Régis Le Bris discusses his big Sunderland striker selection call and drops interesting hint

Régis Le Bris is weighing up who will start up front for the first leg of Sunderland’s play off semi final and has made clear that Wilson Isidor is in contention despite his recent goal drought.

Isidor has not scored since the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road in February but has been a key player for the Sunderland head coach over the course of the campaign and remains the club’s top scorer. Eliezer Mayenda’s more recent form has been mightily impressive, however, leaving Le Bris with a big call to make.

“We'll see who starts,” Le Bris said.

“First of all, we have two good strikers and this is good news. Two young strikers, one very young and one still young. They are two different strikers and it depends on the balance of the team - we always need threats in behind. Sometimes if we play with Pat and Enzo out wide we need a striker whose style is to run in behind to manage and stretch the lines. I think Wilson's style fits these circumstances, Eli can do this but he's a little different, he likes ball into feet and he can dribble. He's not exactly the same profile.

“It's a question of balance but also of form,” Le Bris added.

“Both can run but at one time might be a little tired. Or one opponent might be strong against one style, like for example I think QPR were a very good style against Enzo. So it's balance and a feeling from the training sessions, but we need someone to stretch the lines.”

Sunderland head coach outlines his selection strategy for play-off semi finals

While Le Bris knows he will have some disappointed players when he names his team for the first leg, he insists he will need his full squad at their best if Sunderland are to be successful.

It is about both form and the opponent,” Le Bris said.

“ We need balance and it's also a question of managing the whole game, the whole 95 minutes in each leg. The substitutes are going to be very important. We are all involved in the same objective.

“We know that if we have different options to face different challenges, hopefully across three games, we will need everyone. These players are proud of what they have done so far and they have done it as a team and a squad. We have been a unit with different starting XIs, different subs. We have done everything as a group. Some players may be disappointed for the first leg, maybe, but after that they will switch on really quickly.”

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