Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal: WOW! What a point! James Copley and Phil Smith react at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland secured one of their best results of the season yet with a 2-2 draw against Arsenal
Régis Le Bris praised Brian Brobbey for his ‘deserved’ first Sunderland goal on Saturday night.
Brobbey’s superb volley rescued a point for the Black Cats in stoppage time against Arsenal, and preserved the team’s unbeaten home record in the Premier League so far this season. Brobbey had registered his first assist against Chelsea a week previous and Le Bris said his hard work behind the scenes over recent weeks is paying off.
“Yes, we felt that he improved a lot, he needed time to change from another club to a new club, a new league, new teammates, so he worked hard and I think he deserves this reward,” Le Bris said.
Brobbey had replaced Wilson Isidor on the hour mark as part of a triple substitution from Le Bris, and the Frenchman’s work rate had been a crucial part of the team’s strong first half showing against the league leaders.
Le Bris said: “Our four subs were really important because we are in this league and probably our game model is really demanding for our forwards, they don't just have to stay wide waiting for the next pass, you have to work hard with the squad, otherwise we can't defend against a strong team like Arsenal.
“So they worked well for 60 minutes, then four players came on the pitch and those finishers helped to maintain the energy, the quality of the organisation and they have different profiles. So when you start against Wilson, for example, you know that it will be a threat in behind, even if he now has the ability to hold the ball, with Brian you have another profile, totally different, and he is a good scorer as well.”
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Régis Le Bris‘s verdict on Arsenal draw
Régis Le Bris praised the resilience of his Sunderland team as they battled back to draw 2-2 with Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.
It looked as if Arsenal had turned the game around when Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard struck in the second half, but Brian Brobbey’s late volley was the latest in a string of late goals for the Black Cats this year. It was yet more evidence that the club’s now fabled ‘Til The End motto has taken root in the dressing room.
“It shows that the team has a really strong character and the face that we can change the dynamic of the game with just one decision, a good connection with our crowd and it happened once again,” Le Bris said.
“It's still tough against a team like Arsenal, one of the best teams in Europe, so you have to do a masterclass, otherwise it's impossible to win something. I think the first half was well balanced, we tried to defend high when possible, organised a deep block, really compact, narrow, aggressive and we had the opportunity to manage the ball sometimes. We even felt that it was possible to disturb them in that part. The second half was a bit tougher because you defend for long periods and then you have to stay composed with the ball and we still have a really young squad, really young players without great experience in the Premier League, so it's a good lesson.
“I think we were just on the edge after the 2-1, and Arsenal were dominant and they were able to keep the ball. But with the energy of the stadium, I think the characteristics of our players and the background we have now, I think it's really positive for this faith and this belief that we can change the dynamic.”
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