Tony Mowbray hinted at a potential return to the starting lineup for an underperforming Sunderland player. Following the team’s loss to Huddersfield Town, the Black Cats’ manager acknowledged the need to give Luis Hemir an opportunity.
Hemir, who arrived at Sunderland from Benfica in the summer, had shown promise during pre-season after featuring prominently in the team’s preparations. Despite initial plans to gradually integrate him into the first team, a lack of transfer activity led to Hemir making his first start in the club’s opening day defeat to Ipswich Town.
Unfortunately, his performance didn’t match the pre-season displays, resulting in his substitution after an hour. Since then, the 20-year-old striker has been sidelined from starting Championship matches and has seen limited game time, accumulating only 185 minutes on the field.
Initially, Mowbray had expressed doubts about Hemir’s readiness for the level required, but there seems to be a reconsideration now. When discussing the upcoming game against Millwall, Mowbray suggested that Hemir’s inclusion would depend on the team’s fitness and available options.
“Nazariy Rusyn was injured tonight with a groin strain. We’ve talked about Luis Hemir as someone who needs to get up to speed. I think he needs an opportunity, I think that’s at home against the right team.
“He doesn’t knock on my door every day asking why he’s not in the team wanting to know why he’s not playing because I think he can feel it in training, he has to get his aerobic capacity up so he can fit in the team.”
Did Sunderland write Hemir off too soon?
I believe Tony Mowbray mishandled Luis Hemir’s situation significantly after his debut in July. Shortly after his first appearance, the Sunderland manager quickly relegated Hemir to the U21 side, denying him a proper chance to establish himself.
Considering the youngster’s limited experience in senior football and his adaptation to a new country where he’s unfamiliar with the language, it’s unrealistic to expect him to excel immediately, especially with the added challenge of cultural adjustment.
Hemir is likely grappling with diminished confidence, exacerbated by the pressure of no goals from any of our four strikers. This situation creates a daunting atmosphere for him.
Hopefully, Mowbray will provide Hemir with an opportunity to start at some point. However, there’s a growing concern that our forwards will struggle if the rest of the team fails to provide the necessary support and service they require.
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