Andrew Smithson says…

I have to say that the way this game is being approached has really demoralised me.

I know how important it is to put the league first, and it may seem outdated, but I would really like to see Sunderland try their hand at the FA Cup.

Nevertheless, I usually like watching the U21s, and I believe that some of them should get the chance to demonstrate their abilities at a higher level, which this matchup with Stoke City will provide.

Trey Ogunsuyi appears to be ready to step up, as has already been mentioned, and because Harrison Jones has been benched so much lately, it might be beneficial to give him another chance. I believe that everybody who is given a chance will be eager to demonstrate the immense potential that lies ahead.

A lot of attention will be on Salis Abdul Samed should he feature; he has a great pedigree and will expect to be part of the first team when fully fit, so he should be eager to impress. About the slightly older names, the attitude of fringe players like Joe Anderson and Leo Hjelde is obviously very good and they will want to show their professionalism as much as anything else.

An inexperienced player’s chances of making an impact can be diminished by making too many changes. It’s challenging to fit in and give your best effort when people around you are also rusty or trying to figure things out on their own.

I would love it if they could possibly make another appearance with a few more established first choice regulars if we move on to the next round. If one or two do stand out, it will make it even more impressive.

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John Wilson says…

Trey Ogunsuyi is the player I would most like to see receive a significant amount of playing time.

I’ve seen some really encouraging vids of him at the U21s, and it would be interesting to see how he handles a “step up.”

Naturally, if Stoke field a youthful experimental squad as I hope we do, it might not be a step up, but I believe Mark Robins will want to have a better understanding of the players he inherited, and since they haven’t played in a week, he might play a respectable team.

This weekend can’t possibly go badly for Trey, in my opinion. When he performs well, it’s a win-win situation; however, if he appears a little lost, he has been given the experience, which can only be beneficial to him.

I have no reason to believe Trey can’t make an impact in the game because we frequently say that if “he’s good enough, he’s old enough.”

I would be all for resting the first eleven, though, as there are a few fringe players who could use a game. It would be fascinating to watch Salis Abdul Samed or Ahmed Abdullahi if they are ready for a run out, though I’m not sure which of the injured players is.

Even if Ian Poveda, Joe Anderson, Leo Hjelde, and Milan Aleksić could all use a full 90 minutes, we are in a comfortable position where we can accept that, in comparison to our promotion push, a cup run would not help us this season.

Nevertheless, just for the sake of conversation, I would rather win the FA Cup than get promoted!

No one could take that away from us; it would be inscribed in our history!

Malc Dugdale says…

Due to family obligations, I’m not sure how much of this weekend’s cup match I’ll be able to see, but I believe Trey Ogunsiyi has a fantastic opportunity to shine against a Stoke team that will likely be different from their recent performances.

Ogunsuyi has been on the bench and has likely been both relieved and devastated by the improvement in results, even though our front two have really found their groove in recent weeks, with the move to a 4-4-2 formation playing a significant role.

He has been scoring goals at a level below the first team for a number of weeks, notably during Wilson Isidor’s and Eliezer Mayenda’s dry spell. If that had persisted, he might have received playing time sooner.

This game is a fantastic chance to play with at least a couple of the first eleven and showcase his skills, but he is rightfully being kept out of league appearances due to impressive performances and the fitness of both Mayenda and Isidor.

The future of Ogunsuyi also hinges on who we may add in the transfer season to support our two quick strikers. With Nazariy Rusyn anticipated to go on and Aaron Connolly the subject of similar whispers, Ogunsuyi may get opportunities very soon and should start ahead of them on Saturday.

Since Ogunsuyi is here with us this weekend and no new players are, I wish him success in starting before those who might be leaving and proving to the team and the game’s supporters what he can accomplish if we need him in the months leading up to May.