Neil dragged us back into that game, fantastic! Also LON came on with us 2-1 down, 300 seconds later we are 3-2 up, what a man
IMO, there's no maybe about it. RLB knows exactly what he is doing and has us in a better position than any of us could have wished for when the season started. Well done RLB.
That second half performance confirmed to me that we do better when we go in at HT with something to play for rather than sitting on a lead.
He is a rare talent in my opinion. Since his first forays in league 1, when he even filled in at left back, his touch, half turn and passing range made him stand out. He is now captain of our great club, and for good reason imo. Even when he had his quiter spell early season he wasnt poor nor did he warrant dropping. His poorer games were still a 6 out of 10 because of his off ball work. The last 3 games have been at an elite level imo, and there were clear signs in the half dozen games before he was starting to relish the challenges the new coach has given him and his game was improving as a result. Unlike some, I dont want him moved to an 8. I love him as the 6. The deepest lying midfield player can be the most important in terms of controlling the tempo, and that is really Neils game. He knows when to tick things over and then when to hit the big cross field pass or the slide between the lines. What has been good to see last couple of games is Jobe coming back deeper and Neil pushing into the space he leaves. It is essentially where his goal comes from today. If Samed is the player folk claim I would have no problem at all playing the double pivot in a 4231 and I think it could a great alternative for us. Jobe Rigg and Browne ahead of Neil and Samed could be quite the setup imo.
I never lost it once in the Reid era or when we avoided relegation but these youngans get right in my heart and gut and I just love everything about them mate.
As a manager it's always a gamble. In midfield: Hard working players that can win the ball and stop attacking players. Flair players that can beat hard working disciplined players and create chances. Some battles you win, some you lose.
I would be interested to see Samed and Neil as the two but I wouldn't want them both as defensive minded, it could allow Neil to push on a little more than he can at the moment. I'm not sure about who i would play in the 3 but they would have more freedom to express themselves
I was saying earlier the internet has gone mad today ... ... all my WhatsApp messages are coming in twice.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris: "It was a long week so I am happy to win. We started slowly with two goals conceded on set-plays but I thought during the first half that it was possible to be back in the game because we had good qualities on the pitch. "It was clear in my mind that we just needed to fix one or two problems, especially how they escaped our press with long balls down our left. "When we fixed that problem, I think we dominated the second half. We were probably a bit more aggressive with our finishing - we created chances and we scored. "It's good a win – it's good for character, good for confidence and good for the spirit of the team." https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg6d17ek44t
