Le Bris’ tactical variety is evident in Sunderland’s out-of-possession play this season. Though they have been difficult to break down defensively, that hasn’t only been by defending deep.
Sunderland tend to begin aggressively. Le Bris instructs his players to press high, often in a man-to-man fashion, and their ability to execute this has been impressive.
Newly promoted teams are reluctant to defend in this way because getting it wrong leaves you more exposed, with individuals needing to cover larger distances alone. With the speed of the Premier League, Sunderland’s decision to adopt this approach following promotion is brave but has paid off for them.
In their 2-1 win at Chelsea on 25 October, their man-to-man high press forced their hosts back. The press often aimed to force Chelsea towards their left given they lacked a left-footer in central defence. This reduced the success of the Blues’ build-up play from the back.
Sunderland apply this high press when opponents take their goal-kicks but have shown a willingness to jump as a team and press in a man-to-man fashion, often using back passes as the trigger for the team to press together.
