Opinion was divided when Sunderland announced a January swap-deal for Jermain Defoe, sending Jozy Altidore to Toronto in the process. Although Dozy Jozy's departure was unanimously hailed as a smart piece of business, nobody was quite sure whether the Premier League veteran could still thrive in his home country. Some claimed that Defoe would score the goals to keep Sunderland up, while others believed him to be firmly past his best. Ultimately, the optimists were proven right - sort of. Defoe did score goals, four to be exact, and while that figure didn't exactly blow the doors off, his overall contribution to the Black Cats' survival was far more important. Defoe ran himself into the ground under Advocaat, defending the left of the pitch with as much vigour and tenacity as any left back (if not quite the tackling prowess). He also scored the goal of the season, in a Tyne/Wear derby no less, a staggering left-footed volley from outside the box to spark delirium in the Stadium of Light. Even Tim Krul found it appropriate to congratulate him at half time.