Le Bris says stability in the core of his side has been crucial to Sunderland’s strong start to the Championship campaign as they implement his playing philosophy and added that many of the club’s recent signings need time to settle and adapt. His hand has also clearly been forced by injuries to a number of players who would have otherwise been expected to challenge for selection, including Dan Ballard, Aji Alese, and Ian Poveda.
Le Bris said, “There are two things to discuss about that. The first is that if we want to implement a new set of ideas, then if we are changing players all the time, it is more difficult. The second thing is that the core of the team is well defined. We have many types of players here at the club, but not all of them are ready yet. Some of them are ready to play, but some still need to wait. They need to keep doing well in the training sessions, then maybe play ten minutes or so, and then they will be involved further down the line.
“I think the balance is good at the minute, so it’s easy to choose the starting XI,” Le Bris added.
“I have two or three options, maybe four, who are ready to play instead of the others. Then there are a few who are a little but further away. Not too far, but it will maybe be six months or a year before they are really ready to be available.”
Alan Browne is one player pushing for a place in the starting XI, while Aaron Connolly has impressed since arriving at the club as a free agent last month.
