'Standards' – Régis Le Bris responds to Granit Xhaka and Nordi Mukiele comments amid Sunderland’s poor form
Régis Le Bris has addressed Granit Xhaka and Nordi Mukiele’s comments as Sunderland seek a response to their poor form
Régis Le Bris has addressed comments from Granit Xhaka and Nordi Mukiele about Sunderland’s recent struggles, admitting his players were not working together effectively during the defeat at Coventry City.
The Black Cats remain bottom of the Premier League with five points from nine matches, with their latest performance prompting a frank assessment from captain Xhaka.
Speaking after the game, the midfielder questioned why Sunderland had failed to carry out the instructions discussed beforehand. “If you don’t do the things that we are preparing, if you don’t do the things that we are speaking in the dressing room, there is no chance to win any game,” Xhaka said.
Asked about the players’ comments ahead of Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Dinamo Zagreb, Le Bris explained that Sunderland’s intended approach had broken down when pressing Coventry. “Well, we are talking about standards. Our game model is clear. We know what we want to do in different phases. And we struggled on high press against Coventry.
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Le Bris continued: “We wanted to go man for man, and we didn’t face their mobility. Probably it was a bit unusual if we compared it with the game we experienced before. And the lads, some of the lads, stayed between two positions. And if one player, two players, three or four players are aligned on one idea, and half of the squad is not aligned, then you can’t build momentum.
“Coventry were able to play long without pressure. They kept the ball between our lines, and the momentum was disrupted. So it was about this. We know what we want to do. When we are on the pitch, we are not aligned. We can’t be efficient. This was the topic with Granit.”
Le Bris’ explanation highlighted a lack of coordination between players committing to the press and those caught between positions, allowing Coventry to move the ball forward without sufficient pressure. Sunderland now face consecutive home matches against Zagreb and Chelsea, with the head coach seeking a more cohesive response as his side balance European ambitions with an urgent need for Premier League points.
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