REGIS TALKS TACTICS

Regis Le Bris has explained how Sunderland have improved with the ball as the season has developed, and how he made the conscious decision to focus on our aggressive press and our ability to build-up attacks in possession. It's a fine balance between being defensively solid and playing free-flowing football. Le Bris also revealed that last week the sqad had been hit with illness and several players were 'on the edge' in terms of making the squad.

VILLA MADNESS

“The game was open and we played with our identity. We didn’t start well, conceded early goals in the first and second half, but we pressed high and they went long often. We had this ability to regain possession quickly and to score - we scored three goals and had another opportunity from the exact same situation, a quick regain with the ability to go forward fast. After that, the quality is the quality. They are clinical, we expected that, and they are impressive in that part of their game. We are still in our learning process, the league is really demanding but at the same time we are moving forward and growing. I think it shows good signs for the future.”

DISAPPOINTING TO CONCEDE FOUR

“Yes, it is. They scored in exactly the same situations. They attacked wide with their triangles, or only one player to deliver a good cross. The way we pressed high was able to protect the centre, but our wider areas were probably a bit weaker - or we weren’t weak, they were just better than us there. They managed different situations well with good runners and their deliveries were perfect. After that you have to manage your box against Watkins and Rogers which is difficult. They scored and they were good. It’s a specific situation. We have worked on it this week, we won’t face the exact same situation but it was a topic.”

GOALSCORING

“Now I think we have more control, the build-up was good and we controlled higher up the pitch. I won’t say that in the attacking phase we were brilliant, sometimes we found solutions but it was more after our regains where we had the ability to go fast forward and break the backline, which I thought was really interesting.”

ALDERETE IS KEY

“He has been really good. He is a bit different, his character, the way he trains every day, his connection with his teammates. He is a bit older maybe with a different culture, and his job as a centre back is different to a midfielder or a striker/winger. He has been really important for us and the way we play when the opponent wants to go direct, he is really good at managing long balls and duels. In the box he has this ability to defend and doesn’t need to force it. He likes defending the box. And his left foot is very good! How can I say this?.. Sometimes he can play without the good level of energy to give the right tempo but it is because he is so skilled, so it’s a bit easy for him! I think he’s improved this part during the season.”

EVOLVE THE STYLE

“I think it’s really important to reinforce our strength at the beginning. Our togetherness is key and in this squad we have the ability to connect with each other and to work for your teammate. It is important to keep that. This season, the defensive structure has been good in the way we can defend the box. We improved the way we press the opponent and the management of the first contact and second ball. I repeat, against Villa they went long more than 30 times - we forced them to go long and were able to manage the ball. If you manage the ball well then you can attack or counter-attack, and I think this part of the game is still really interesting so we need to enforce that. The build-up and control of the ball are getting better, so we will keep going because it is not easy to do. The final third is still key, we know that, it is about patterns and connections but it’s also about individuals. We have good potential in the team, probably not mature enough to be consistent at the minute but if we give them time and support I think they will achieve this goal.”

READJUSTING THE TARGETS

“Probably 50 (points) could be interesting but I repeat, we have tough games and we achieved early the first target, this one was clear from the start. After that, it depends on the game scenario and different things and form as well. I think the ambition in the squad is still high and after that, the league is so demanding that we don’t know so we will see.”

SECOND SEASON SYNDROME

“We will see. At least it shows once again that you have to grow and move forward. If you stay at the same level you get punished really quickly. It is clear in our mind that we have to improve our team, our club, our coaching staff, I have to improve my game model and the way I manage the team. This is the mindset of the club and after that, we never know the competition and the opponent.”

ILLNESS

“Last week we had a few players unwell, which can happen. Five or six players were just on the edge so it was massive, but it is what it is. You have to manage the situation and for Omar it was just that point. It also shows that on the bench we now have more options and when they come on the pitch they can influence the game. That was the case for Trai, for example, or Wilson, which is good.”