Tony Mowbray has admitted that Luis Hemir Semedo still has a lot to learn.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats boss suggested that his summer signing is still far from the standards needed to earn a place in his starting line-up.
Hemir arrived on Wearside on a five-year contract in June after impressing in Benfica’s youth ranks. The forward netted nine goals in 13 appearances for their U-19 side before he was promoted to the Benfica B team.
Hemir was exceptional for Sunderland during pre-season and was an ever-present figure up top, while he retained his place in the XI as they opened their campaign against Ipswich Town.
However, Hemir’s performance in the Championship clash was very underwhelming and he has since been limited to cameo appearances from the bench.
While Mason Burstow has also struggled to impress since arriving on loan from Chelsea, Mowbray’s recent comments have suggested that he won’t be replaced by Hemir in the starting line-up anytime soon.
Luis Hemir Semedo is going through a ‘learning curve’
“Against Ipswich we knew what he needed to do. There had been a lot of talk last season about no strikers and yet he went away in pre-season to America and scored a good few goals and did pretty well,” Mowbray told the Echo.
“I think the level in America, we were pretty dominant in all them games and he was just in the six-yard box and we were delivering balls and he was scoring. The Championship is not really like that.
“We have to be good out of possession to have a strategy to try and win the ball back. He needs to learn all of that sort of stuff being out of possession and how hard it is, where he needs to be and what lines he needs to cut off. When does he press and when does he sit? It’s all part of the learning curve for him really.”