Regis Le Bris has admitted that Salis Abdul Samed is still finding his feet after a six-month injury, but still expects the midfielder to become an important player in the remaining Championship games. Samed's natural position is the deepest lying midfielder but Le Bris explained the reasoning for putting him in Chris Rigg's position in the late stages against Leeds.
STILL BUILDING UP
“He is not at his best, for sure. I am sure, after six months out, it is still difficult for him to find thright confidence, the right references and feel good with the rest of the team."
MIDFIELD COMPETITION
“I hope he will build these layers progressively, but at the same time, with other players coming back, the competition in midfield will now be higher. That is good for the team, and should also be good for Salis too. It should help him to find his best level.”
ENERGY FURTHER UP THE PITCH
“When he came on at Leeds, he played as a midfielder. When we were out of possession, it was a 4-4-2 and he played as a central striker, but when we were in possession, it was a 4-3-3 so he was playing as more of a number eight. For that game, it was useful to have a player ready to run and press, and he has this profile. At the same time, after six months off the pitch because he was injured, he still needs time to improve and find his best level. With more experiences, he will get back into that shape.”
LEEDS SUBS EXPLAIND
“After the analysis, that was our feeling on the bench. It was really clear that it wasn't a defensive issue - we were searching for a way to escape the pressure. So, you can just wait until the last minute, but at the same time, you can find a solution. It wasn't a defensive problem because we were really good, and I think our back four was good. The way we defended in our defensive shape was really impressive. So, it wasn't the defensive issue, it was more, ‘How we can break their dynamic, how can we find a solution to build under pressure?’ But they were impressive. Sometimes, you just have to admit that they were good.”
