Sunderland’s unbeaten streak was halted by Plymouth Argyle in a hard-fought 3-2 defeat.
Régis Le Bris acknowledged that his team will quickly adapt following their first Championship loss of the season and emphasized that the start to the campaign has still been promising.
Despite Romaine Mundle’s late goal which leveled the score at 2-2, Joe Edwards scored a dramatic winner to end Sunderland’s run. Le Bris admitted that his side were too exposed and suggested that opponents are beginning to figure out how to counter Sunderland’s new tactics.
He remained measured about the defeat, just as he had been cautious during the team’s unbeaten run.
“We scored twice away from home, which is always a challenge,” Le Bris noted. “Even though we controlled much of the first half, we were not in the best shape and allowed them to exploit our weaknesses.”
Le Bris acknowledged the positives, such as the team’s resilience in equalizing, but expressed disappointment over conceding the decisive third goal. He emphasized that this match was a valuable learning experience for the young squad.
“We didn’t manage their wingers well and struggled with second balls, leading to too many counterattacks,” he said. “These are lessons we need to learn from. We didn’t train together as a unit for the past two weeks, which might have affected our performance. Opponents are analyzing us and adapting, so we need to evolve quickly.”
Le Bris appreciated the team’s effort to press Plymouth in the final moments but admitted they were too vulnerable to counterattacks, which allowed the home side to secure the win.
“We showed determination, but we need to balance that with solid defensive organization,” he added.
Sunderland will look to bounce back when they face Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light next weekend.
