication has also been a defining feature, helping to organise a somewhat young backline and instil confidence in those ahead of her.
However, Moloney’s efforts this season haven’t been without criticism.
Some supporters and analysts have pointed to a pattern of routine shots slipping through her grasp — moments that contrast sharply with the spectacular interventions she’s capable of.
These inconsistencies have sparked discussion about confidence, rhythm and adaptation to a new defensive environment. Goalkeeping is a position where perception can shift quickly, and Moloney has found herself under the microscope at times.
Another area of debate has centred on her positioning, particularly the sense that she can remain too anchored to her line in situations where a more proactive approach might relieve pressure.
Modern goalkeeping increasingly demands assertiveness in sweeping, claiming crosses and dominating the six‑yard box, and while Moloney has shown she can do these things, there have been matches where hesitation has crept in. This has fed into the wider conversation about her confidence, and especially during periods where Sunderland have faced sustained pressure.
However, it would be reductive to focus solely on these weaknesses.
Moloney’s distribution has added a new dimension to Sunderland’s transitions. Her leadership and commanding from the back has been helpful in a squad rich with youth, and her professionalism has set a benchmark for others to follow. Her season has been a blend of brilliance, vulnerability and growth, and she remains a central figure in the club’s ambitions.
Reanna Blades
Blades arrived at Sunderland as one of the most exciting young talents in the league and a player whose pace, directness and attacking instinct promised to add a new dimension to the team’s forward play, but her season has been shaped heavily by injury, with Blades spending the majority of the campaign sidelined.
Despite this, her cameos have been electric and each return to the pitch has reminded supporters of the raw potential Sunderland were so keen to harness.
Blades’ energy is unmistakable.
Even after long spells out, she’s demonstrated sharpness, intent and a willingness to take responsibility in the final third. Her ability to carry the ball at speed, to commit defenders and inject urgency into the attack has been invaluable in tight matches — and she has the rare ability to change the tempo instantly, with her presence alone forcing opposition defences to adjust their shape.
Blades has also shown signs of maturity in her decision‑making.
Earlier in her career, she relied heavily on her pace but at Sunderland — even during her limited appearances —she’s demonstrated a more nuanced understanding of when to drive forward, when to combine and when to recycle possession.
This evolution has made her a more complete player, but the frustration lies in the lack of consistent game time.
Blades’ injuries have prevented her from building rhythm, developing partnerships and showcasing her full range of abilities. Yet the bursts of acceleration, clever movement and the confidence to take on defenders all point to a player with enormous potential. Sunderland’s patience with her development is well-placed, and her ceiling remains exceptionally high.
Blades’ season may not have unfolded as planned but her impact has been undeniable. Once fully fit, she has the tools to become a central figure in Sunderland’s long‑term attacking identity, and the club’s belief in her remains unwavering.
Rhiannon Roberts
Roberts’ signing was one of the most significant of Sunderland’s summer window, bringing leadership, experience and a calm defensive presence.
Her early‑season performances were composed, authoritative and tactically assured. She read danger superbly, organised the backline with clarity and offered the kind of reliability that allowed Sunderland to build from a position of stability. Yet Roberts’ season has been defined by a turning point — the wrist injury that disrupted her rhythm and altered the trajectory of her performances.
Prior to the injury, Roberts looked every inch the seasoned international Sunderland had recruited.
Her timing in challenges, aerial strength and ability to marshal the defensive line were all evident. She brought a sense of calm that helped younger players settle and her leadership was visible in every phase of play. Her distribution — particularly her ability to play measured balls over the top and between defensive lines — added a valuable attacking outlet, allowing Sunderland to bypass pressure and exploit space with intelligence.
However, upon her return from injury, Roberts struggled to recapture that early form as her confidence appeared to dip and with it came moments of hesitation and misjudgment.
She was caught stepping forward at the wrong times, leaving space in behind, and a handful of errors led directly to goals — moments that can weigh heavily on any defender, let alone one returning from a layoff. The sharpness that defined her early performances took time to re‑emerge, and the scrutiny that followed was inevitable.
However, it would be unfair to overlook what Roberts continues to offer.
