Enzo Le Fée delivered an excellent individual performance as Sunderland beat Wolves at the Stadium of Light
By Enzo Le Fée's own admission, the start to this season had from a personal perspective been solid rather than spectacular.
Le Fée had overcome the first hurdle in winning back the place he had unexpectedly lost over the course of pre-season, when a combination of Granit Xhaka's arrival and a couple of indifferent performances in the number ten position led Régis Le Bris to a reshuffle. A 'tough' conversation followed but the pair are close enough to avoid dispute and when the chance came, Le Fée's industry out of possession made him almost impossible to leave out.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday's game against Wolves, however, Le Fée made clear that he expected more from himself.
"I don't think I show everyone how I can play football, how I can be good with my qualities," he said.
"Yeah, [there is more to come], of course. But I know it's not enough for me. Because normally when I play football, I can take 100% pleasure. It's not the case for the moment, but I'm still waiting for that. And I think we'll be good.”
In a sparkling performance, he more than made good on that promise. It wasn't a perfect display, the 25-year-old guilty at times of losing possession, but that is always likely to happen on occasions with a player whose willingness to take risks can create something out of nothing. His role in the opening goal was vital, twice catching Wolves off guard first with his turn down the left wing and then by cutting back a clever pass when all anticipated the driven cross. He was then within inches of producing a brilliant assist in the second half, Dan Ballard just unable to get on the end of his inswinging cross from deep.
It's no coincidence that Le Fée produced one of his strongest performances this season in a game where in the first half in particular, Sunderland were able to enjoy more possession than we are used to seeing at this level. His displays against Brentford and now against Wolves suggest that his role on the left wing is at the Stadium of Light an effective one, giving strong protection to the full back and a little bit of extra quality on the ball.
Slowly but surely, Le Fée is starting to show that he more than belongs at the top level.
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Enzo Le Fée's pre-match message to Sunderland supporters
Before the game, Le Fée thanked Sunderland fans for their support since his arrival from AS Roma last January in a set of programme notes.
"I always want to help the team in every way I can, whether that's through goals, assists, or hard work off the ball," Le Bris said.
"When I first came to Sunderland, I didn’t expect such a big welcome from the supporters. The connection with the fans is something I’ve really felt from the first day. I’m someone who will always give everything on the pitch - that’s just who I am. I think the fans appreciate that. They like players who will fight for the shirt, and that is my job, so I do it with pride.
"I need to feel like I’m at home to play my best football and since I arrived here, I’ve had that feeling every day. This club has a real family atmosphere, from the staff to the players and especially the fans. It's perfect for me. I also came here because I know the coach well and I knew I could reach my level quickly under him. He gives me confidence and helps me to express myself on the pitch."
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