What worked: “4-4-2, the most rational organization in football”
I liked the 4-4-2. It is the most rational organization in football. We use all the surfaces of the land rationally. You need two players who work and who go quickly to the sides. Nordin and Honorat have the perfect profile in this system. And when the Greens are in trouble and it balances, Abi can go scratch the ball. It does good. A renewal is taking place and it is positive.
It was not possible to have such good results in youth and to see so few players in the first team
What I like as a trainer-educator is that we see young people from the club. We leave room for them. It was not possible to have such good results in youth and to see so few players in the first team. And I think the Greens supporters identify with players who grew up in the club. When we see an Abi, we understand that we are separating from Beric and when we see Fofana we wonder why we are looking for a Kolo.
What didn’t work: “A lack of concentration, symptom of a convalescent team”
We feel that the ASSE team is still recovering. We have felt it in certain situations. The Greens have suffered certain situations when they shouldn’t have. There was a relaxation in the last five minutes of the first half. And they ended up conceding a goal. This lack of concentration is the symptom of a convalescent team. But a match lasts 90 minutes. And it almost cost the Greens dear.
In some situations, the Greens lack serenity. I think Puel is still looking for the right balance.
Puel is still looking for the right balance
Player: “Khazri seems to have solved his physical problems”
Khazri is a very intelligent player. And at 100% he is a very very good player. He seems to have fixed his physical problems. As we can see, on the pitch he is more concentrated, he talks less to the referees. He was instrumental in scoring two goals.
Against Nîmes, Khazri played in this position which suits him well, behind Abi. There is also a nice complementarity between these two players.
For a long time it was Ruffier the decisive player. But I find it more pleasant that it is an offensive like Khazri. For football it’s better.
The fact of the match: “This somewhat bizarre goal that ASSE scored at the start”
The fact of the match is that somewhat bizarre goal that ASSE scores at the start. Having conceded it with my team that afternoon, it changes the match. It put the Greens on good terms. This freed Khazri and used the speed of the other Stéphanois offensives.
There is still a lot of work to be done, but winning is easier. And ASSE begins to recover its injured and that changes everything.
The opponent: “Nîmes will fight to the end”
Nîmes came to get the draw. It is cruel for them to take two goals on practically the first two opportunities of the Greens. Nîmes represents these low ranking teams from our Ligue 1. It plays low and it tries to counter. But I found them quite weak. I think they will fight to the end to maintain themselves.
The plus: “In his style, his approach and his management, Puel is a Stéphanois”
Puel represents ASSE alone. In his style, his approach and his management, he is a Stéphanois. It is very quiet in the private but gives everything on the ground. As we can see, at the end of the match he has no voice but at the post-match conference he is calm and calm. I just hope we give him time.