'Ideally...' - Sunderland writer Phil Smith on whether Le Bris will start Isidor or Mayenda in play-offs

For the longest while, it felt as if Sunderland barely had one viable centre-forward option available to them. This season, however, with the advent of Wilson Isidor and the emergence of Eliezer Mayenda, they have arguably had two.

Of course, it has not always been wholly plain sailing. For his part, Mayenda has often been forced into deputising in wide areas, while Isidor, despite remaining the Black Cats’ top scorer, has failed to find the back of the net in any of his last 12 Championship outings.

And that dip in form, combined with Mayenda’s ever-increasing promise, has led some supporters to question who head coach Regis Le Bris may opt to start at the point of attack in next month’s play-off campaign.

Who will Sunderland play up front in the Championship play-offs?

Reflecting on the topic during the most recent episode of On The Whistle, The Echo’s chief SAFC writer Phil Smith said: “He [Le Bris] hasn't given an obvious indication on his preference whatsoever. I think he's been really clear to say that he's in a fortunate position. I think he'd like three strikers; I think we all would, but he's in a fortunate position to have two fit strikers who have scored goals this season, who have loads of different qualities. And I think he's always kind of said, ‘I'll just make a decision close to the time based on what we need for the game’.

“I think he's saying this season that he really, really likes what Isidor brings running in behind. And we saw that was what Sunderland tried to do on Saturday [against Oxford United] - in my opinion, too much - trying to find him with those long balls over the top. I think that was probably to Sunderland's detriment.

“So I think ideally he would go with Isidor because of what Isidor brings. And I think when you play in those play-off games, they're going to be really open, lots of space, hopefully on the counter-attack, which I think is how Sunderland will try and play. I think he would normally go for Isidor because of that running power that we've all seen this season and some of those incredible goals he scored.

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“At the moment, though, I have to say that if it was tomorrow, I think you'd probably have to go with Mayenda, wouldn't you? Because I think his confidence is a lot better. He looks like he's going to make something happen every time he's on the pitch. He probably brings you a little bit more with his back to goal, I think, in terms of his ability to hold the ball and to link up with other players, to twist away and run at goal.

“I think it's going to be a really, really interesting decision. I think that at the moment, it's really hard to read Le Bris and what he's going for. Ordinarily, I would say he'll go with Isidor because I think the level of trust there is huge. And as I say, I think tactically, he likes what he brings. But at the moment for me, I think you would have to pick Mayenda. I think the level of form that the two players and confidence are displaying, I think Mayenda would have to be the pick.

“I think Saturday is going to be a really interesting game, to see who he picks and how the performances go - he'll have a better idea after that. But yeah, while I think generally Isidor would probably be the number one, I think at the moment Mayenda’s got a great chance of starting those games because of the levels that he's had.”

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