Her vision remains one of her greatest assets. Few defenders in the league can pick out forward passes with her level of precision, and her ability to break lines with a single ball continues to be a vital part of Sunderland’s attacking transitions. Even when confidence wavers, her technical quality and football intelligence remain intact.
Roberts’ season, then, is best understood as a blend of early excellence, mid‑season struggle and ongoing adaptation. Injuries can disrupt rhythm in ways that statistics rarely capture, and defenders often face harsher judgement because their mistakes are so visible.
What remains undeniable is her value to the squad — not only in terms of what she offers on the pitch, but in the experience and leadership she brings to a young, ambitious team still forging its identity.
Izzy Atkinson
Atkinson’s arrival at Sunderland was met with considerable excitement and her early performances justified that anticipation.
A dynamic, technically gifted player capable of operating as a full back or winger, Atkinson brought pace, creativity and intelligence to Sunderland’s left side. Yet like Blades, her season has been shaped by injury, limiting her minutes but not her impact.
Atkinson began the season in perfect fashion, scoring in the opening match against Sheffield in a moment that showcased her timing, composure and attacking instinct. Her ability to drive forward, take on defenders and deliver dangerous crosses made her an immediate threat, and her versatility gave Sunderland valuable tactical flexibility.
Her injury layoff was a blow — both for her and for the team — but her return was nothing short of dramatic.
Coming back into the side as a substitute against Ipswich, Atkinson scored the winner, underlining her ability to deliver in decisive moments. Even after time out, she returned with sharpness, confidence and a willingness to impose herself on the game.
Atkinson’s energy has been infectious.
She covers large areas of the pitch, tracks back diligently and contributes to both phases of play. Her intelligence in combining with teammates, creating overloads and exploiting space has added a spark whenever she’s been on the pitch.
Her season has been one of frustration and flashes of brilliance, but the latter far outweighs the former. Sunderland know exactly what they have in Atkinson: a dynamic, intelligent and technically gifted player whose best football is still ahead of her.
Jamie Finn
Finn’s arrival at Sunderland was one of the most astute pieces of business the club conducted in the summer window.
A player blessed with versatility, intelligence and a strong tactical understanding, she’s become a central figure in Sunderland’s midfield. Her ability to operate in multiple roles — whether as a defensive midfielder or a box‑to‑box presence — has given the team a level of flexibility that’s been crucial throughout the season.
Finn’s reading of the game is exceptional.
She anticipates danger early, intercepts passes and breaks up opposition attacks with intelligence and composure. Her positioning is consistently excellent and her awareness allows her to make crucial interventions at important moments.
Her passing has also been a standout feature of her game.
Finn is composed on the ball, capable of maintaining possession under pressure and confident enough to attempt ambitious forward balls when the opportunity arises. This balance has made her a key figure in Sunderland’s build‑up play, and her ability to dictate the tempo has been invaluable.
Although Finn has brought intelligence, discipline and tactical clarity to Sunderland’s midfield, it would be disingenuous to ignore the areas where her season has shown limitations.
The most persistent challenge has been the unavoidable comparison with her predecessor in Jenna Dear — a player whose energy and unpredictability often lit up matches and whose flair provided a natural counterbalance to Natasha Fenton’s more defensive instincts.
Dear and Fenton worked as a kind of footballing duality, the “yin and yang” of Sunderland’s midfield, with Dear capable of extraordinary, improvised moments that shifted the rhythm of games. Finn, in contrast, is closer to Fenton’s profile: structured, disciplined and defensively aware, but less inclined to take risks or inject the kind of attacking spark that Dear routinely offered.
As a result, there have been matches where Finn and Fenton have appeared too similar in function, leading to a midfield that can feel steady but predictable, industrious but lacking in variation.
This has fuelled the argument that Sunderland may be better served by selecting one or the other rather than pairing two players whose strengths overlap more than they compliment each other. Finn’s reliability is unquestioned but the absence of Dear’s flair has made the contrast more pronounced, and it’s highlighted the need for greater balance in the centre of the pitch.
That said, Finn’s mentality is one of her greatest strengths.
She plays with determination, resilience and a sense of purpose, and has shown a willingness to take responsibility in difficult moments. Her leadership has been evident both on and off the pitch, and her influence has helped to elevate the performances of those around her.
