Sunderland AFC: Regis Le Bris may have uncovered Black Cats gem - View | OneFootball

Regis Le Bris must be given credit for putting his faith in Eliezer Mayenda, who has been a revelation for Sunderland so far this season.

Football can be oh so ironic. Having spent the entire summer searching for an adequate first team striker, it turns out Sunderland possessed one all along.

Much of the talk on Wearside over the summer centered around Sunderland's striker search, and despite bringing in Wilson Isidor and Ahmed Abdullahi, many fans were left disappointed by the club's recruitment.

However, it appears that the Black Cats had their answer all along in Eliezer Mayenda. Having given the 19-year-old a golden opportunity, it appears that Regis Le Bris has unearthed a rare red and white gem in the Spaniard.

Mayenda given the nod by Le Bris

At the start of the season, the message was clear - Sunderland needed to sign a striker. Nobody could argue against that, given the poor record of the Black Cats' forwards last season.

Le Bris did not have the greatest options at his disposal, with Nazariy Rusyn, Luis 'Hemir' Semedo and Mayenda to choose from. Given that Mayenda endured an unfruitful loan spell at Hibernian last season, nobody could have foreseen his transformation this campaign.

Sure enough, the Spaniard was given the nod for the Black Cats' first game of the Championship season against Cardiff City. Mayenda could not have asked for a better opportunity to open his Sunderland account as he found himself one on one with the goalkeeper, only to fluff his lines.

After the game, it seemed that everyone was in agreement; although the striker showed potential, he is one for the future. However, Mayenda did not let that moment define him, and showed true spirit to have changed fans' opinions of him in just three weeks.

While the club's hierarchy were failing to secure a move for a forward, Mayenda was just going about his business.

Having been given the nod in the Black Cats' second game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday, the 19-year-old seized his chance with a brace and a man of the match performance.

The Spaniard took his first goal exceptionally well from outside the box before tapping in a second from a Jack Clarke cross. Although he will never get an easier goal, he found himself in the right position - an area which Sunderland's strikers seemed allergic to last season.

In Saturday's victory against Portsmouth, Mayenda showed a different side to his game. During the build up to the Black Cats' third goal of the game, the striker showed phenomenal power and strength on the break, before teeing up Romaine Mundle.

Although the forward missed an excellent chance, he produced two assists and could have had a couple of goals himself. At 19 years of age, Mayenda is not perfect, but he has shown heaps of potential in Sunderland's opening games of the season.

Le Bris must be given credit for handing the Spaniard an unlikely opportunity. Furthermore, the system which he has implemented on Wearside has complimented the forward's game, and he looks sure to get plenty of opportunities.

Although Sunderland were hunting for strikers all summer long, their pursuit might not have been warranted given the form of Mayenda.

Since he was given his starting opportunity, the 19-year-old has contributed two goals and two assists and should have had more goals to his name.

Le Bris must be praised for handing Mayenda a rare starting opportunity and integrating him into the Black Cats' entertaining system, as it is paying dividends for the Wearsiders.