Football League World
·2 Oktober 2024
Football League World
·2 Oktober 2024
The Black Cats moved themselves to the top of the league with a win against Derby County.
Dennis Cirkin sent a tongue-in-cheek response to Jobe Bellingham's goal for Sunderland, on Tuesday night.
For the fourth time in as many home league games this season, the Black Cats won to nil. That is the first time in the club's history that they have been victorious in all four of their opening league fixtures while not conceding a goal.
That record alone should inform the uninformed about what Regis Le Bris has been able to do in the short amount of time that he has had at Sunderland, or you could just look at the league table to see where they are.
Summer signing Wilson Isidor netted his second goal in as many games for Sunderland. A driving run from Romaine Mundle into the box allowed him to put the ball across the face of goal for an easy finish for the Frenchman.
This was their second goal of the evening. No matter who scored the next one, it was going to be hard to top the absolute rocket that Bellingham let off in the first-half.
The home side controlled much of the first-half, but Derby had their moments as well. It was getting towards half-time and the deadlock between the two sides hadn't been broken.
Both teams were coming off the back of losses at the weekend. Games like this, between two sides who aren't necessarily in their best moment, sometimes need someone to step up with a bit of quality to break the contest wide open. That is what Bellingham did.
A misplaced pass from Tawanda Chirewa to Jerry Yates found the 19-year-old in Derby's half. He only needed a couple of touches to get the ball out of his feet before sending a stinger of a strike past the County defenders and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in net from about 25 yards out.
"Just watch and admire that." A perfect description of the goal by Sky Sports' Neil Mellor.
Sunderland's pitchside alternative angle of the goal further displays the sheer force behind the hit and the roar of the crowd when they realised what they had just witnessed.
As Bellingham was wheeling away in celebration, the rest of his teammates were following him over to that bottom right-hand corner of the pitch to join him in front of the adoring home crowd, as can be seen in the above Instagram clip.
Cirkin gave a bit of a fist pump to the supporters after embracing the teenager, and then gave him a bit back in the comments of said social media post after the game.
He simply responded with: "Forgiven," to the clip of Bellingham's banger, likely in reference to a missed header by the former Birmingham City player from one of Cirkin's crosses earlier in the game.
It is clear to see that this Black Cats side under the guidance of Regis Le Bris are going to be a tough team to beat this season. Even with the numerous injuries to key players like Dan Ballard and Eliezer Mayenda, they are still barrelling on.
If it gets to a bit later in the season and Sunderland have kept themselves in and around the top two spots in the Championship, having a player with Bellingham's ability will be so crucial.
Nerves can't be helped when you're getting closer to the end of the campaign and your ultimate goal isn't that far away. This can lead to shaky performances, but that can all be snapped by a moment of brilliance; something that the 19-year-old has proven on multiple occasions that he can come up with.
Of course, we are looking very far ahead to that point. With the way that Sunderland are playing though, them being in that position doesn't sound too far-fetched.