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Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw by a strong Leeds United side on Sunday afternoon
Régis Le Bris felt it was a good point in the end for Sunderland as they drew 1-1 with Leeds United.
The Black Cats took the lead through Simon Adingra and has some big chances to double their advantage through Brian Brobbey just before the break, but Leeds performed strongly throughout and were good value for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser.
Sunderland were already managing a large list of absentees due to AFCON, and saw Dan Ballard ruled out of the game with an ankle issue before kick off. In the context of those absentees and Leeds United’s good form, it was a point the Black Cats are happy to take even if the general performance was clearly not their best.
The head coach felt an injury to Joe Rodon in the build up to Sunderland’s goal, after which Leeds United brought on midfielder Ao Tanaka and switched formation, actually proved to be a key moment in the game.
“Yes, probably this is a good point in the end,” Le Bris said.
“We started well, we scored and we had the opportunity to score the second goal. The game shifted after the injury of Rodon, I think. They managed a different structure .We struggled to find the best references for the low build-up and for the high press, and that was key. I think it’s normal because of the changes, to improve and to get better in this new culture, you need time and experiences, and this shift was a bit difficult to manage. It’s a question of shared references, we have our intentions and then we have to experience these situations in real time, even if in theory it’s simple to solve after that it’s a question of doing it on the pitch. It’s part of the pitch.”
While Sunderland looked fatigued for large parts of the second half, Le Bris felt it was more about Leeds United’s control of the ball.
“Maybe we were a little fatigued,” Le Bris said.
“I think it’s a question of control. If you have the ball, you don’t feel the same vibes in the game. I think we struggled to find this rhythm today. The opponents were probably a bit more proactive. When you’re on the pitch, you suffer more in that case.”
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Régis Le Bris issues further Dan Ballard update
Le Bris said Sunderland were not at this stage clear how serious Ballard’s injury is, but added that the initial signs are relatively promising.
“Dan got a kick on his ankle against Brighton and it’s still painful,” Le Bris said.
“We’ll see on Monday, when we’ll have another scan. It doesn’t seem too serious, but it’s important to explore further and to find the best solution for his recovery. “
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