Sunderland are back in Premier League action when they face Burnley on Saturday
Régis Le Bris is thrilled with the progress of his new-look Sunderland midfield but has told those who missed out on selection against West Ham United that there will be rotation in the weeks and months ahead.
Granit Xhaka's arrival from Bayer Leverkusen midway through the pre-season programme led to a significant reshuffle of the midfield three, with Enzo Le Fée dropping out to accommodate the new club captain. Le Bris's decision led to a superb performance on opening day, with Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra impressing in front of the excellent and experienced Xhaka at the base.
The Sunderland head coach said adding athleticism and running power to his midfield options was a vital part of the club's summer recruitment strategy, but insisted he will pick different combinations for different challenges ahead.
"When we planned the squad for recruitment, we thought it was really important in our head that we found players who wanted to run, because the demand of this league is really high," Le Bris explained.
"But their running needs to be smart. It's not just running everywhere. The balance is really positive with two young powerful runners, good footballers as well, and an experienced player behind them able to manage different tactical problems, help and give advice.
"The balance worked well for this game but I repeat Burnley is a different challenge and then there are 36 others."
While Diarra now has relatively extensive experience of elite football from his time in Ligue 1, Sadiki's rapid adaptation was perhaps harder to predict. Le Bris was confident that the youngster could make an impact but has been impressed with how quickly his new arrivals have gelled within the team.
"With young players, especially in a young squad, it's always a new experience," Le Bris said.
"I had my expectations but after that you have to experience it, and it was really positive. The way they worked together...I think these players have learnt our game model really quickly. It was very positive."
Régis Le Bris issues message to Sunderland midfielder Enzo Le Fée
While wholesale changes appear unlikely for the visit to Burnley on Saturday, Le Bris has insisted that there will be many opportunities over the course of the season not just for Le Fée but also for Dan Neil and Chris Rigg.
"We started with three but we need four, five or six for the season," he said.
"The starting XI for the first fixture will be different maybe this weekend, maybe one month. It's always like that, so we can't predict the exact dynamic or the future. We know we will need three, four, five, six players in this position to ensure consistency."
What Enzo Le Fée said about his selection disappointment on opening day
Speaking after the win over West Ham, the midfielder said he was disappointed not to start but ready to help the team in any way he can from the bench.
“Even if I had two minutes, I was ready to help the team," he said.
"Everybody has to have this mindset because it's never the first eleven that will finish the season. We work for this, everyone. When the coach calls us to go in, we have to do the job to help the team to score. We did this for Wilson today and I think this is a good example.
“I think everyone wants to play in the starting XI, of course, but sometimes it's like this.Hopefully, he trusts me for the season. If it wasn't the case, I would be the first surprised. I know him, so I have to do the job for him and for the club as well. I think last year we did a really good job, but now we have to stay in this league so everybody is in the same boat. We work together to be good.
“I think the biggest strength of the team is to be together."
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