Claudio Braga headed home Hearts’ opener in the 11th minute, Lawrence Shankland fired in a second goal midway through the second half and substitute Alexandros Kyziridis added a late third after an error from Noah Sadiki.
What were the main things Regis Le Bris will have taken away from the game in Edinburgh?
A RUDE AWAKENING
As Regis Le Bris admitted, Sunderland’s players had been able to cruise through their Algarve friendlies against Sevilla and Sporting CP, playing largely at half-pace.
That wasn’t the case yesterday, as a Hearts side that kick off the new SPL season next weekend came flying at their opponents with a level of physical intensity that was a decent reflection of what the Black Cats can expect in the Premier League next term.
Simon Adingra is crowded out by two Hearts players (Image: Scott Heppell/PA) The game might well have been an eye-opener from the likes of Sadiki, Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi, who struggled to match the competitiveness of their opponents.
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“It was useful,” said Le Bris, after the final whistle. “Tough, but useful.” If Sunderland’s new arrivals were in any doubt as to what is awaiting them in a few weeks’ time, they should be much clearer now.
LACK OF DEFENSIVE DEPTH
This has been a busy summer on Wearside, but as yesterday’s game proved, there is still an obvious need for further additions.
Defensively, Sunderland are stretched in the absence of Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin, Aji Alese and Leo Hjelde. Jenson Seelt, who started yesterday’s game, currently finds himself as the first-choice centre-half. By the final whistle, the Black Cats were fielding a backline comprised of Timur Tutierov, Harrison Jones, Tom Lavery and Jenson Jones.
Jenson Seelt battles for the ball with Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland (Image: Scott Heppell/PA) Talks with Bologna over centre-half Jhon Lucumi remain ongoing, and Le Bris will desperately be hoping there is a breakthrough in the next few days. As things stand, cobbling together a functioning back four to face West Ham on the opening day of the season would be a major challenge.
THE GOALKEEPER SITUATION
Sunderland have spent most of the summer sounding out potential goalkeeping options, without success. Le Bris confirmed after yesterday’s game that recruiting a new shot-stopper remains a priority, and like the search for a new centre-half, it is becoming an increasingly urgent issue.
Blondy Nna Noukeu blotted his copybook in last week’s friendly defeat to Sporting CP on the Algarve, and while Simon Moore was not really at fault for any of yesterday’s goals, the 35-year-old hardly feels like a viable Premier League option.
Regis Le Bris watches on at Tynecastle (Image: Scott Heppell/PA) Anthony Patterson’s return to full fitness, which should be completed in the next ten days or so, will help, but the fact that Sunderland were willing to pay £17m to sign Marcin Bulka earlier this summer suggests there are doubts over the academy product’s ability to step up to the top tier. A new goalkeeper will be coming, but they could do with arriving soon.
TALBI/ADINGRA
This wasn’t a day to be making hard-and-fast judgements about anyone in the Sunderland team. Collectively, Le Bris’ side fell way short of the intensity levels that will be needed when the real action begins.
Even so, both Talbi and Simon Adingra would have been hoping to have had much more of an impact than they were able to deliver at Tynecastle. The pair of summer arrivals were effectively bystanders on their respective flanks, failing to really get into the game and unable to deliver anything into Eliezer Mayenda in the 18-yard box.
Chemsdine Talbi struggled against Hearts (Image: Scott Heppell/PA) They will undoubtedly improve, and this remains an extremely early stage of their respective Sunderland careers. Nevertheless, in difficult away games this season, Le Bris will have to decide whether either player is able to produce the kind of defensive contribution that will no doubt be required if the Black Cats find themselves under the cosh.
DAN NEIL FAILS TO FIRE
If Le Bris plays with a central trio this season, as looks likely from the make-up of his pre-season line-ups so far, four into three will not go. Given that Enzo Le Fee will surely start whenever he is available, it feels like it is effectively three into two, with Dan Neil battling against Sadiki and Diarra for a starting spot.
Neil played the opening hour of yesterday’s game, having been a substitute in the matches against Sevilla and Sporting, but the Wearsider did not really seize his chance on a day when Sunderland were never really able to exert any control over the midfield battle.
Dan Neil tries to keep tabs on Hearts’ Cameron Devlin (Image: Scott Heppell/PA) It has felt like Neil could end up being the odd one out come the start of the season, and while Le Bris will not be judging the 23-year-old on one pre-season performance, he could have done with catching his manager’s eye against Hearts. Things didn’t really pan out that way.