Regis Le Bris' tactics, Sunderland's striker situation and new signing question ahead of Spain pre-season trip

Sunderland will play two friendly matches during their pre-season training camp in Spain this week - with plenty to keep an eye on as Regis Le Bris’ side prepare for the new Championship campaign.

The Black Cats will face Nottingham Forest on Friday, July 19 at the Pinatar Arena (6pm kick-off UK time), before playing against second-tier Spanish side CD Eldense on Sunday, July 21 (6pm kick-off UK time). Here are some things to look out for during the matches.

Will Le Bris stick with a similar shape?

In Sunderland’s first pre-season friendlies of the summer against South Shields and Gateshead, Le Bris set his side up with a back four, deploying a 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 system respectively.

The Frenchman often set his side up with a back four during his first season at Lorient, yet switched to play with a back three during his second campaign in charge. It will therefore be interesting to see if a different system is used during Sunderland’s pre-season trip in Spain.

Another noticeable tactic during Sunderland’s win over South Shields, albeit against lower-league opponents, was their desire to press higher up the pitch and win the ball back quickly. It will therefore be interesting to see to what extent Le Bris’ side can replicate that against higher-quality teams.

Who will get the nod up front?

Sunderland are looking to sign at least one new striker during this summer’s transfer window, yet the club still have three forwards on their books in Eliezer Mayenda, Nazariy Rusyn and Hemir.

Mayenda, 19, has returned from a loan spell at SPL side Hibernian and impressed against South Shields, winning and converting a penalty. The teenager understandably looked raw when he arrived from French side Sochaux last summer, but clearly possesses exciting potential which Le Bris will hope to unlock.

Rusyn is perhaps at the front of the pecking order when it comes to Sunderland current strikers, due to being the more experienced of the three at 25. The Ukrainian was deployed as a wide forward earlier in his career but was once again used as a central striker against Gateshead, winning the penalty which led to Jack Clarke’s equaliser. Of the three, Hemir appears the most likely to leave on loan if another striker is brought in, with Sunderland hoping the Portuguese forward can rebuild some confidence after signing a long-term contract on Wearside last summer.

Where will Alan Browne fit in?

Sunderland fans may get their first glimpse of new signing Alan Browne during the squad’s trip to Spain. The 29-year-old midfielder signed a three-year deal on Wearside last week, yet didn’t feature against Gateshead or South Shields. 

A versatile midfielder, Browne was at his best in a box-to-box role at former club Preston and should add some much-needed experience in the Black Cats’ engine room. It’s a position where the squad needed strengthening, yet Le Bris does have options in the middle of the park. Chris Rigg was deployed alongside Dan Neil in the South Shields game, while Jay Matete and Elliot Embleton, who have returned from injury setbacks last season, started together at Gateshead. Pierre Ekwah also came off the bench at the Gateshead International Stadium, while Jobe Bellingham has operated in a deeper midfield role too.

Aside from long-term absentees Jenson Seelt and Niall Huggins, the only first-team players who didn’t feature against either South Shields or Gateshead were Abdoullah Ba and Nectarios Triantis, who are set to be sidelined for a few weeks with injury setbacks, along with goalkeeper Simon Moore who picked up a knock.