What Regis Le Bris said about Nordi Mukiele proves Sunderland have clear survival plan
Sunderland have been reminded countless times how hard it is to avoid Premier League relegation.
Over the last two seasons, every promoted team has instantly returned to the second tier.
Regis Le Bris’ side were promoted via the Championship play-offs, meaning they were perhaps the unlikeliest to survive.
However, judging from Le Bris’ comments about new signing Nordi Mukiele, it seems he has learnt from the relegated clubs.
Regis Le Bris praises Nodri Mukiele versatility for Sunderland
Mukiele was in attendance as Sunderland trounced West Ham at the Stadium of Light, and would have been beaming with he witnessed.
While he did not feature, the former PSG man is bound to have an impact at some point, given the task ahead for the Black Cats.
Mukiele will bring strength and versatility to Sunderland’s backline, and Le Bris highlighted this in his press conference ahead of Burnley.
- Mukiele signed from PSG for £12million
- He can play across the back four
- Played alongside Granit Xhaka for Bayer Leverkusen
“Nordi is versatile, which is a big positive for us; it’s not always the case with new signings,” Le Bris said on 21 August.
“Probably his best position in our current squad is either the right-back or the right centre-back, but also giving us the opportunity to play with three centre-backs as well, so this is a positive for us.
“He’s a really well-balanced player, good experience, hard worker, and a good teammate. He also has the ability to be strong in the air, which I think is very important for us.
“We started with quite a small squad, but we have begun to change this with Nordi, Omar, Arthur. This will help us with the challenges we have.”
Read more: Nordi Mukiele has already explained which position he will play for Sunderland
Regis Le Bris is prepared to survive in the Premier League
Although he did not directly say it, Le Bris’ words suggest that he is prepared to face different types of challenges this season.
In the past, promoted clubs have been criticised for their lack of flexibility, with Russell Martin an example of this at Southampton.
This has also been a criticism of some of the bigger clubs, with Ange Postecoglou constantly prodded for his Tottenham approach.
However, Le Bris now has different players for different game plans courtesy of Florent Ghisolfi and Kristjan Speakman.
Indeed, we are likely to see this against Burnley, as Enzo Le Fee is expected to play instead of Noah Sadiki.
Le Bris knows his side should have more possession, and Le Fee has shown he can cut teams in half with his incisive balls.
- Sunderland played a low-possession game against West Ham
- The Black Cats should have more of the ball when they play Burnley
- Le Bris will adapt to counter Scott Parker’s approach
The Frenchman typically employs a low-possession, counter-attacking system, which should suit the majority of Premier League opponents.
However, the 49-year-old is meticulous and puts in incredible work behind the scenes to ensure his team plays the correct way depending on the opponent.
While Mukiele may have to wait for his chance, Le Bris’ words suggest it will be a squad game this season.
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