Leon Dajaku's one-on-one sessions with Sunderland's coaching staff are paying dividends, according to Lee Johnson.
The on-loan Union Berlin wideman has received criticism and praise in almost equal measure in his early months on Wearside, with his spectacular goals offset by some ineffective performances.
But Johnson and his staff have worked with the 20-year-old and shown him video clips of his performances to help him understand what they want from him, and how to adapt his game, and in recent games he has shown a major improvement - even though Sunderland's injury crisis has meant he has been asked to play out of position, including as a left wingback at Cambridge last month.
"I've been pleased with him," said Johnson.
"I think he did get a little bit confused and therefore we had to sit him down and take him through his clips.
"He is very energetic and we had to be careful that he wasn't just being a 'busy fool', because at times that what it looked like - he was making too many runs.
"So we gave him some simple rules on when to make those runs in behind, when to look to receive, when to hold his width, when to be inside the pitch.
It's a sign of a good player that he has taken that on board, and he has done it really, really well.
"Don't forget that at Cambridge we asked him to perform a very different role and he was outstanding.
"We are due to talk to him today about those adaptations to his game and the additions that have made him shine.
"The more he understands why, based on the team structure in and out of possession, the better.
"He is a young player and, as I've said before, until you have had 100 league games you haven't experienced enough.
"He is a talented young player in a new country and he needs a lot of support, and that's what we are trying to give him."
Dajaku has scored four goals in 12 League One outings so far for Sunderland, including two goals in his last three games.
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