Alex Charlton says…
First of all, it’s great to have Enzo and Dan back in contention, as both have already made significant contributions to our survival effort.
Unfortunately for Ballard, I don’t think he’ll return to the starting eleven just yet, but that’s no slight on his quality as a player. Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele have forged a formidable partnership at the back, and Régis Le Bris would be silly to disrupt that now. However, I do think he think that he’ll have a part to play in games to come, meaning he must
wait his turn.
As for Le Fée, I quite fancy him to do something against Villa. I think he has the ability to unlock Unai Emery’s defence and this could be the perfect game for him to make an impact. We must be creative against what could be a sturdy defensive line, and he could be the key.
I reckon it’ll be Le Fée for Simon Adingra in what’ll be an almost identical side to the one that faced Crystal Palace.
John Wilson says…
I had made my mind up last season that Régis Le Bris doesn’t like changing a winning or stable team.
He certainly wasn’t a ‘tinkerer’, but I think this season he’s shown — probably because he now has a strong bench — that he’s very willing to chop and change as needs must, and he’s now in the tough but glorious position of even wondering who to leave off the bench.
The term ‘finishers’ is just football coming late to the party, but it’s long been a phrase in both rugby codes, where a starting team are well aware they won’t be finishing the game. Accordingly, substitutes aren’t sulking because they haven’t been picked, but know very well they’ll be expected to influence the game later on proceedings, so it’s a sixteen-plus man game!
I don’t think Ballard will come in and disrupt a solid back four, but I do expect Le Fée to start after his injury instead of Simon Adingra.
He’s a young, raw talent who shows huge potential, but he isn’t quite ready to be a regular starter. Indeed, a Brighton fan on Haway the Podcast indicated that if he’d stayed at Brighton, he would only be third choice.
Of course, as indicated, the bench will be expected to come on and affect a game.
Joseph Tulip says…
Régis Le Bris has previously indicated that Enzo Le Fée can play as a winger who can also drop into the centre. He’s absolutely not an out-and-out wide man, but this interchangeability is an interesting concept.
He’s a mercurial talent and Aston Villa will not like the prospect of a fully fit Le Fée starting wide left but potentially drifting inside, leaving room for Reinildo to support our attack by moving forward from left back.
This will also bolster our central midfield when out of possession, with Le Fée having no problems getting stuck into crunching tackles when called upon. Most crucially, he’s a ball player and can unlock defences wherever he lines up, so I feel he should be a starter if fully fit. His performance against Brentford was too good not to try and build upon.
This would no doubt mean another bench day for Simon Adingra, but on current form I feel that Le Fée just has too much to offer — and Adingra can always make an impact from the bench later in the game.
As for Ballard, his chance will come again but I don’t see the need to change our back four unless injuries dictate. I understand that Nordi Mukiele is really a right back but there’s no need to rush any changes at the back and I’m sure such permutations will work themselves out in time.
Malc Dugdale says…
This is the problem we wanted — very good players coming back from a knock and having to fight hard to get a start.
Gone are the days when mediocre players on very good wages could coast, underperform and frankly take the piss, because this is a new Sunderland; a squad with competition for places literally everywhere, backing the ambition and strategy we have to hand.
Despite that romantic and passionate intro, they both come back via the bench for me.
That’s not because I don’t think they’re good enough — it’s because they’ve had an injury and won’t be as match sharp as those who ground out a massive away point at Palace.
I’d expect to see Nordi Mukiele make way for Ballard with about twenty five to go, and maybe Simon Adingra or Noah Sadiki high five Le Fée onto the pitch with a similar amount of time on the clock, or maybe sooner if the gaffer thinks they can change the game from where it is.
We’re spoilt for choice so we rush no one, and we build these lads back up to prevent further injury. The games will come thick and fast and they’ll get their chance no matter what happens come Sunday. Bring it on.
Nic Wiseman says…
They say all the best teams are based on a solid defence and in Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele, we have found a formidable centre half pairing. The pair were imperious against Crystal Palace and I can’t see Régis Le Bris changing a successful formula — which was stumbled upon due to the injury to Ballard in the Burnley game.
Enzo Le Fée tore Brentford apart in our last home game and he is now installed as our regular penalty taker, so I see one change from the team that started against Palace: Le Fée in for Simon Adingra.
Le Bris isn’t a big tinkerer and tends to be loyal to players who’ve done a job for him. I think he sees Le Fée as having the tools to unlock defences, especially on rapid transition, and we do like a good breakaway.
We can see an exciting team emerging.
