Sports
Le Bris can unleash his answer to Defoe in Sunderland’s “goal machine”
Sunderland fans have waited an awfully long time to see their beloved team face off against Newcastle United again in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light.
Indeed, it’s been ten long years since the Black Cats last did battle with the Magpies in the Tyne-Wear Derby on their own patch in the league, with the Wearside hosts running out as slim 1-0 victors.
Regis Le Bris would gladly take another nervy win like that right now, with Jermain Defoe the hero on the day that guided Sunderland away from their ongoing relegation troubles, with that vital strike.
Remembering Defoe’s Derby Day heroics
Of course, Sunderland will feel disheartened if they come up short against their sworn enemy from Tyneside, but it’s not as make-or-break as other ties have been in recent memory between the two fierce rivals.
With six league wins already notched up this season, Le Bris and Co. are nowhere near the bottom three positions in the challenging division. But, back in April 2015, the Black Cats just about had their heads above water when facing off against John Carver’s Toon.
Thankfully, Defoe had packed his shooting boots for the tense game, with this stunning volley ending up being the difference-maker, which handed Sunderland their first win in nine league clashes, and placed the ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker firmly in the Stadium of Light good books.
Amazingly, the diminutive centre-forward would never come unstuck against Newcastle when donning Sunderland red and white, with a memorable 3-0 win also collected in 2016, while another goal in the eventful Derby would fall his way in a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.
With Defoe further noted as loving the burden of scoring the goals to keep his team afloat, it will be intriguing to see in the here and now whether any stars will come to the surface for Le Bris who are willing to take the pressurised clash by the scruff of its neck.
One attacker could well be itching for a start to prove himself in this regard, having once been labelled as a “goal machine” by scout Jacek Kulig.
The “goal machine” who can Le Bris’ answer to Defoe
Amazingly, Dick Advocaat had only occupied the Stadium of Light dug-out for two games when Defoe produced that moment of magic.
Le Bris also enters into the unknown later on today, having never overseen such a fierce and intense showdown, with a Defoe-style figure perhaps what he needs, too, to get one over on Eddie Howe’s tricky visitors, in the form of Brian Brobbey.
After all, the Dutchman has already chipped in with a memorable goal on Wearside, himself, when he powerfully got the better of David Raya late on in November to hand his new side a deserved share of the points against table-topping Arsenal.
With a further goal and assist also coming his way this season, despite just one limited Premier League start, he could be just what the doctor ordered for Sunderland in attempting to unnerve Howe and Co later on, with main striker option Wilson Isidor also deep in a six-game barren patch in front of goal in league action.
Dropping Isidor for Brobbey to lead the line might well prove to be an inspired switch, therefore, with the 23-year-old’s exposure to more game time perhaps catapulting him to reach Defoe’s insane Premier League numbers.
To date, Brobbey already has a stunning 144 goals next to his name playing for Ajax at senior level and youth level, alongside his glimpses of brilliance in England, with Defoe bowing out from his long-established Premier League career with a venomous 163 top-flight efforts.
|
Brobbey’s career goal numbers |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Level played at |
Games |
Goals + Assists |
|
Ajax (senior team) |
163 |
56 + 24 |
|
Ajax U19s |
41 |
37 + 7 |
|
Ajax U21s |
34 |
17 + 5 |
|
Ajax U17s |
25 |
26 + 6 |
|
RB Leipzig |
14 |
0 + 3 |
|
Sunderland |
10 |
2 + 1 |
|
Ajax Youth League |
8 |
5 + 0 |
|
Sunderland U21s |
1 |
1 + 0 |
|
Sourced by Transfermarkt |
||
Further noted as being a “natural born killer” in front of goal by Kulig, Brobbey will be chomping at the bit to be thrown in for just his second Premier League start of the season.
A bolt from the blue strike from the Amsterdam-born menace could see him be instantly held in the same high esteem as Defoe before him.
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