Marissa Sheva
Although Sheva didn’t join Sunderland in the summer window, having arrived in March 2025, her impact has been so significant that she deserves to be included in any review of the club’s recent recruitment. She’s brought energy, dynamism and a relentless work ethic to Sunderland’s forward line, and her performances have been among the most influential since her arrival.
Sheva’s pace and movement have been key features of her game.
She stretches defences, makes intelligent runs in behind and creates space for her teammates. Her timing and awareness have allowed her to get into dangerous positions, and her presence has forced defenders to adjust their positioning.
Her work rate is exceptional. She presses aggressively, tracks back diligently and contributes to the team’s defensive structure. Her energy has been crucial in maintaining Sunderland’s intensity, and her willingness to work for the team has been widely praised.
Sheva’s technical ability has also been impressive.
She’s comfortable on the ball, capable of taking on defenders and confident enough to attempt ambitious passes and shots. Her creativity has added a new dimension to Sunderland’s attacking play, and her decision‑making has improved significantly since joining the club.
Her early performances for Sunderland were among the brightest of the season’s opening weeks, with her relentless energy and direct running giving the team a cutting edge that unsettled opponents and set the tone for the attacking press. She looked sharp, confident and fully in sync with the players around her, often acting as the spark that ignited Sunderland’s forward momentum.
However, after returning from the first international break with Ireland, Sheva struggled to recapture that initial form.
Her decision‑making became inconsistent and she was increasingly guilty of conceding possession by choosing the wrong pass or attempting combinations that left her on a different wavelength to her teammates. Moments of indecision on the ball led to her being dispossessed in dangerous areas, disrupting Sunderland’s rhythm and placing unnecessary pressure on the midfield behind her.
Yet in the last few matches before the break, Sheva began to rediscover some of that early‑season sharpness, pressing with greater clarity, linking play more effectively and showing glimpses of the influence she can exert when fully confident.
If she can build on that, Sheva will be a key figure in Sunderland’s second half of the season, offering the dynamism and work rate that make her such a valuable component of the squad.
Hannah Greenwood
Since joining Sunderland, Greenwood has quietly but steadily become one of the most intriguing and important members of the squad.
While some signings arrive with noise and expectation, Greenwood’s impact has been defined by consistency, intelligence and a maturity that belies her age. She’s slotted into the team with a calm assurance, offering reliability in possession, defensive discipline and a growing confidence that’s made her one of the more dependable performers during a turbulent first half of the season.
Greenwood’s versatility has been one of her most valuable assets.
Capable of operating as a full back or in a more advanced wide role, she’s given Sunderland tactical flexibility at a time when injuries and fluctuating form have forced regular adjustments to the starting eleven.
Her understanding of defensive positioning is particularly impressive; she reads danger early, tracks runners diligently and rarely gets caught ball‑watching. This awareness has helped stabilise Sunderland’s defensive structure, especially in matches where the team has had to absorb pressure for sustained periods.
On the ball, Greenwood has shown composure and clarity. She isn’t a player who panics under pressure, instead demonstrating a willingness to recycle possession, pick sensible passes and maintain the team’s shape.
Her decision‑making has been one of her standout qualities and has allowed Sunderland to build attacks with greater patience and control.
While she may not yet possess the explosive attacking output of some of her teammates, her contributions are measured, intelligent and increasingly influential. There’s a sense that she’s growing into her role with each passing game, becoming more confident in stepping forward and supporting the attack when opportunities arise.
What’s been particularly notable is Greenwood’s consistency in a season defined by inconsistency elsewhere.
While others have struggled with form, fitness or confidence, Greenwood has maintained a steady level of performance that’s earned the trust of both teammates and coaching staff. She rarely makes rash decisions, rarely loses her composure and rarely allows the occasion to overwhelm her. This steadiness has been invaluable in a squad that has, at times, lacked continuity due to injuries and tactical reshuffles.
Greenwood’s mentality has also stood out, and she plays with a quiet determination, showing resilience in difficult moments and a willingness to take responsibility when needed.
Her work rate is excellent, her attitude exemplary, and her ability to adapt to different roles and demands has made her a key figure in Sunderland’s evolving system. There’s also a sense that she’s still only scratching the surface of her potential and that with more experience and confidence, she could become one of the most complete players in the squad.
