Regis Le Bris has created something special at Sunderland, and it’s a testament to the manager’s success in instilling belief across the club that the 4-3 defeat at Aston Villa is being viewed in a positive light.
Tammy Abraham might have left the travelling Mackems crestfallen as he scored a last-gasp winner at Villa Park to ruin Sunderland’s quickfire double late on, but this is the spirit and togetherness that was missing over past Premier League campaigns at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland desperately treading water over those final few years before being pulled under and down into League One.
|
Sunderland’s Recent Premier League Finishes |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Points |
League Position |
|
25/26 |
46 |
11th |
|
16/17 |
24 |
20th |
|
15/16 |
39 |
17th |
|
14/15 |
38 |
16th |
|
13/14 |
38 |
14th |
|
12/13 |
39 |
17th |
However, a 4-3 defeat does not come without its criticisms, and not everyone in Black Cats colours left the Villans pitch with spirits high. Luke O’Nien, for example, had another poor performance at centre-back, and he probably needs to return to the bench.
Le Bris needs to bench Sunderland’s O’Nien
Sunderland have been brilliant this season, but the club’s powers that be will be intent on progressing and not regressing. They need to keep building, and sadly, that could mean that O’Nien’s days at the club are numbered.
The 31-year-old has been at Sunderland since 2018, but he’s no longer among the most valuable players, with competing in the Premier League for a high-flying outfit exposing his weaknesses. Aerially, for example, he’s not strong enough against top-level opponents, winning only 38% of his battles.
O’Nien has only started four top-flight fixtures, of course, but Le Bris needs fringe players to step in and operate at a higher level, truth told, with the veteran at fault on numerous occasions during that tricky defeat to Aston Villa.
He’s been a decent squad player for the Wearsiders this season, but Sunderland need to secure an upgrade this summer if they want to kick on and enjoy an even more impressive campaign going forward.
However, for now, he needs to be dropped for the club’s new Granit Xhaka.
Sunderland must drop O’Nien for the next Xhaka
Sunderland are going to finish comfortably at the heart of the Premier League pack. Securing a ticket into Europe seems unlikely, but regardless, this is an exceptional base for the Black Cats to build from over the next few years.
Xhaka, 33, has been crucial in settling the club back in the big time, but he won’t be around forever, and it feels like Dan Ballard will take his place as Le Bris’ on-field leader.
He might not be the club captain, but Ballard is one of the focal presences at the Stadium of Light, and his absence through injury has been keenly felt over the past several weeks, even though Sunderland picked up wins over Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur without him.
O’Nien has done a good job, but he doesn’t boast the 23-year-old’s physicality or dynamism alongside Omar Alderete. Noted as a “diamond” of a defender by former manager Tony Mowbray, he is among the most important cogs in the system.
He has won 59% of his duels and averages 6.7 clearances per game. Moreover, he commands his box superlatively, and you’ve got to say that he would have dealt with Ollie Watkins in a more confident fashion than O’Nien at Villa Park.
Even after sweeping summer changes last year, Sunderland still need to keep chipping away as they work toward a team capable of pushing those higher up the Premier League ladder.
Xhaka has been the perfect leader for a Sunderland side on the rise. However, Ballard seems to be the proverbial successor, and his absence in recent weeks has underlined exactly how important he is.
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