Crucial, he has said regularly over the course of recent weeks, is momentum.
But on Saturday evening came a slightly different take on the final stages of the season from the head coach.
Positive results are still wanted, of course, but just as crucial as the outcome of games is squad management and ensuring his players are “fresh” for the play-offs.
That’s not just understandable but extremely wise.
The problem is, can Sunderland’s strongest XI be at their very best in the play-offs if they haven’t played together as a team for weeks in the build-up?
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Is momentum possible with rotation? Le Bris made four changes at Norwich in midweek and three against Swansea on Saturday. The outcome was no goals, one point and two flat and underwhelming displays.
Jobe Bellingham’s energy and drive in midfield has been a big miss but the midfielder will have benefited from a break, which would also surely be the case with Dan Neil. Perhaps Salis Abdul Samed’s return will afford Le Bris that opportunity.
But then if that does prove to be the case, how often will Le Bris get to play his first choice midfield between now and the play-offs? Does that matter?
What undoubtedly matters is that Sunderland don’t get into a habit of performing like they did against Swansea in the coming weeks.
They were flat, lacked ideas and invention in attack and couldn’t really have any complaints at the outcome, Swansea moving into the top half of the table thanks to Ben Cabango’s winner just before the hour mark.
Le Bris wasn’t happy with Saturday’s display but nor was he concerned by it.
“I’m not worried about the level of the team,” he said.
“We showed [our level] before in many games, home and away, at Sheffield United and Burnley and at home against the strongest teams.
“We now have more experience. We have 76 points, we are fourth in the table. It’s just a question about freshness and availability.
“The main goal now is really clear, the 47th and 48th game of the season.
“Even with this defeat we almost secured the fourth place, so it shows so far we’ve been really good.
“Now the main purpose is to keep the level and at the same time to refresh the players and have a fresh squad at the end of the season.”
He added “It’s about the freshness and availability of the squad.
“We have to make some difficult decisions. With this background of the end of the season, we wanted to win, we always want to win, but we have to manage the situation.”
That strongly suggests that Le Bris will continue to rotate for the final four games, the first of which comes at Ashton Gate on Good Friday.
If the season finished today, it would be Bristol City in the play-offs for Sunderland. Perhaps that will be enough to provide the Black Cats with a spark in what might prove to be a rehearsal against the Robins this coming week.
Enzo Le Fee and Eliezer Mayenda both provided Sunderland with a spark from the bench on Saturday, though Le Bris said afterwards he will continue to carefully manage Le Fee’s workload. Understandable.
Tommy Watson had again started on the left flank but struggled to make his mark and, after after what was his first Stadium of Light appearance since his Brighton move was confirmed, was booed by some fans as he was replaced in the second half.
Does Watson get a run between now and Mundle’s return in the play-offs? Who is the first choice centre-forward and will he get a run in the side between now and game number 47? If Le Fee plays central, who misses out?
And, crucially, will Sunderland stutter into the play-offs or have a spring in their step? If it’s the latter, they need to perform better than they did on Saturday.