As Sunderland look ahead to the second half of the season, Greenwood’s importance will only grow.
Her reliability, intelligence and adaptability make her a crucial component of the team’s defensive and transitional play, and her continued development will be essential as Sunderland aim to become more competitive, more cohesive and more consistent. Greenwood may not always be the headline‑maker, but she is undoubtedly one of the players who gives Sunderland their structure, their balance and their sense of calm.
In a season of turbulence, she’s been one of the steadying forces and her trajectory suggests she’ll be even more influential in the months to come.
Loan Signings: Keira Barry, Tara O’Hanlon and Evie Rabjohn
The final part of Sunderland’s recruitment strategy has been the intelligent use of the loan market, bringing in players who not only fill immediate needs but also elevate the team’s overall quality. Barry, O’Hanlon and Rabjohn have each played important roles this season, contributing in different ways and at different stages of the campaign.
Barry, who was on loan from Manchester United, had been one of the standout performers, and her composure, intelligence and technical quality have made her a key figure in Sunderland’s midfield.
She’s showed maturity beyond her years, dictating play, breaking lines with her passing and contributing defensively with discipline and awareness. Her ability to control the tempo has been invaluable and her performances had prompted discussions about whether Sunderland might seek to extend her loan, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be and Barry returned back to United. However, she leaves having made an impact of the squad and supporters. We wish her all the best.
Manchester City loanee O’Hanlon, meanwhile, had brought energy and versatility.
Capable of operating as a full back or centre back, she demonstrated composure under pressure and a willingness to engage physically. Her reading of the game had improved throughout the season, and her ability to step into midfield or support attacks added a useful dimension to Sunderland’s play.
Unlike Barry, O’Hanlon didn’t see enough game time to truly make a significant impact, but she will have gained experience from playing in a very physical and competitive league. Like Barry, she returned back to her parent club this month.
Rabjohn, also was at Sunderland on what was meant to be a season‑long loan from Manchester United, had quietly been impressive.
Her athleticism, intelligence and defensive instincts had made her a reliable performer in the squad, and her ability to cover ground, make crucial interventions and contribute to the Lasses’ build‑up play had been supportive to Sunderland’s defensive structure, despite what has been a difficult half season.
Rabjohn had shown that she is capable of playing at a high level, and Sunderland have benefited from her presence. She put in a particularly impressive performance against Durham Women in the Subway Cup
Together, these loan players have added depth, quality and tactical flexibility.
They’ve contributed in meaningful ways, helping Sunderland navigate injuries, maintain competitiveness and build momentum.
Conclusion: Let’s aim to kick on!
As Sunderland Women move into the second half of the campaign, the significance of the months ahead can’t be overstated. The first half of the season has been shaped by frustration, injuries, moments of brilliance and moments of disappointment, but it’s also laid the foundations for what comes next.
Each one of the summer signings has contributed in some way.
Now they have the opportunity to shape the club’s trajectory in a way that feels both urgent and full of possibility. The squad is stronger, deeper and more experienced than it was a year ago, and the return of key players from injury adds a sense of renewed momentum.
The impact made by these players could’ve been greater but in a Sunderland team that’s struggled as a whole so far this season, it was always going to be difficult for some to stand out and to not be roped into the standards of performance of the ten other players on the pitch.
When times are difficult, patience is thin and players aren’t always given an extensive period of grace — even when they’re new to the club.
For Moloney, the coming months offer the chance to reassert her authority, rebuild confidence and demonstrate the consistency that has defined much of her career
For Roberts, it’s an opportunity to rediscover the composure and clarity she showed before her injury and to remind supporters of the leadership and vision she brings. For Atkinson and Blades, the second half of the season represents a clean slate, a chance to build rhythm, stay fit and translate their flashes of sharpness into sustained influence. Elsewhere, Finn and Sheva will continue to drive the standards, set the tone and anchor the team’s identity.
What Sunderland need now is cohesion, confidence and continuity.
The ingredients — experience, youth, energy, technical quality and a collective desire to push the club forward — are there, and the challenge is to convert those ingredients into performances that reflect the team’s potential.
The second half of the season isn’t simply about results. It’s about identity, resilience and the belief that Sunderland can compete with greater consistency and ambition.
