Enzo Le Fee’s hidden importance for Sunderland revealed by intriguing stat
Enzo Le Fee has benefited greatly from Sunderland’s defensive solidity in the Premier League this season.
The French midfielder started the season on the periphery of the starting lineup, yet he has emerged as the standout for the left wing position over the last few weeks.
Regis Le Bris has been given his flowers for the exceptional job he is doing for the Black Cats, with many of the players flourishing in their first season of top-flight football.
What Sunderland fans might have missed is Le Fee‘s importance in Le Bris‘ system is his ability to win the ball back.
Enzo Le Fee is vital for Sunderland’s defensive work in Premier League
Le Fee joined Sunderland from Roma for £21million in the summer after spending six months on loan during the second half of the promotion-winning season.
The Stadium of Light warmed to him instantly, and his quality on the ball is undeniable in a Sunderland shirt.
According to FotMob, Le Fee has made 22 tackles this season, and he ranks in the top seven per cent of wingers to have won the ball back for their team.
| Appearances | 9 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Tackles | 22 |
| Duels won | 34 |
| Pass accuracy | 81.9% |
It’s not only his ball-winning metrics that are impressive, but his total of 36 recoveries highlights the necessity to have him starting every match.
Wingers aren’t usually praised for their defensive attributes, yet Le Fee has proven himself over the likes of Chemsdine Talbi and Simon Adingra.
In Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Brentford, Le Fee converted the equaliser from the penalty spot, scoring his first goal for the Black Cats since 12 February.
Having recorded an assist in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw versus Everton, Le Fee is starting to gain momentum for the Mackems, and it feels impossible that he will be dropped for one of the other options in the squad.
Enzo Le Fee is benfitting from Simon Adingra’s struggles
Simon Adingra joined Sunderland from Brighton for a fee of £21.5million plus add-ons, yet after being substituted early on against Man United, the Ivorian forward has failed to get back in the team.
Adingra must raise his levels, given the fact that he is the club’s second-most expensive signing of all time.
The Ivorian winger is an extremely talented player, and his breakthrough into Brighton’s first team in 2023-24 had him labelled as one of the country’s most exciting young prospects.
However, it clearly hasn’t worked out for him yet, and Le Fee is grabbing his opportunity in the starting lineup with both hands.
The former Brighton man has the potential to become a key part of Sunderland’s season, although with Le Fee proving to be a huge asset both on and off the ball, Adingra will have to improve massively.
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