The Sunderland squad has plenty of top players right now, but Michael Graham has pinpointed one area where Regis Le Bris is blessed with brilliant options.
After the thrilling win over Swansea City at the weekend, Sunderland remain in the hunt at the top of the Championship table as we approach the halfway stage of the season.
The past week has been a particular highlight for Sunderland, as the Black Cats have proven they can fight back from a deficit and still pick up wins.
Regis Le Bris has seen players in his Sunderland squad step up and be counted of late, but two in particular have been showered in praise.
Luke O’Nien and Dan Ballard deserve a lot of praise for recent displays
Taking to Twitter/X to comment on Sunderland’s defensive options, Michael Graham insisted Luke O’Nien has shown his worth at centre-half, while also commending the efforts of Dan Ballard at the back, too.
He wrote: “I’ve been banging the O’Nien centre-back drum for a long time and it’s great to see him now getting the appreciation I think he’s always deserved.
“Dan Ballard is still absolute quality though. Been weird seeing him get a bit of stick lately. Sunderland are very lucky with their centre-back options.”
O’Nien was sorely missed in the draw against Bristol City last week, while Ballard has been a consistent presence in defence for the Black Cats, and even got on the scoresheet at the weekend.
Regis Le Bris will have a selection headache when Jenson Seelt is fit again
With so many players hitting good form at this crucial stage of the season, Le Bris finds himself with a very nice problem to have when it comes to picking his team.
Chris Mepham, on loan from Bournemouth, has been a commanding presence in defence so far this season, and would arguably be the top choice at centre-back, but who partners him there is another matter.
| Statistics | Chris Mepham | Dan Ballard | Luke O’Nien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 15 | 12 | 20 |
| Minutes played | 1,297 | 779 | 1,708 |
| Pass success | 87.7% | 88.5% | 83.9% |
| Tackles won per 90 | 0.83 | 0.61 | 0.58 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.25 | 1.59 | 1.21 |
| Blocks per 90 | 1.32 | 0.61 | 0.79 |
Le Bris also has Jenson Seelt to return from injury in the New Year, which will give Sunderland further depth at the back, and give Le Bris even more of a headache.
Still, with the Black Cats pushing for promotion, they’ll need all the help they can get, and having four really strong options at centre-half is a real blessing.