This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Two wins from 12 under Phil Parkinson is the sorry tale of Sunderland’s last few months.
It’s a wretched run of form that’s seen the club score just 13 goals in that time. They’ve also conceded 18 strikes.
Nothing seems to be going right on Wearside and fans are already on the back of the man who only replaced Jack Ross in October.
Therefore, a January transfer window could be incredibly beneficial for Sunderland, especially with the financial backing of Juan Sartori. However, there is a considerable amount of work to do before they can improve their fortunes completely.
One of the names to be linked with the club in recent days is exciting West Brom youngster Rayhaan Tulloch.
A number of clubs, including Leeds, are interested in taking the prodigy on loan but there are also Premier League sides swooping over a permanent transfer.
It’ll be a hotly contested chase for his signature but judging by the characteristics and attributes he possesses, he certainly has the ability to fit into a Sunderland team that Josh Maja thrived in.
The 20-year-old, who has five goals for Bordeaux this term, is being sorely missed. By the time he departed the Stadium of Light last January, he’d racked up 15 goals and the Black Cats had lost just once with him in the team.
That isn’t to say that Tulloch could replicate that impact, but their styles are very alike.
The Sunderland Echo describes the 19-year-old as a quick, direct and skilful striker – three attributes that directly correlate with Maja.
In a piece put together by Total Football Analysis, it notes the former Sunderland man’s ability to get in behind, highlighting his pace to latch onto through balls.
Instead of finding a teammate, Maja was someone who would use his direct style to find a quick route to goal. In many ways, Tulloch is the same.
In Premier League 2 this term, the Baggies frontman has notched four goals in just nine appearances, demonstrating his ability to find the back of the net when presented with the opportunity.
The 19-year-old has never played a senior game in his career but youthful exuberance and a willing desire to run and cause a nuisance for defenders is exactly what Sunderland are lacking.
Their joint-top goalscorers, Chris Maguire and Aiden McGeady, only have six this term while Will Grigg is misfiring and has just a solitary strike to his name in League One.
Speaking in 2018, Albion’s former academy manager Mark Harrison stated: “He [Tulloch] is an exciting attacking player who has already had some experience of being with the first team.”
Sunderland need added firepower from somewhere and Tulloch is probably as close as they come to finding a temporary replacement for Maja.
Expecting a similar return would be somewhat over the top, but the traits are there for Tulloch to thrive in a comparable fashion.
Meanwhile, two Sunderland players have been at the centre of controversy among some fans…