Sunderland will be aiming to go one better this season after losing last year's League One play-off final to Charlton.

They've had a mixed start to their campaign, and after a 3-0 loss against Peterborough on Saturday, they now sit in sixth place.

The Black Cats have brought in a number of acquisitions including Marc McNulty on loan from Reading. The addition to their attacking line-up will come as a welcome gift to supporters of the side that are looking to improve upon their impressive 80 goals scored last season.

Jack Ross has a number of options going forward now, and will be relatively happy with how his side have started the season. His side finished fifth last season and unfortunately failed in the play-offs, but this year he'll be hoping his Sunderland team can mount a challenge on the automatic places.

The attacking options that the side have at their disposal are good, but there is one key attribute currently lacking at the Stadium of Light.

Pace is a big thing in football, it can win or lose games whether you're dominating a match or being dominated. This is something that this Sunderland squad, at times, lack.

Marc McNulty adds a bit of speed, as does the ageing Aiden McGeady, but what they really lack is an out and out winger, whose sprint speed can stretch a game.

At times this Sunderland side are very rigid, and often lack creative fluidity in the wide areas, or when going forward. Pace is something that is needed around the squad and if they're missing one thing, it is that. When the Black Cats have found themselves on the back-foot, they've missed a real outlet to push them up the pitch.

There are many wingers out there who could have done the job, and a loan from one of the higher leagues probably would have been more appropriate.

This does mean that Sunderland have to play a specific style using Lynden Gooch and McGeady on either side, especially with the faster Duncan Watmore picking up yet another injury.

What Ross does have at his disposal are the suitable forwards that can fire them back into the Championship. In McNulty, Will Grigg and Charlie Wyke, there are three very capable players who can all hit a good amount of goals at this level.

It'll be interesting to see whether they can push for promotion once more, but with their squad they should be able to challenge at that end of the table. Hopefully, they won't regret the lack of pace that they have in their side, and Watmore can recover from his injury to help them get better in that side of the game.