MIKE Dodds has called Jack Clarke’s injury as a “crushing blow” for Sunderland and has repeated that there is no clear successor for the club’s top scorer, conceding that the Black Cats’ style of play may have to adapt in his absence.
Sunderland will be without Clarke until April after it was confirmed this week that the 23-year-old injured his ankle ligaments in the recent defeat at Birmingham City.
Dodds first hoped the injury was not serious, but scans showed the terrible news, and the winger will now be sidelined for an extended period of time, a significant setback for Sunderland, whose play-off chances are dwindling rapidly after three consecutive losses.
“He played 90 minutes for Birmingham and rolled his ankle during the game. When I spoke with him, the intention was to train later in the week, but the swelling just wouldn’t go down,” Dodds said.
“Jack was upbeat, and the feedback was semi-positive, but it was early in the week and the rate of progress wasn’t what we expected or hoped for, so we decided to send him to see a specialist on Wednesday morning to figure out what was going on, and the feedback is the feedback, which is a crushing blow.
“But, at the same time, I have to control the controllables, which will be out of my head and thoughts for the next six weeks. Like I’ve stated a thousand times, it’s not just a blow for us; Jack Clarke would be a huge blow to any team in this league.”
Dodds went on to say, “For someone who has only been in the post for a week, this is not good news. When you receive that information, you will not be able to skip ahead.
But my perspective is that I can only manage what I can control, and after you have the first information, my thought process shifts to double down on what we’re doing and really focusing on the next few games and demonstrating to everybody, regardless of Jack – and I mean that nicely – how terrific we are. And that has been my main emphasis.
It seems like the speaker had a brief moment to catch their breath or gather their thoughts, symbolized by “puffing my cheeks out.” However, they quickly moved on from whatever was occupying their mind and redirected their focus to the task at hand: preparing the team for an upcoming match against Norwich with the aim of securing a victory. This statement reflects a mindset of staying present and prioritizing the immediate goals and responsibilities over lingering on past events or distractions.
Dodds’ comments indicate the challenge Sunderland faces in adapting their tactics and approach without their star player. With a difficult run of fixtures ahead, including matches against strong opponents like Leicester City and Southampton, finding a solution becomes imperative.
Dodds suggests that there won’t be a direct replacement for the missing player, emphasizing his importance as one of the best wingers in the league. Instead, Sunderland may need to explore different tactical setups and strategies to maximize the potential of other players who can fill in that role.
He hints at potential changes in formation or style of play, indicating a willingness to experiment and find alternative ways to generate attacking threat and defensive stability in the absence of their key player.
Overall, Dodds’ comments reflect a pragmatic approach to the situation, acknowledging the challenge while expressing confidence in the team’s ability to adapt and find success through strategic adjustments.
Sunderland received better news on the injuries front. Sunderland received better news on the injury front this week, with Corry Evans, Aji Alese, and Bradley Dack all returning to training – though Dodds has highlighted the necessity of patience.
He remarked, “Corry is back in full training, but we need to proceed with caution because he has been away for more than a year. He’s been back in training, and it’s nice to have him out there with his expertise and knowledge.
“Aji and Dacky are not far away.” They aren’t totally involved yet, but they are participating in parts of the training. So there is some light at the end of the tunnel for some of them, but this weekend’s team will be similar.
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