Kieran Richardson believes that Sunderland's goal tally this season shows that they have adequately replaced Darren Bent.
Defender feels Black Cats are no longer reliant on one player
Kieran Richardson believes that Sunderland's goal tally this season shows that they have adequately replaced Darren Bent.
Stephane Sessegnon and Connor Wickham's goals in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa took the Black Cats' total to 14 from the opening 10 games - five more than they managed last year at the same stage.
Richardson also believes the side are playing better football and sharing responsibility for the goals, compared to last season when Bent, who moved to Villa in January, had scored six of their first nine goals.
The left-back told the
Shields Gazette: "Bent always played on the shoulder and tried to get in behind.
Different
"(Nicklas) Bendtner and Connor have given us something different though. We have scored more this season at a similar stage and it shows we have replaced Bent.
"Last season it was more about Bent scoring all the goals, this season everyone is chipping in. That's great for the confidence of the whole team, not just one man.
"We want to get our strikers scoring more goals than the rest of the lads, but it's good that they are shared out."
18-year-old Wickham - an £8.1million signing from Ipswich in the summer - was making only his second Premier League start when he bagged his first league goal with a quality left-footed strike.
Step-up
Richardson added: "Stepping up from the Championship is a bit different. He has worked hard in training and got stronger by the day. I'm sure he will score many goals in the Premier League.
"He has everything. As long he keeps his head down and listens to the manager, I'm sure he will progress.
"(His strength) showed out there. He already has people bouncing off him."
