2015-16 Premier League Season Preview: Sunderland

Welcome to theScore's 2015-16 preview of Sunderland. Transfer dealings, lineup projections, and everything else you need to know about the club's upcoming campaign.

Sunderland

Team Page - Roster - Schedule

Ah, Sunderland. The Black Cats. A team that barely survived relegation last season. Three points separated Sunderland from the drop, but this season, under the strict, disciplined hand of manager Dick Advocaat, Sunderland might just be a little more comfortable in the Premier League table.

There's a little more promise this time around for Sunderland, as some new faces make their way into the roster. Will it be enough to survive the drop, though?

2014-15 Season

Trophies Won: None

Last season, to put it bluntly, was an abomination for Sunderland. The Stadium of Light wasn't shining too brightly, and for good reason: the team just couldn't score goals.

Sunderland managed a mere 31 goals in 38 games, an average of less than one per game. But this was a team in rebuild. The acquisitions of Jordi Gomez, Jack Rodwell and Jermain Defoe changed the complexion of this Sunderland side, sparing them from relegation with one week to go.

If Sunderland can roll their end-of-season form over to this year, the team could be a little more comfortable in the standings.

Key Arrivals

• Jeremain Lens (from Dynamo Kyiv)
• Sebastian Coates (from Liverpool)
• Younes Kaboul (from Tottenham)
• Adam Matthews (from Celtic)

Signing Coates to a permanent deal after a season on loan is a good bit of business, as is bringing in Spurs central defender Kaboul, but the Black Cats' newest star attraction is Dutch forward Lens.

The 27-year-old striker has 29 international caps to his name, and is a relatively consistent goalscorer. He is not, however, without his faults, and his last season with Dynamo Kyiv wasn't the best. If Sunderland can get Lens firing on all cylinders, he'll be a solid asset at the Stadium of Light.

Key Departures

• Anthony Reveillere (released)

In a formation that relies so much on its full-backs, the departure of the experienced French right-back Reveillere is a bit of a surprise for Sunderland. Reveillere has been bumped out for Billy Jones, but Advocaat will look to reinforce this position with another signing.

Projected Starting Lineup (4-3-3)

Costel Pantilimon; Billy Jones, John O'Shea, Younes Kaboul, Patrick van Aanholt; Jack Rodwell, Sebastian Larsson, Connor Wickham; Jermain Defoe, Jeremain Lens, Steven Fletcher

Advocaat's formation choices evolved as the 2014-15 season wound down, and Sunderland are now stacked up in a 4-3-3 playing a specific brand of football. Namely, the movement between Sunderland's full-backs and central midfielders sees the Black Cats play more centrally, rather than darting up and down the wing upon gaining possession.

The preference is for an inward pass into midfield by the full-backs, then a switch to a center-forward who drops deep. Finally, the other two forwards make their runs looking for open spaces. It requires three crafty strikers and a reliable central defensive pairing to pull off, but with Advocaat's eye for details - like crosses coming onto the forward's preferred foot - this season might just see a more disciplined style of play for Sunderland.

Advocaat is also an, ahem ... advocate of team-first discipline: you eat together, you work together, you breathe together, or you get fined. If a player gets up to leave before everyone is finished eating, you get fined. Players who try to show off or go ahead of the group are pulled back and brought in line. Advocaat's attention to detail on the field has him barking on the sidelines regularly. Place a pass onto the wrong foot, and you'll certainly hear about it. This firm hand could be exactly what Sunderland needs to finally find an identity on the field.

Player To Watch: Adam Johnson

This English winger could be in a spot of trouble, after being charged with three counts of sexual activity with a minor.

And, while Johnson has denied the charge, the ongoing legal dispute might see him miss the start of the season.

Keep One Eye On: Jermain Defoe

Three Questions

1. Can Defoe and Lens score regularly?
2. Will Sunderland's fullbacks soar or sputter?
3. Can Sunderland survive the relegation drop one more time?

Trivial Matters

• Manager: Dick Advocaat
• Nickname: The Black Cats
• Stadium: Stadium of Light (Capacity: 49,000)