NafisaSunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini has lauded one of Regis Le Bris’ key players but has urged him to add more goals to his game.
Gabbiadini, who netted 74 goals in 157 league appearances for the Black Cats, knows what it takes to deliver in front of goal. While he doesn’t expect this Sunderland midfielder to match his own prolific numbers, Gabbiadini firmly believes the player has the ability to score more often.
His remarks come after the midfielder in question showcased his scoring prowess against Swansea City, yet even that wasn’t enough to fully satisfy the former striker.
Marco Gabbiadini challenges Dan Neil to step up
Dan Neil has been a standout performer for Sunderland since breaking into the first team in 2021. The midfielder has featured in all but 13 of the Black Cats’ 159 league games across League One and the Championship over the last three-and-a-half seasons.
Despite his consistency, Gabbiadini sees room for improvement, particularly in front of goal. Neil, 23, has managed just 11 career goals so far, a statistic the former Sunderland star feels could be significantly better.
Neil’s stunning long-range strike against Swansea on Saturday may have been an exception, but Gabbiadini insists it highlights exactly why the midfielder needs to contribute more in the attacking third.
Speaking to Total Sport, Gabbiadini said: “They’ve both been excellent most of the season.
“There haven’t been many games where you could say they’ve not played to a decent standard. They’ve been impressive.
“We talked about goalscoring last week, and I said, ‘Dan Neil doesn’t score enough goals and he’s got to do something about it.’ That’s what he’s got to do because he’s got it in his locker.
“A little bit more of that would make a really big difference because the opposition would look at him differently as well.”
Is Neil being restricted by his role?
Neil’s current position under Le Bris may be holding him back from fulfilling his attacking potential. Playing as a defensive ‘number six’ alongside the box-to-box energy of Jobe Bellingham and the attacking threat of Chris Rigg, Neil is tasked with shielding the backline rather than venturing into the final third.
Gabbiadini hinted that Neil could have a greater impact further up the pitch, but the midfielder’s deep-lying role limits those opportunities.
To unlock Neil’s full potential, Le Bris would need to push him into a ‘number eight’ role, with someone like summer signing Salis Abdul Samed providing defensive cover. However, such a shift would disrupt Sunderland’s current midfield trio, which has been one of their strengths this season.
For now, it seems Le Bris will stick with Neil in his holding role, even if it means sacrificing a greater attacking output.
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