Why the future looks bleak for Sunderland duo after Régis Le Bris latest selection decision

After the transfer window closes, Kristjaan Speakman outlined why Sunderland were unlikely to add free agent cover even though they were left a little light in the full back positions.

Both himself and Regis Le Bris are in agreement that it is best to run a smaller squad wherever possible, meaning that every player in your group feels they have a realistic chance of featuring whether it be starting games or from the bench. That way, you can create a highly competitive training environment where players are motivated. Carry too many and you are well protected against injury issues, but you could also be left with disenchanted players who can have an impact on the overall mood. 

All of which leaves Le Bris with a tricky task in the weeks and months ahead, with Adil Aouchiche and Abdoullah Ba still at the club despite quite clearly not being in the head coach’s plans as things stand.

In his short stint at the club so far Le Bris has shown a ruthless streak and none more so than when their pair were first left out of the squad for the win over Burnley, despite players who looked certain to leave on loan being included. It was the same again a week later against Portsmouth as Le Bris named a bench stacked with youngsters, though he would explain afterwards that the awkward timing of deadline day had been a key factor in that particular decision. Sunderland had travelled to the south coast as the final hours of the window ticked off, and it made no sense to include players in the travelling party who might be off at a moment’s notice.

Le Bris confirmed ahead of the trip to Plymouth Argyle that he had held brief talks with the pair during the international break, and said that the closing of the transfer window marked a clean slate for both. If they worked hard in training and impressed, then they could still play their part in what will be a long winter with many fixtures. He then laid bare the scale of the challenge for both, however, by not naming them in the squad at Plymouth despite a minor injury to Ian Poveda. Trey Ogunsuyi was instead called onto the bench, a worthy reward for the young striker catching the eye behind the scenes at the Academy of Light.

The path to the first team for Aouchiche and Ba is only going to narrow in the weeks ahead and so too are the options for a short-term solution. Salis Abdul Samed is close to joining the squad as he recovers from a minor injury and Le Bris will want the variety he offers in midfield on his bench as a minimum. Poveda’s Sunderland career is yet to get going but his injury is minor and he’ll be back in the fold before long. While there was a brief period after deadline day where the club might have been able to source loans for the pair to leagues where the transfer window remained open, that no longer looks a particularly realistic avenue. Very few leagues where they could play at a level that would be worth their while in terms of recovering sharpness and confidence are still open for business.

Le Bris will hold further talks with both to outline what they can do to get back into his plans, but they appear unlikely to be back in the fold in the near future. Both can consider themselves a little hard done by to an extent, even if Le Bris’ decision is understandable in both cases. In the first half of last season Ba looked to have made progress, settling into his new position on the right flank and with his goal contribution decent. Tony Mowbray’s departure led to yet more upheaval and Ba’s form flatlined as he was shifted around the pitch again, drifting in and out of the team. An injury then badly impacted his pre-season campaign and left him behind others in the squad. At the same time, Poveda arrived having thrived at Sheffield Wednesday and no one could criticise Sunderland’s desire to push the excellent Tommy Watson into the first-team fold. Two seasons on from his arrival, you can understand the view that it might be time for a change and a new challenge for Ba.

Similarly, Aouchiche had a mixed first season on Wearside but ended the season playing relatively regularly. His work rate on the pitch has always been good and with better finishing from both himself and his team mates, he could have delivered a decent output in terms of his goal contributions. Nor did he play poorly through pre season, and yet there was never really any significant prospect of him forcing his way past Jobe Bellingham into the team. Chris Rigg’s rise and Alan Browne’s arrival further increased the competition for his place in midfield, and Milan Aleksic is a player who Sunderland will be patient with but have invested heavily in and will expect to be involved. 

Aouchiche was widely reported to be considering his future as the window drew to a close, but the failure to find an appropriate move has left all parties in a situation that does not really do any of them any good. U21 football offers the opportunity to regain match sharpness, but also blocks the pathway for players such as Watson who the club see long-term futures for. 

Le Bris has repeatedly said that the door will remain open for both if they knuckle down and force their way into his thinking, but both will probably feel that the writing is on the wall for them at Sunderland. The January window is still three months away and the head coach faces a task managing what has the potential to become an awkward situation for all involved.