Regis Le Bris is coming under increasing pressure after Sunderland’s poor start to the 2026/27 Premier League season, but the Frenchman should be the last person the Black Cats blame.

Sunderland sit 20th after seven games, with one win, one draw and five defeats. Four consecutive losses against Arsenal, Manchester City, Brighton and Bournemouth have intensified scrutiny of Le Bris, who has been criticised for being too pragmatic and not taking more risks to win matches.

Featured comment

dantowen81951

I want Le Bris to stay, there were rumours around his future as far back as midway through last season though – so it doesn’t surprise me the question is being asked now I think we need to see Sunderland be a bit more proactive in games. They rode their luck a lot last year XG-wise, think this year is a regression to the mean

Join the conversation →

However, the Sunderland manager deserves huge credit for leading the club to promotion before securing an impressive seventh-place finish in their Premier League return, earning European qualification in the process. That achievement should not be forgotten after just seven games.

Instead, Sunderland should look at director of football Florent Ghisolfi, who joined from Roma this summer after Kristjaan Speakman left in February.

Florent Ghisolfi failed to strengthen Sunderland’s starting XI

Sunderland needed experienced players to strengthen their starting XI and compete in both the Premier League and the Europa League. However, Florent Ghisolfi’s summer recruitment focused heavily on squad depth and potential rather than immediate quality.

Thomas Meunier arrived on a free transfer from Lille at 34. The Belgian brings valuable experience but is primarily a squad player who provides cover at full-back. Kevin Danso also joined on loan from Tottenham, offering Premier League experience without necessarily representing a major upgrade.

The other three signings were young prospects: 21-year-old Malick Fofana, 20-year-old Dayann Methalie and 20-year-old Jules Ahoka.

Fofana has yet to score or assist in six appearances across all competitions and was an unused substitute against Bournemouth. Methalie has started just one Premier League game, the 5-3 defeat against Manchester City, with Reinildo preferred at left-back. Ahoka scored in the Europa League win over Torrense but only made his Premier League debut against Bournemouth, playing 25 minutes off the bench.

It is far too early to write off any of these young players, but Sunderland needed signings capable of making an immediate impact. So far, none have established themselves as a clear improvement to Regis Le Bris’ starting XI.

Regis Le Bris deserves more time to turn Sunderland’s season around

Regis Le Bris is not immune to criticism. Sunderland’s four consecutive defeats raise legitimate questions about his tactics and whether his team needs to be more adventurous. However, there is a difference between questioning his decisions and blaming him for every problem.

The Frenchman has already proved he can deliver results, taking Sunderland from the Championship to seventh in the Premier League. Their current struggles are concerning, but they have faced difficult opposition, including Arsenal and Manchester City, during their losing run.

Crucially, Le Bris is working with a squad that was not significantly strengthened by the summer arrivals. Meunier offers experience, Danso provides defensive depth, and the younger signings may develop into important players, but Sunderland still lack the additional quality needed to compete consistently at this level.

Featured comment

george.patten

Agreed – He got you into Europe! Can’t believe fans are calling for his head. You were in League one not long aho

Join the conversation →

Replacing the manager would not automatically solve those problems. A new coach would inherit the same squad and face the same challenges.

Ghisolfi should therefore face serious scrutiny over whether his recruitment has given Le Bris the tools to succeed. Sunderland needed a better balance between promising youngsters and players ready to improve the starting XI immediately.

Le Bris must find a way to stop the slide, but his achievements since arriving at the Stadium of Light deserve consideration. After just seven league games, Sunderland should blame the recruitment strategy before making their manager a scapegoat.