Mike Dodds believes Sunderland have one of the ‘best’ players in his position

One Sunderland player has been praised by Mike Dodds as one of the “best” in the Championship at his position.

 

Since Michael Beale was appointed in December, Sunderland has played very

poorly and has suffered two further losses since his dismissal.

The Black Cats have fallen to tenth place as a result of several subpar performances by players including Luke O’Nien, Jobe Bellingham, and Pierre Ekwah. The team has also faced harsh criticism in recent weeks.

 

One of their important players, Dan Ballard, who is among the few who have received plaudits this season, will make his return against Plymouth Argyle tonight. Jack Clarke, their best player, is out until next month.

 

The Wearside team’s center back, who has made 32 appearances this season, has, for the most part, been “a

revelation,” but his two-match suspension has left a void in the lineup.

Jenson Seelt took Ballard’s position against Swansea City and Norwich, but

the absence of the Arsenal academy graduate made the backline appear much weaker.

 

Ballard is expected to return right away to the center of defense, where Mike

Dodds has acknowledged that his absence has made his significance “glaringly obvious.”

The interim coach stated, “I think it was blatantly evident how essential he was to us, in an interview with Chronicle Live.

 

Dan travels with his country during international breaks, so it was crucial that we provided him some time to psychologically recharge. He is strong, plays a lot of games for us, and trains every day.

 

“I have to admit that he has been incredibly energetic and effervescent for the last seven to ten days; it’s almost like

we signed a new player. He has proven how vital he is to us, so I’m really looking

forward to having him back in the squad and the team. As I’ve already stated, I

believe he is one of the finest defenders in the league, and I believe the team’s

inability to include him has solidified that claim.

How much have we missed Dan Ballard?

Dan Ballard has been tremendous for Sunderland this season and has been the reason for a lot of results being a bit tighter than they could have been.

The 24-year-old has won the most headers (94), made the most clearances (138), and blocked the most shots (29) of any player in the team.

 

He is without a doubt one of the most significant players and provides some leadership to a team that is severely short on experience. He has also shown himself to be useful at the other end of the field.

 

This season, Ballard has scored goals against QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, and West Brom. The defender is maybe our greatest threat from set pieces.

 

We hope that his comeback this evening can be a turning moment because we miss him greatly on the field.