Sunderland Coach Régis Le Bris Admits Concern After Training Ground Chat With Granit Xhaka
Régis Le Bris has acknowledged Sunderland’s shortage of goals and held a detailed conversation with captain Granit Xhaka about the club’s progression and the areas that need work. Le Bris said the problem is not confined to the forwards and outlined how the club plans to address attacking inconsistencies while praising the side’s defensive record.
Granit Xhaka Discussed Progression With Manager
Le Bris said he and the coaching staff sat down with Granit Xhaka to review Sunderland’s season and the specific areas requiring attention. He described Xhaka as “really experienced” and indicated the conversation covered different phases of play the team is developing, including out-of-possession performance where recent displays were strong.
The manager highlighted that Sunderland have repeated effective defensive performances this season, pointing to strong pressing, a solid mid-block and a disciplined deep block in certain matches. Those defensive foundations have helped produce one of the better defensive records in the league, but Le Bris stressed the need to convert that platform into greater attacking output.
Le Bris Identifies Causes Of Low Scoring And Squad Solutions
Le Bris admitted the shortage of goals is “a concern” and said only two clubs have scored fewer goals this season. He stressed the issue is a squad-wide responsibility rather than solely the remit of the attacking players. “It’s not only about the attacking players, it’s about the squad, ” he said, adding that set-pieces and contributions from midfielders shooting from outside the box are areas to develop.
The manager described goal-scoring as “the most difficult part of the game” and pointed to dynamics, confidence and consistency of partnerships as factors that have hampered sustained attacking fluency. He noted frequent changes in combinations on both flanks and among the forwards made it harder to find the right balance, and conceded the team has struggled to maintain the attacking momentum that existed earlier in the season.
Le Bris reiterated that improvement is an ongoing process and defended the overall progress of a squad that contains many young and relatively inexperienced players. He emphasised the club’s solid defensive return while identifying the final third as the area needing the most work.
Xhaka Weighs In On New Football Traditions
Away from tactical matters, Granit Xhaka has voiced strong views on contemporary football traditions. He said the trend for half-and-half scarves is undesirable: “Game’s gone I think. If you support one team you don’t need another team on your scarf. I’m not happy with that. “
Xhaka also addressed the practice of removing runners-up medals, arguing players should keep them as a sign of respect: “For me you can’t remove it. In the end the other team was better on this day and of course you are very disappointed but keep it on you and just show respect. ” He said muted celebrations or apologies when scoring against former clubs demonstrate fair play given the relationships players often maintain.
Le Bris and his staff will continue work on the attacking issues discussed with Granit Xhaka, with the manager stressing confidence and dynamic play are key to finding more consistent ways to score as the club looks to build on a strong defensive platform.
