Sunderland can fix Ballard’s injury issues by releasing academy “leader”
Sunderland will be hoping this kid can step up in Daniel Ballard’s absence.
It’s no surprise that when Daniel Ballard went off in the second half of Sunderland’s last away game against Southampton, the Black Cats utterly collapsed.
The Sunderland number five’s absence was noticed towards the conclusion of the encounter, notably when Joe Rothwell for Russell Martin’s side scored a quickfire double to hand the Saints a 4-2 triumph. This resulted in another defeat for interim manager Mike Dodds.
The Black Cats, who have lost six consecutive Championship games, are hoping that Ballard is not out for an extended period of time.
If the ex-Arsenal youngster’s feared hamstring injury prevents him from playing, Dodds may consider bringing in additional players from the Stadium of Light to strengthen the defense.
Young talent who might replace Ballard.
Dodds isn’t hesitant to give those rising stars at Wearside a chance to shine, as seen by 16-year-old Chris Rigg starting the interim manager’s past two Championship games in the center of the park.
Henry Fieldson, an 18-year-old centre-back who has been a standout for the U21s this season, might be the next to get attention.
Fieldson, who made 50 appearances and scored two goals with the U18s, has adapted well to the U21 squad in recent seasons.
This season, Fieldson has made nine appearances in that age category, including one as a defensive midfielder against Nottingham Forest.
Fieldson was described as a “real leader” by Academy manager Robin Nicholls when signing a professional contract with Sunderland last year. Dodds may consider putting the 18-year-old in the Championship to see what he is capable of.
Everything positive that is coming out of Sunderland right now, despite their bleak second-tier situation, can be attributed to the development of great young players at the Stadium of Light.
Jobe Bellingham, in particular, continues to be a shining light amidst all the sadness and gloom on Wearside, with the ex-Birmingham City youth putting in a fantastic performance last time out despite his side’s unfortunate loss.
If Bellingham can thrive in the first-team setup at the same age as Fieldson, it would not be surprising to see the talented centre-back given opportunities to showcase his talent away from Premier League 2 action soon.
Dodds will, of course, be wary of giving too many starlets too many minutes in quick succession, with the lack of wins at the Stadium of Light making for depressing reading right now, but Fieldson could emerge and give Sunderland more options regardless, especially if Ballard is revealed to be a long-term casualty in the treatment room.
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