10 Things We Learned From Darlington Vs. Sunderland

2. Advocaat Will Play Strong XIs

This wasn't a Sunderland select XI made up of youngsters and trialists, this was as close to a full Sunderland team as possible at the moment. It signals that while everybody will get their chance, Advocaat is looking to find a winning eleven, something that Black Cats bosses have rarely been able to find for years. The key to stability is consistency, in both results and teams. Keeping the momentum flowing through a regular XI is imperative if Sunderland want to avoid yet another scrap. There were times under Poyet when team selections almost appeared to be randomly chosen, but if Advocaat can nail down his best team during pre-season, his side will get off to a good start.