With the foundations of his preferred playing style now in place, Regis Le Bris is keen to focus on some very specific tactical tweaks during the forthcoming international break.
With attention switching to the international calendar, Sunderland do not have a game until they head to Hull City’s MKM Stadium on October 20.
While some of the Black Cats’ players will be away with their respective national teams, the majority of Le Bris’ players will spend the next fortnight training at the Academy of Light.
And having successfully spelled out the basics of his playing philosophy since being appointed as head coach in the summer, the Frenchman is hoping to be able to focus in on some key specifics in the next two weeks.
“We need to make an assessment of the last round of games we’ve had,” said the Sunderland boss, whose side head into the international break sitting at the top of the Championship table. “I think it is also important now that the players rest and recover.
“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.
“The foundation and the talent of the players and the team is now stable, so the areas we can improve will, I think, be easier to understand.”
Le Bris wants to devote particular attention to the way in which his players react when they lose the ball high up the field. He does not want his side to leave themselves open, especially if they have tweaked their formation to play in more of a 4-4-2 formation.
“Now, we need to improve,” he explained. “Especially, for example, if we are in our 4-4-2 shape and we mark man for man.
“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 kind of situations that we can develop during the international break.”
