James Copley: Régis Le Bris facing interesting Sunderland system and selection questions ahead of Bournemouth
Régis Le Bris must decide on system, personnel and approach as Sunderland get ready for Bournemouth’s visit
Régis Le Bris goes into the Bournemouth game with more structural and personnel questions than at any point this season.
Sunderland have taken points from Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton using a back five, yet the performance at Fulham and the sizeable gaps that appeared between midfield and attack has reopened the debate about reverting to a 4-3-3. It also raises a separate question. Did the experience at Old Trafford influence his thinking more than he let on? Le Bris used a 4-3-3 away initially at Manchester United, and Sunderland were turned over tactically in the first half before he was forced to adjust the shape.
You do wonder if that afternoon has stayed with him, at least when facing stronger sides. It should be noted that he did return to a 4-3-3 in the next match against Wolves at home, but they are by some distance the weakest team in the division. It leaves the lingering query of whether Le Bris truly trusts that shape in different types of challenges. Ultimately, it is positive for Sunderland to have options, just as they did last season when he shifted between a 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2, but the approach he chooses against Bournemouth at home will be especially interesting.
The 4-3-3 system, Le Bris’ most used since his arrival at the club, gives Sunderland an extra body in midfield and can help regain control of central areas, offering a more potent attacking platform, especially at the Stadium of Light.. But it remains unclear whether Le Bris feels ready to trust 18-year-old Chris Rigg as a regular starter in that zone. His omission at Fulham suggested the head coach is still managing his exposure carefully. Rigg could play further forward ahead of Sadiki and Xhaka, but the deeper midfield role is a different conversation. It is also pretty safe to assume that former club captain Dan Neil is unlikely to be restored to the midfield against Bournemouth, barring a dramatic shift in his standing under Le Bris.
The bigger issue is the absence of Habib Diarra. The injured midfielder is expected back in December, and Sunderland clearly miss the type of dynamic ball carrier who can connect defence and attack. At Fulham, the distance between the units was far too large. Le Bris could move Enzo Le Fee into a central role to help with progression, but the Frenchman has been extremely effective from the left in recent weeks and is an entirely different player to Diarra.
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Defensively, there is another dilemma. With Omar Alderete now fit, Le Bris must decide what to do with Trai Hume. A back four of Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete and Reinildo looks strong on paper. Even if the head coach remains with a back five, the option of Geerturidia as right wing back, Alderete joining Ballard and Mukiele in the centre, and Reinildo on the left, offers a more physical and defensively robust setup. Hume has not necessarily done much wrong, but competition levels are such that he may not sit among Sunderland's top technical defenders when everyone is available.
The final call lies up front. Wilson Isidor put in a huge shift at Fulham but ended the game goalless. It was also his third match in a row without scoring, which adds another layer to the decision. Brian Brobbey, his replacement, also failed to score on the day but offered stronger hold-up play and has the more recent decisive moment, having found the net against Arsenal. If Le Bris wants a more physical outlet against Bournemouth, Brobbey becomes a realistic option, though Isidor's explosive form at the Stadium of Light probably keeps him ahead for now. As ever, Le Bris remains difficult to predict. He could very well change nothing. But whichever route he takes, the teamsheet will be revealing, and Bournemouth are not an opponent to approach lightly.