Yea, was talking to a mate of mine about this yesterday. I think they could be the surprise package of the coming season.
You add the players you've listed, to the likes of Cattermole, Sessegnon, Gyan etc, and you have the basis of a good squad.
my mates a sunderland fan and i get told everyday how amazing they are and the amazing team they are building, personally think they are in for a good season but i won't tell him that The only player i'm not sure about is wes brown, hardly played last season and getting on abit now.
Spending on reasonable PL players just to stand still, which tbh I think they will be happy with. They're not going to break teh top 6 with those signings, they won't be in the bottom six staving off relegation but of the eight in the middle they could finish anywhere from 7th to 14th and there will again not be much to choose between them.
No, several average PL players plus Wickham who could be he next great thing or the next nothing.
4 year contract to Wes Brown lol. Fergie must love it though, having his Brucey take all his crap off his hands.
I suppose Sunderland will sign another 10 players too, depends on how coherent the team is as to where they finish. Bruce just seems to be collecting players.
I don't think they're building a good squad, still don't have a specialist left back, too many goalkeepers. As for their signings, Westwood seems to have been signed because Gordon was injured, Wes Brown was battling with Jonny Evans for worst Man Utd player last season, O'Shea is pretty good, Gardner is also a decent player, Larsson is overrated, largely for his set-piece delivery, I think Wickham will struggle in the premier league.
They'll probably start fairly well but their lack of strength in depth will put them in the bottom 7 or so come May
Think they'll have a good squad / strength in depth but not enough quality and big guns to fire up the table , the top 6 is already sorted ( but not the order ) then it will be Sunderland and a couple of others who will be safe Everton etc... the other 8 or so will be in a scrap as last season - i'm putting money on the 3 that went up to go straight back down. They might get the odd suprise result which will add to the romance but they are all ready in a mini relegation league.
I really do think Bruce has made some good signings this summer. Mensah and Onuoha needed replacing and he's done that with O'Shea and Brown. Westwood in goal ofcourse, Gardener who was great last season in the PL and his ex-Brum team mate Larsson. Not forgetting one of the hottest prospects in England and a random Korean bloke