Pause for thought: why the international break is important for the Black Cats

Written by on 9th October 2024

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris.

 

Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris plans to use this week’s international break as a ‘pause for thought’ to tune his players more closely into his game strategies.

A break in the weekly league action can be a problem for high-flying teams like Sunderland, because it can disrupt their flow – as fans saw after the first international break, when the Wearsiders won only two from five and collected seven points.

But they hung on at the top of the Championship and now Le Bris sees the second break as an opportunity for some fine-tuning.

His game plan is simple; stamp out minor mistakes and improve the team’s awareness of how he wants his formations to work.

“We will analyse deeper our game, and I think it is easier now because it is less unstable, we can find easier now the two or three things we need to develop,” he said.

“The foundation and the talent of the players and the team is now stable, so the areas we can improve, I think, will be easier to understand.”

Sunderland fans celebrate after the Sky Bet League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium, London: Regis Le Bris is hoping he can fine-tune his team to play their way to more celebrations.
Photo: Alamy

 

Likewise, Le Bris wants to apply further detail to the 4-4-2 formation that he frequently reverts to when his side are under pressure, particularly in the recent 2-2 draw at home to Leeds united.

“Now we need to improve,” he stated. “Especially, for example, if we are in our 4-4-2 shape.

“We still want to apply a high press, but if we are not able to win the second ball, then it gives us a lot of problems. It’s these kinds of situations that we can develop during the international break.”

The break could also be pivotal for the players on the periphery of the first team.

French winger Abdoullah Ba played a significant role in Sunderland’s underwhelming campaign last year, being one of Sunderland’s most productive players last season, with three goals and four assists in 39 Championship appearances.

However, Ba is yet to play a single minute for the Black Cats this campaign, and has only featured on the bench in Sunderland’s last two games, against Derby County and Leeds United.

The door is not shut for Ba to return to the first team, as Le Bris told The Northern Echo prior to the closure of the summer transfer window.

“It is possible, yes,” he said. “We have Adil, Abdoullah; Milan (Aleksic) as well is available. Adil and Abdoullah are with us until the next transfer window, so they have my trust as players of Sunderland and players who have qualities to play and perform in the game.”

Likewise, Aleksic, who is yet to make an appearance for the Black Cats after his summer transfer from Radnicki 1923, could also use the international break to enhance his claim to first team football.

The 19-year-old will meet up with his Serbian U-21 team-mates to play Ukraine, providing the midfielder with the perfect opportunity to showcase his abilities to Le Bris.


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