Sunderland’s dream starting XI if they hire Will Still as new manager

Will Still will want to leave his mark on the Sunderland team from the get-go if he is appointed as the next Black Cats boss.

Following the unexpected dismissal of former manager Tony Mowbray, Will Still is still considered the front-runner for the Sunderland job. This is a bold move in a new direction for the Tyne and Wear team.

Still has a reputation as an innovative and unconventional manager in France thanks to Stade De Reims, the 31-year-old Belgian manager who was a hero in Reims last season, helping the Ligue 1 club place 11th in the French top flight and putting him in the driver’s seat for the Sunderland position as a result.

As soon as he arrived at the Stadium of Light, the left-field manager started making an impression on the Sunderland lineup, maybe challenging Still for Patrick Roberts’ spot.

After January, his ideal XI might resemble this…

Though Sunderland’s best goalkeeper, Anthony Patterson, hasn’t missed a game this season and isn’t in danger of being benched under the prospective new manager, it wouldn’t be a significant departure either.

In a perfect world, Sunderland will keep Trai Hume after all the rumors that their star player would leave the Stadium of Light in January.

GK – Anthony Patterson

Even so, I would still like to have Hume around. The Reims manager typically arranges his team in Ligue 1 to be expansive, allowing players like Thomas Foket, a right back, to roam around and attack; according to FBRef, Foket received 6.20 progressive passes per 90 minutes last year.

RB – Trai Hume

Daniel Ballard, Hume’s teammate from Sunderland and fellow Northern Irelander, will continue to start as a crucial center-back under Still.

CB – Daniel Ballard

Ballard, who has averaged a 7.22 Sofascore rating this season, was instrumental in keeping Leeds United out of the last game, completing four clearances in all during the close 1-0 victory.

CB – Jenson Seelt

Due to Still’s predilection for young players, Luke O’Nien may be sacrificed for Jenson Seelt at the center of defense this season as a result of his team’s 24.0 average age last season, per Transfermarkt.

LB – Niall Huggins

The 20-year-old Dutchman performed admirably on the big occasion against Leeds last time out, winning five duels in total in a brave display.

CM – Luke O’Nien

O’Nien might be moved up into a midfield position under Still, particularly if Pierre Ekwah leaves Sunderland in January as a result of strong transfer interest, as TEAMTalk has reported.

O’Nien has excelled in midfield for Sunderland in the past; Still will want him in his midfield upon arrival because of his relentless and vivacious nature that wears down opponents.

CM – Alex Pritchard

At the Stadium of Light, Alex Pritchard might also catch Still’s eye. However, the current Reims manager may only be a remote observer of the feats Pritchard has so far accomplished under temporary manager Mike Dodds.

The former Huddersfield Town player played a significant role in Sunderland’s victories over West Brom and Leeds United. Against the Whites, he helped set up Jobe Bellingham’s winning goal after a misdirected header fortunately reached the team’s top player.

If Still opts for a 4-3-3 formation—as the Belgian manager has put up his team seven times this season—Pritchard would be an ideal offensive creator in this configuration.

CM – Adil Aouchiche

Adil Aouchiche, an ex-Paris St. Germain midfielder who is popular with the Black Cats fans when he plays, is another creative addition to his midfield ranks that he may still want.

Teddy Tuema, 30, has scored four goals for the Ligue 1 club this season in the center of the pitch to take the lead in scoring. The 31-year-old boss of Reims is known for his affinity for goal scorers from the center of the park.

could continue to prefer first-team mainstay Dan Neil over Aouchiche, but given the French midfielder’s prior Ligue 1 connections, the current Reims manager might be willing to shake things up.

Although Aouchiche has only scored one goal for Sunderland thus far, his offensive style could be improved under the direction of Still

RW – Kwame Poku

Still might bring some new energy to his Sunderland starting lineup if he arrives; fortunately, the transfer window is about to open for the 31-year-old should he decide to move and wants to bring in some new players.

Kwame Poku might be the kind of player Still is looking to get into his team, replacing Patrick Roberts with the outstanding player at Peterborough United.

In a Posh team that is winning League One, the dynamic Poku has seven goals and seven assists, while Roberts is still mainly ineffectual for the Championship team.

Could Still make this trade happen when he arrives? Last month, TEAMTalk spread rumors that the Black Cats were interested in signing the talented third-tier player.

ST – Ali Al-Hamadi

Even so, they may look even lower on the EFL ladder to bring in a formidable striker in January. Ali Al-Hamadi, an Iraqi international who is already a full member of the team after his goal-scoring heroics at AFC Wimbledon, is one such player.

The 31-year-old manager would be inclined to try out players like Eliezer Mayenda and Mason Burstow, who are still known for developing young strikers and making them into machines, as demonstrated with Folarin Balogun. Nevertheless, he couldn’t pass up the chance to sign Al-Hamadi.

LW – Jack Clarke

For the teams hoping to make the playoffs, losing Ekwah wouldn’t be the end of the world, but losing Jack Clarke may be terrible.

Sunderland will keep pursuing their explosive left winger in the hopes that he will stay and accept the club’s aspirations, which include a Premier League appointment for Still.

Clarke, who has 10 goals this season in the Championship, might be essential to the Black Cats’ ascent to the top division.