Regis Le Bris using Southampton approach as inspiration for Sunderland ahead of play-offs, it worked for them

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Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris believes Southampton’s sacrifice of form for rotation at the end of last season will be the right call.

With Sunderland’s place in the Championship play-offs made mathematically certain weeks ago, the age-old debate of form versus momentum has been raging amongst the Black Cats fanbase.

Fans have been divided over Regis Le Bris’ tactics since their top-six table place was confirmed, with the Black Cats’ form falling off a cliff due to weakened and rotated starting 11s fielded of late, seeing Sunderland lose three on the bounce ahead of Saturday’s trip to Oxford United.

Le Bris has put an end to the rotation roulette, with the head coach demanding a “shift” now from his side in their final two games before their play-off campaign.

The Sunderland boss has, however, defended opting for a similar approach that Southampton employed last season prior to the play-offs, which eventually paid huge dividends for the Saints.

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Regis Le Bris defends using Southampton approach ahead of play-offs

Last term’s Championship play-off final winners, Southampton were in a similar position to the one Sunderland are in currently, with Russell Martin’s side booking their play-off place whilst having no real chance of automatic promotion.

Martin’s side would finish fourth in the regular second tier season, the same place Le Bris’ side look destined to end on, and lost their final four league games of the regular season – including a 5-0 hammering at Leicester City – before the play-off campaign.

Le Bris finds himself in a similar spot, with the Black Cats picking up only one point from their last 12 on offer ahead of the final two outings, effectively writing off the defeats to Swansea City, Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers to ensure his squad is fully-fit and fresh for the season-defining clashes.

The former Saints boss’ call was proven right, and Le Bris is citing that as inspiration with the play-offs only weeks away.

Via the Northern Echo, Le Bris said: “I think Southampton lost some games towards the end of the season,

“I think one of them was 5-0 (vs Leicester), but they were still promoted.

“We have to manage things properly. The question now is about the desire of the squad, the team, and of the fans and the connection we have together. At Bristol City, we played with ten men and showed good connection, good energy.

“This part of the project is the most important, so now I hope that we will have mainly a full squad and a good energy in our two more games to play (before the play-offs).”

Not only does Martin’s approach bode well for Le Bris’ side this season, so does their best starting side when all are fully-fit.

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Sunderland vs Southampton play-off starting XIs compared

On paper, it’s fair to argue that Sunderland’s potential starting 11 for the play-offs is just as quality, if not a better side than Martin’s Saints’ final team.

Sunderland bode some of the Championship’s best players, the likes of full-back Trai Hume, Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg just three having stellar seasons.

Add in Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee, whose set to play in his favoured central-midfield role, and being fully-fit, for the first time since his January arrival.

Le Bris is expected to have a fully-fit squad for Sunderland’s play-off campaign, with Enzo Le Fee and Jobe Bellingham recently returning to the fold.

Sunderland’s Championship play-off history is worrying, with the Black Cats’ only recent win at Wembley being the League One play-off final victory under Alex Neil, the club’s first and only play-off victory under the arches.

Martin’s bold approach at Southampton paid monumental dividends, sacrificing form at the behest of rotation ahead of the play-offs, which led them to beat West Brom over two legs before defeating Leeds United in the Wembley finale.

They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Yet, with Le Bris adopting a similar selection approach to ex-Saints boss Martin, and both sides finishing fourth in their respective Championship campaigns, stranger things have certainly happened.