Sunderland moments missed: Régis Le Bris handed Brian Brobbey boost as World Cup players return
Brian Brobbey’s return, Simon Adingra’s impact and more World Cup reinforcements feature after Sunderland’s Leeds loss
Sunderland’s 1-0 defeat to Leeds United in New Jersey was an exercise in frustration rather than a performance that should prompt any serious alarm.
Lukas Nmecha’s early goal punished one loose pass and Sunderland then spent much of the evening attempting to break down a compact Leeds side without finding the final action their possession deserved.
Beyond the result, there were still several useful developments for Régis Le Bris as another group of senior players returned, Brian Brobbey stepped up his workload and Sunderland’s younger players were given another lesson in the level they must reach.
Brobbey return was the biggest positive
Brian Brobbey’s return to the starting XI was probably the most significant development of the evening for Le Bris. The striker replaced Wilson Isidor in the only alteration to the side that began the previous friendly against Liverpool, leading the line for just over 35 minutes as Sunderland continued to build his fitness ahead of the new campaign. Brobbey did not get the clear sight of goal he would have wanted, but there were some encouraging signs in his link play. One neat exchange with Romaine Mundle almost released Trai Hume into space, while his willingness to drop short gave Sunderland another route through Leeds’ compact midfield.
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There was also one moment when Reinildo’s cross narrowly evaded him after Sunderland had worked the ball well down the left. The delivery was slightly too strong, but Brobbey had found the right position between the defenders and would have had a straightforward finish had the ball arrived with less pace. His physical condition appeared encouraging, which will be the main source of satisfaction for Le Bris. Brobbey missed the Liverpool game but was trusted to complete a little longer than the planned half hour in the first half, representing another important step in his preparations.
Sunderland need more from their attacking players once the competitive action begins, but Brobbey being available and steadily increasing his minutes gives Le Bris another genuine option at centre-forward.
Sunderland were forced to confront a familiar problem
Leeds’ approach presented Sunderland with the sort of challenge they are likely to face regularly this season. Daniel Farke’s side were happy to defend in a settled shape and showed little interest in pressing Melker Ellborg or Sunderland’s centre-backs when they were circulating possession deep inside their own half. That left Sunderland with control of the ball but very little space to attack. The Black Cats moved it patiently and frequently progressed into promising positions, only for the final cross, pass or shot to let them down.
It was not dissimilar to some of Sunderland’s more frustrating displays last season, when opponents were content to concede possession and challenge Le Bris’s team to find a way through a crowded defensive structure. The game therefore carried more value than the scoreline might suggest. Sunderland will know that dominating possession counts for very little unless they can add more speed, variety and quality around the penalty area.
Le Bris’s side did enough to create the possibility of an equaliser, but they never really placed Leeds goalkeeper Alex Cairns under sustained pressure. That will have frustrated the head coach far more than the defeat itself.
A costly lesson for Le Fée
Enzo Le Fée’s mistake for the only goal was uncharacteristically casual. The midfielder attempted to play the ball back inside from near the halfway line, but Ao Tanaka anticipated the pass and Nmecha reacted quickly after the interception. With Ellborg positioned outside his goal, the striker produced a clever finish from distance which went in off the post.
Le Fée otherwise saw plenty of the ball and remained central to Sunderland’s attempts to control the game. He also had one of their better first-half openings after Reinildo and Mundle combined down the left, but dragged his effort wide. The mistake should not become a major talking point in isolation, particularly during pre-season, but it was still the sort of moment Le Bris will use as a reminder of the margins at this level.
Sunderland were not carved open by an intricate move and Ellborg was not repeatedly forced into saves. One avoidable error was enough to decide the contest, underlining how difficult it can be to recover once an opponent is allowed to defend a lead.
Ellborg responded well after the goal
Melker Ellborg was caught in an awkward position for Nmecha’s opener, although the goalkeeper had been encouraged to remain high as part of Sunderland’s possession structure. Once the ball was lost, he had little time to react and was unable to recover before Nmecha’s effort struck the inside of the post.
The important thing was that Ellborg did not appear affected by the moment. Leeds created relatively little thereafter, but he remained composed in possession and made a strong second-half block when Dan James exchanged passes inside the Sunderland box. That save kept Sunderland within touching distance and demonstrated Ellborg’s ability in a one-on-one situation. He stood up well, made himself big and waited for James to commit rather than going to ground too early.
Ellborg still has plenty to prove as he attempts to establish his place within Sunderland’s goalkeeping group, but this was another useful experience against Premier League opposition.
Le Bris welcomed back another important group
Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Simon Adingra, Robin Roefs and Nilson Angulo were all included following their return from World Cup duty. Le Bris had explained beforehand that Sunderland’s opening group had built strong connections while the international contingent were away, meaning the returning players were effectively being dropped into a structure which was already functioning.
“The players from the World Cup will join as well for 30 minutes and we’ll mix the squad like this for the first game,” Le Bris said before the match. “The first group have started really well with a good atmosphere and with fewer players it helps to connect immediately and to design properly the load and the connection we can produce with them. “Then progressively we’ve got our players from the World Cup who are like new signings. It’s good because they feel that the first group is already in good shape and well connected with our principles and with clear ideas.”
Adingra offered a late reminder
Simon Adingra was arguably Sunderland’s brightest attacking player after the changes. The winger operated with purpose, carried the ball directly and caused Leeds problems from the right. His delivery created a headed opening for Trey Ogunsuyi, while another combination with Timur Tutierov ended with the Ukrainian forward shooting too close to Cairns. Adingra’s future has been the subject of renewed speculation following his return from Monaco, but he remains a Sunderland player and his qualities are obvious when he attacks defenders with conviction.
There is still a decision to be made over his role within the squad, particularly with Sunderland looking to add another wide player. However, this cameo offered a reminder that Le Bris already has an attacker capable of changing the pace of a game.
Tutierov continued to make his case
Tutierov’s strong pre-season continued with another lively appearance.
The youngster had been one of Sunderland’s standout players against York City and again looked willing to involve himself against Leeds. He produced an intelligent header from Chris Rigg’s cross shortly after the restart, generating decent power but directing the effort wide of the far post. Tutierov also linked effectively with Adingra late on and tested Cairns, albeit with an attempt that lacked the placement required to beat the goalkeeper.
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