Régis Le Bris delivers honest verdict on Sunderland's challenging win at Derby County
Sunderland edged past Derby County at Pride Park thanks to a goal from Eliezer Mayenda
Régis Le Bris hailed an important win in Sunderland’s journey as the Black Cats edged past Derby County at Pride Park.
Eliezer Mayenda’s first-half goal proved to be the difference between the two teams, with the visitors having to survive a huge amount of pressure throughout a tense second half. They did have a second goal bizarrely ruled out for offside, however. Le Bris admitted after the game that he still wasn’t sure exactly why the goal had been ruled out.
Le Bris admitted that his side had struggled at times to control Derby’s long balls, leading him to switch away from the 4-4-2 system in which they began the contest.
“It was a big win, an important win for our journey,” Le Bris said.
“It was a tough game. We had the opportunity to score a second goal, but we didn’t and with their back three and wide players, it was difficult to press and apply pressure on their first ball. It was difficult to find the right distance, so they managed many long balls in behind our defence to their target-man. Around the box, many things can happen, and it was difficult because they created many chaotic situations. The only way to stop it is to score, so in the end, it’s a good win because they are really efficient in their way of playing. It is not easy to solve the questions they ask of you.
“I think after the first 15 minutes, it [the system] worked well,” he added.
“We were good in that part of the game, and Eli scored in that position so it was positive from that perspective. After that, it was a bit more difficult and we lost a bit of control in the middle of the pitch. When we have two strikers, we have one less player in the middle. Halfway through the second half, we decided to make a change and play with three midfielders again, and I think it was better for us. At the end, it was a good choice.”
Mayenda continued his excellent form with his goal and Le Bris is pleased with his progress.
“We have many young players, and for someone like Eli, they need experiences to grow,” Le Bris said.
“Obviously, in an ideal world, we would like to have (forward) players who are tall and fast, with a good technique and good finishing. In a perfect world, you want someone who can do everything. But we have to build these players. The players we have are talented, but they need time and experiences to grow. Eli is getting that, and he is doing well.”