Gav says…

The best thing for me so far has been that we are clearly better organised than at any time since Alex Neil helped us get promoted. That was pretty obvious in pre-season but it’s been even more evident in the first two games of the season and that’s really encouraging.

I’m not expecting miracles from Le Bris, and I’m aware that we might be brought back down to earth when we play Burnley this weekend, but anyone with eyes can see the influence he’s already having on the players.

We appear balanced, everyone seems to know their role in the team and we are deadly in set pieces.

Last season was chaos and all the excitement off the field caused us endless problems. But now we look stable and ready to go and that is the kind of environment this young, dynamic team can thrive in.

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Malc Dugdale says…

It is a little early to say that what we are seeing now is entirely due to Le Bris, but it cannot be a coincidence that we started the way we did and that Le Bris has been in his role since the beginning of last month.

However, a few things are quite clear and one of them is team spirit and togetherness.

A new manager cannot just come in and expect the team to be as cohesive and full of morale as they seem to be. We had a miserable second half last season where good players looked very average and it would be normal for that to continue into the new season without any significant measures being taken to prevent it. That is clearly not the case and every single player has put in a lot of effort.

Le Bris makes it clear to everyone where they stand and what he expects from them all.

Simple things like this create clarity and positivity and empower players to thrive and do their best. This isn’t anything entirely new or brilliant; it just enables people to do their best, because simple things are often the best.

This is exactly what has become apparent in the first two games of the season.

In addition, I think the fact that the boss acts like a more formal boss, with very high standards and expectations of performance (and is not everyone’s buddy, as was the case with Mike Dodds), will also help the team to improve and develop quickly.

While all coaches need to have different personnel management skills to deal with both the guys who need a hug and those who need the occasional blow-dry, getting Doddsy back to what he does well and handing the reins over to a head coach who demands high standards and works hard to create mutual respect seems to be really paying off.

In all my years as a fan, the players’ clarity about what they are supposed to do on the pitch and their application of a clear, predetermined game strategy have rarely been more evident than in the first two league games.

Perhaps this is just too small a sample of games to assume this will be the norm, but if this proves to be a long-term trend rather than a short-term positive development, then these are excellent building blocks for the club’s future.

We need to be prepared when we get beaten because we’re going to lose some games and we need Le Bris and the boys to show how we learn from that too. The feel-good factor that comes from the results and the new boss is the ideal catalyst to get the fans on their feet.

With the fans behind them, it will be hard to stop this squad with this month’s additions and our Reggie Boy.

Paddy Hayes says…

Le Bris’ start as Sunderland manager has been absolutely brilliant, as reflected in the convincing defeat of an in-form Sheffield Wednesday side who were unbeaten in eight competitive matches before Sunday’s 4-0 win.

Everything I’ve seen so far has given me enormous encouragement, especially in terms of defense.

Admittedly, we conceded the fifth fewest goals in the league last season, establishing ourselves as a force to be reckoned with defensively. However, our defensive play across the entire field has a rigidity that we lacked last season.

Le Bris has developed the ability to withstand pressure with relative ease. This is evident not only in the two clean sheets he has kept, but also in the way he reduces clear chances to a minimum and robs the opposition of any impact.

We also seem to have made great progress in midfield. The trio of Dan Neil, Jobe and Chris Rigg were exceptional on Sunday and the signing of Alan Browne, who made a very solid debut in Cardiff, has given us even more toughness – an ingredient we were lacking last season.

While it is important to keep a cool head, the promising start we have enjoyed gives us an ideal platform to continue to push our season forward and work towards a top six finish.

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Phil West…

In my opinion, although it is still early days, Le Bris have settled into life impressively at the Stadium of Light and with two wins from two games to start our league campaign, the Frenchman has already provided some positives after a grueling 2023/2024 season.

What impresses me most about Le Bris is that, as we have seen so far, he has a clear tactical plan that all the players have bought into. As a result, we look more powerful in attack, more balanced in midfield and more cohesive in defence – as shown by the two clean sheets in the league.

Another thing I have noticed is that he is raising the bar significantly and demanding that players deliver a minimum level of effort and commitment every time they step out onto the field. Against Sheffield Wednesday we looked extremely fit, highly motivated and keen to start the home game on a positive note and that is exactly what happened.

The players know exactly who’s boss. They all seem to be enjoying playing for Sunderland again and the days of the chummy “we’re all supporting Doddsy” nonsense that provided a tragicomic backdrop to the final weeks of the 2023/2024 season are long gone.

I get the impression that Le Bris is not the easiest man to please and that he doesn’t tolerate anyone running away from him. And that’s a very good thing as we look to make progress after last season’s regression. Players like Patrick Roberts (who already looks like a completely different player to the frustrated, injury-plagued Roberts we saw last season), Jobe and Dennis Cirkin seem keen to prove their worth and that’s a very encouraging start.

There is still a lot of improvement to be made and we are not there yet, but I like what I have seen so far and I think we can look to the future with real optimism.