A reluctance to change could be fatal for the manager
In midweek, we played a cup game against another Premier League team, and beat them 3-2. Granted, they could have been a couple of goals to the good before we struck, and granted they made six outfield changes from their previous Premier League game, but we named a fully changed XI – and saw some excellent performances once the game settled, including that of Jocelin Ta Bi, who created three and caused a £45m full back all manner of problems. Ta Bi wasn’t alone – a few of them, including Jules Ahoka,
really played well, Dayann Methalie looked decent, Malick Fofana had his best game for the club and Chemsdine Talbi looked sharp.
If our ‘first XI’ was playing brilliantly, then you can understand the reluctance to switch it up – but we’re not. Yes, we praised the performance against Leeds but that praise was because of what came before at Bournemouth, not because the performance against Leeds was particularly good. But because it was better. It would have been tough to be worse. Yet, come kick off at Coventry we see the same players, in the same formation. It’s hardly an earth-shattering surprise we turn in the same type of performance, making the same type of mistakes. Yes, we had an injury or two to contend with, but one or two of Dayann Methalie, Jules Ahoka, Jocelin Ta Bi and Chemsdine Talbi should have started against Coventry. But no, Le Bris went with exactly the same team, in the same formation. Unsurprisingly, we got the same result.
If fringe players aren’t going to be rewarded for good displays, what message does that send out to them – and to the players in possession of those shirts currently?
But is it all Le Bris’s fault?
Absolutely not. The players aren’t performing for him. They looked devoid of confidence and desire yesterday, and that’s a huge worry. You can turn up, go through the motions, run about a bit, but who was driving the team forward? Who was playing like it really meant something? Where were the ‘warriors’ we saw last season – diving in front of balls and putting their heads where others wouldn’t put their feet? They weren’t at Coventry, that’s for sure. The players simply aren’t matching their opponents’ efforts this season – and that’s criminal. We’ve seen seasons where the players simply aren’t good enough to compete. This isn’t one of those seasons.
Le Bris has been badly led down by the recruitment too. While we didn’t splash out the cash we did last summer, we still spent a lot – however judging by Le Bris’s team selections, none of those players are ready for first team Premier League action. As fans we might disagree –particularly after a defeat – but the reality is Le Bris is going to pick the team he thinks has the best chance of winning on that particular day. None of the summer signings feature regularly. Luke O’Nien was selected over Kevin Danso, Chris Rigg over Malick Fofana.
That’s on Florent Ghisolfi and the recruitment team, and internally there’ll be as much pressure on them as their is on Le Bris. Nordi Mukiele spoke of arrogance – I think that goes for our recruitment, too – we’ve invested in players for the future while not considering the here and now. And it’s Le Bris who’s left to pick up the pieces.
Stupid mistakes cost us – again
This season’s been a catalogue of individual errors, and while we can apportion blame for certain aspects in the manager’s direction, the players have to take responsibility for this side of things. Before Coventry took the lead, Trai Hume missed a glorious opportunity to score. Then he makes a mess of a clearance and the hosts are in front. Brian Brobbey misses a brilliant chance to respond immediately, then O’Nien gets caught on the ball and we’re two down. Yes, you could argue we didn’t get the rub of the green – the first goal is a one in 100 chance, the second and third are saved by Roefs if Alderete doesn’t get involved. We then missed other chances to get back into the game – notably Talbi and Brobbey – and those opportunities are as much ‘mistakes’ as the sloppy stuff we’re seeing at the back. It’s all over the pitch though. We give the ball away carelessly in midfield, are slow and wasteful in the final third, and seem to want to gift wrap things to the opposition at the back. That’s on the players – but it’s Le Bris’s job to motivate, manage and organise them, and as harsh as it may sound, they don’t simply look motivated or organised. We’ve heard all sorts of things come from Mukiele, Xhaka, O’Nien and Le Bris over recent weeks, but talking’s easy. We’re well accustomed to rallying calls – we just need John O’Shea or Lee Cattermole to turn up now – but they’re meaningless. We need to see evidence that something is changing on the pitch, and unfortunately in the league we’re not seeing that at all.
Granit Xhaka – sad all over?
Granit Xhaka 26/27 isn’t the Granit Xhaka of 25/26. Why? Only he will know for certain. But he’s a mile off the pace, his body language isn’t right, and he’s not leading the team – or setting the standards (on the field, at least) – as he was last season. Hopefully, it’s just the past 14 months or so of football catching up with him, rather than there being anything majorly untoward, but regardless it’s seriously affecting his performances. Dropping your captain would be a massive call for the manager, but that time is coming quickly. Our midfield is slow, ponderous and is a major reason why we’re giving away soft goals, and creating little. We don’t seem to have legs in there, which is odd given Noah Sadiki’s presence. We don’t have creativity in there, which is puzzling given Enzo Le Fee’s presence. We’ve got little bite, drive or desire in there. Which is strange given Xhaka’s presence. Something’s got to change, in shape, personnel, or both. Will Le Bris be brave enough to leave his captain on the bench for the next league game? Will we get the chance to find out?
The extra games aren’t costing us – yet
We were told the extra games would catch up with us this season, and they no doubt will. But what concerns me is that they shouldn’t yet be having a major impact. Come December, that’s when we’ll see the effects of the additional fixtures – but right now it shouldn’t be catching up on us too much. Now, looking ahead to our fixture list after the next international break, that is a concern.
Will Le Bris be in charge this time tomorrow? This time next week?
It seems ridiculous we’re even asking the question, but the reality is the odds will likely now be against him seeing December. We know that Kyril doesn’t hesitate in swinging the axe across the club, and when results aren’t going well, the manager’s always the one to take the heat. The reality is we’re bottom of the league, not playing well, not picking up points and already on 1 November are facing a massive battle to stay up. Something simply has to change.
That could be personnel. For Le Bris, if he survives the week, this horror show could be like the game at Reading – The Nightmare At Elm Park – was for Peter Reid all of those years ago. Major changes in team selection, a last roll of the dice – get Ahoka, Ta Bi, Talbi, Diarra, Fofana and Methalie into the starting XI against Chelsea and see what we can do. He’s literally got nothing to lose because if we go in with the same type of team once more, the same thing will happen as has happened yesterday. Many of the players we’ve got would get into many other Premier League squads. This is the best, most talented group of players we’ve had at the club for generations – but at the moment the manager’s not getting a tune out of them.
Topflight football is ruthless, and results are everything. One point from Ipswich, Bournemouth and Coventry away, and Leeds and Brighton at home simply is not good enough. The performances in those games – with a small exception against Leeds – weren’t good enough. We’re practically a quarter of the way through the season and have five points. You don’t need Rachael Riley to do the maths on that one.
Given that, and given the position we’re in, a change does unfortunately seem inevitable. In some respects, I hope it happens before the crowd turns on Le Bris, because that would be tough after everything he’s achieved here. And again, I don’t think he’s solely to blame for this predicament.
As history has proven, however, the grass isn’t always greener. We’ve seen it here at Sunderland on a few occasions, and we all know that clubs who change their managers frequently aren’t successful. Let’s just hope that, if KLD does decide to pull the trigger, he doesn’t call Howard Wilkinson for advice on a replacement.
For what it’s worth, I hope we stick with Regis and I hope he’s got the ruthlessness to really shuffle the pack for Chelsea – wholesale changes and see what happens. He’s the best Sunderland manager of my lifetime – and if he gets the opportunity he’s really got to show what he’s made of now.
