Sunderland headcoach gives masterplan verdict on HUGE first step the BLACK CATS are taking that will at worst guarantee Premier League promotion.
Sunderland made a strong statement on Sunday by overwhelming a highly-rated Sheffield Wednesday side with a 4-0 victory at the Stadium of Light, moving them up to second place in the early Championship standings.
Eliezer Mayenda scored twice, while Dennis Cirkin and Luke O’Nien added goals from set-pieces, but what stood out most was Sunderland’s relentless pursuit of the ball when out of possession.
This performance was a significant improvement from their solid showing on the opening day at Cardiff City. Head coach Le Bris knows that if his team can maintain this level of intensity, their attacking talent will secure many victories this season.
“Our plan was very clear,” Le Bris said after the match. “We have many talented players, but we needed to establish strong foundations to play together, and we achieved that today, especially in how we recovered the ball.
“We defended as a unit, closed down spaces, and pressed high to intercept the ball. We stayed compact and strong, and you could feel the confidence throughout the game.
“The first priority is to defend together. I know we have a lot of quality, especially in fast attacks, with many strong players in the squad.
“For example, against Cardiff, our high press wasn’t effective, and our build-up under pressure wasn’t good.
“But this performance shows that the players understood what needed to be improved this week. Now, we have to take another step forward.”
Sunderland will face another major challenge next week when league leaders Burnley visit Wearside.