Another blue-riband away day for the Lads
When Sunderland fell behind to Merlin Röhl’s (what a name, by the way!) deflected strike at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday — the goal coming at the end of a half during which we’d played some good football without finding the killer touch or the dead-eye finish — it was a blow from which we might not have recovered, given our struggles in games during which we enjoy the lion’s share of possession.
However, thanks to a far more purposeful second half display, some inspired substitutions from Régis Le Bris and Enzo Le Fée, Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor taking the chances that came their way (all brilliantly-worked goals yet all somewhat different in their execution), we turned things around, stunning the hosts and keeping our borderline fantasy European push on track in the process.
At the Toffees’ immensely impressive new stadium and with the immortal spirit of Bradley Lowery perhaps providing both sides with a little more impetus, an open and at times fractious game eventually went the way of the visitors, and during a season filled with eye-catching results both at home and away, this was right up there and it ensured that we head into the season’s final game — a titanic home clash with Chelsea — with a chance of continental football.
Amazing.
Sunderland’s big-game players come to the fore in the second half…and how!
All three of the Lads’ goals on Sunday were notable for the slickness of their execution.
Brian Brobbey’s opener was a masterclass of strength, determination and the finish to match; Enzo Le Fée edged us into the lead with a smart finish after some good interplay down the right (bonus marks for his Spider-Man- themed celebration, as well), and Wilson Isidor wrapped up the points with a crisp finish after Habib Diarra’s powerful run and cross, which somehow evaded every Everton defender before Isidor curled the ball into the bottom corner.
Big goals from players that we’ve often called on at various stages of the season and in Isidor’s case, it was particularly satisfying to see him back on the scoresheet after some tough times and periodic speculation about his future at Sunderland. I do believe there’s a Premier League striker there, and nobody would be happier than me if he stays at Sunderland beyond the summer.
Can we be more potent in attack? Yes, and we need to be. Can we work on it and ensure that it’s not as problematic next season? Absolutely — and that’ll be the target.
We’re defensively solid and we can play some good football when the mood takes us, but adding the finishing touch is the dividing line between a promising team and a consistently competitive one, so there’s plenty of food for thought there.
Oh, and speaking of big-game players, massive kudos to Robin Roefs for producing a sensational reflex save from Jake O’Brien’s header late in the game. The Dutchman proved his worth once again, and showed why he’s been such an astute buy!
Luke O’Nien does the business from the bench in another superb display!
When Omar Alderete pulled up with what appeared to be a hip or a side injury twenty minutes in, Le Bris was forced to turn to his bench and the long-serving O’Nien — so effective during the FA Cup tie between the two sides earlier in the season — found himself pitched into the action at the heart of the defence.
The result? Another rock-solid and composed display, peppered with thunderous tackles, commanding headers, the newest weapon in his armoury in the shape of some booming long throws (take your pick between himself and Nordi Mukiele when deciding who’s got the upper hand in that department) and the kind of commitment that you know you’re always going to get from a player about which it’s often hard to write something new, so unique and comprehensive is his legacy at Sunderland.
From League One to the Premier League in eight unforgettable years. A story unlikely ever to be repeated — and it’s not over yet.
Régis Le Bris leads Sunderland into rarefied territory — he must stay next season
I don’t care about the so-called virtues of the Sunderland hierarchy being ‘ruthless’ when it comes to personnel, because there’s no convincing argument in favour of replacing the Frenchman as Sunderland’s head coach for the 2026/2027 season and any attempts to do so would be paper-thin in their conviction at best and downright crackpot at worst.
Reality check: he’s led the Lads to their highest top flight points total since Ask Jeeves was still the favoured search engine for post-2000 internet-savvy types, and six years before Chris Rigg was even born.
He’s turned us into a tenacious, exciting and highly watchable side, and he’s done so with class, composure, and the full backing of his players, who clearly believe fully in what he’s doing and the methods he’s utilising.
Why on Earth would we want to potentially dismantle that in an attempt to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? It makes zero sense to me, and with yet more backing in the summer transfer market, this classy Frenchman could establish himself as one of the most important and transformative bosses in our recent history.
Thank you, Régis.
