Earlier this week, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the owner of Sunderland, discussed his decision to appoint Regis Le Bris as the club’s manager over the summer. Despite Le Bris’s previous season with FC Lorient ending in relegation from France’s top division, Louis-Dreyfus was convinced by the “extraordinary qualities” he observed in Le Bris. This decision came as Sunderland was coming off a disappointing 16th-place finish in the Championship.
According to Louis-Dreyfus, Regis Le Bris stands out not only as an exceptional communicator but also as a coach with a meticulous attention to detail, driven by an unwavering desire for improvement both on and off the pitch. These qualities were particularly evident when Sunderland secured a victory against Rob Edwards’ Luton Town, allowing them to create a three-point gap over Burnley and Leeds United in the league standings.
During the match, Le Bris quickly recognized that his initial game plan was ineffective, making adjustments just 20 minutes in. In an effort to address the situation, he shifted Dan Neil into a back three. However, as Neil struggled in this deeper position, Le Bris utilized the half-time interval to implement further changes. This time, his adjustments yielded the desired results on the field.
Regis Le Bris explains Dan Neil tweak in Sunderland’s Luton win
Le Bris acknowledged that Dan Neil initially struggled to adapt to the new formation, often losing possession in precarious areas. This resulted in several close calls where goalkeeper Anthony Patterson had to step in to save Sunderland. However, Le Bris attributed this to the tactical adaptability of both himself and the talented group of players at his disposal.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of the Oxford game, Le Bris explained the tactical changes made during the match. “We started in a 4-4-2 formation, expecting to apply pressure effectively,” he said. “However, after 15 or 20 minutes, it became apparent that our pressing was not efficient, allowing Luton to exploit direct play.” To counter this, he switched the formation to a 5-4-1, with Dan Neil dropping back into a center-back position. Despite these changes, the subsequent 20 minutes did not yield the desired efficiency, but Le Bris noted that they were able to address the issues during half-time.
To improve the situation, Le Bris adjusted the roles of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, and match-winner Mundle, effectively baiting the Luton press. This strategy enabled Wilson Isidor to make dynamic runs behind Rob Edwards’ defense, stretching the play and creating more opportunities for Sunderland.
Le Bris the mastermind behind another Sunderland win
Le Bris emphasized the importance of clear communication with the players, noting that the team’s performance improved significantly in the second half. “We clearly shared the strategy with the players, and I believe the second half reflected that improvement,” he said, highlighting the strong communication skills that have impressed Louis-Dreyfus.
He also pointed out the necessity of exploiting space behind Oxford’s man-marking system. “We made two or three adjustments to the movement of the midfielders and wingers to draw their players in, allowing us to play Wilson behind them,” Le Bris explained. “These adjustments proved beneficial in the second half, giving us much more control. However, we still faced challenges with free-kicks and set pieces.” He added that the tactical changes shifted the balance of power on the field, making it no surprise that Sunderland scored twice in the latter half.
Looking ahead, Sunderland will encounter a different kind of challenge this weekend when they face Oxford United. Under Des Buckingham’s guidance, the newly-promoted team has shown resilience, suffering only three defeats in their first 11 matches. However, all of Oxford’s losses have occurred on the road, positioning Sunderland as the favorites to secure all three points at home.
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