BBC Sports Sunderland’s draw vs Bristol City proved ‘remarkable’ player is absolutely crucial to Regis Le Bris now.
Sunderland were unhappy against Bristol City on Tuesday night, losing points in the title battle, but one player might have altered everything.
Sunderland were upbeat heading into their midweek match against Bristol City after overcoming Stoke City late on Saturday lunchtime at the Stadium of Light. However, the Black Cats were unable to make a serious breakthrough for practically the whole game, and were punished when Bristol City took advantage of Regis Le Bris’ side’s terrible defending. It was up to Patrick Roberts to save the day in injury time with a thrilling equaliser, but things could have turned out differently if one player had not been missing.
Luke O’Nien’s absence was felt against Bristol City
Le Bris has been had to shuffle its defensive lineup recently, with Chris Mepham’s ban leaving Luke O’Nien and Dan Ballard as the centre-back combination against Stoke. With Mepham returned from his punishment, it was widely thought that Sunderland’s starting against Bristol City would include the Bournemouth loanee and the hugely impressive O’Nien, but the latter was forced to miss the game due to sickness. Unfortunately, O’Nien’s absence proved to be a big setback for Sunderland, as fans watched in dismay when Ballard (and Aji Alese) failed to deal with a loose ball in the box, resulting in Bristol’s goal thanks to a series of sloppy clearances.
| Statistics | Dan Ballard vs Bristol City |
|---|---|
| Clearances | 4 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Dribbled past | 1 |
| Possession lost | 6 |
| Duel success | 50% |
It’s easy to say in retrospect, and no one actually knows how O’Nien would have performed in the same situation, but we can be quite certain that the 30-year-old defender would have been more resolute and comfortable clearing his lines to save Sunderland’s blushes. Later in the game, Ballard attempted to carry the ball out of defence but was unsuccessful, and it was evident that Sunderland much missed O’Nien’s poise.
Chris Mepham and Luke O’Nien is Regis Le Bris’ best defensive partnership
There is no doubt that Chris Mepham and O’Nien would be an excellent pairing for Le Bris going ahead. It remains to be seen if the latter will recover from his illness in time for Saturday’s game against Swansea City. Ballard has played well overall this season, and if it hadn’t been for the terrible error that led to Bristol City’s goal on Tuesday night, his performance might not have received so much criticism. However, O’Nien’s’remarkable’ performances this season have transformed him into an almost vital element of Le Bris’ Sunderland squad, and the versatile defender remains a highly undervalued gem.
He may be 30 years old now, but O’Nien’s performance this season suggests he deserves a new deal at Sunderland. Indeed, if the Black Cats are to be successful this season, O’Nien will be at the centre of it all, doing the heavy work at the rear without ever receiving recognition.
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