The Black Cats boss barely had to make a change in the first half of the season as a lack of injury issues meant he was able to keep his alterations to a minimum.
That changed when Sunderland lost six players to the Africa Cup of Nations in December, and since then, a succession of injury problems have meant Le Bris has had to turn to players that barely kicked a ball before Christmas.
Luke O’Nien has established himself as a more-than-capable deputy for the injured Dan Ballard at centre-half, with Le Bris sticking with Sunderland’s club captain for Sunday’s win over Tottenham even though the return of Nordi Mukiele meant that forced him to keep Trai Hume on the bench.
Further up the pitch, Chris Rigg has settled into life in the Premier League nicely after struggling for game time before Christmas, following up an impressive second-half performance in the Tyne-Wear derby win over Newcastle with another strong showing against Spurs.
“It’s important to be clear, honest and to build more than the starting XI, and I think the connection is key,” said Le Bris, who watched his side return to the top half of the table as they beat Tottenham. “We need a group of 14, 15 players able to play and to be competitive at that level.
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“After that, we’ll have one starting XI against Tottenham, but we might have another one later if everyone is still connected with the idea. The mentality of the group is good, so we now need to step up towards this mindset.”
Le Bris will now have to decide whether to stick with O’Nien and Rigg in the starting line-up to face Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
In January, O’Nien was being touted for a possible loan exit given his lack of involvement in the first half of the season, but the defender insisted on remaining on Wearside in order to fight for his place in the Sunderland side.
His stance has been rewarded, with Sunday’s outing meaning he has now started four of the Black Cats’ last five games.
“Luke is doing well,” said Le Bris. “He’s showing now that he’s able to be competitive at that level. We didn't know before, and we had to wait for his opportunities.
“He worked hard. He’s a brilliant club captain, always well-connected with the lads. He sets the tone every day, so it’s a big symbol for us.”