Former Greens forward Adrien Ponsard is confident about ASSE’s coming season. He highlights the youth policy that Claude Puel wants to install. But regrets the sidelining of Ryad Boudebouz.
“Overall, we had a good preparation, with good victories to start and a good final of the Coupe de France against PSG. In Rennes and Angers, we did not finish as well but it was special because of the Covid case, the players had trained individually.
“We must keep Hamouma and Bouanga”
We have a good group. I think it will do it! I am quite optimistic. We lost Perrin and Saliba but with Moulin, Debuchy, Fofana and Kolo, we will have a good footing. Silva will come back and we will recruit a left side. With guys like Moukoudi and Mason who can reveal themselves, the positions are doubled. In the middle, there is plenty to do too, with Neyou who seems to me to be a good shot and Youssouf who is coming back. We will have to see the integration of Aouchiche. It will be important. And in front, I think we need a 9 even though Abi scored quite a bit in the friendly, so did Krasso. Afterwards, I hear that Hamouma and Bouanga could leave. But if we want to have a good season, these players must be kept. They are our two top scorers from last season! Hamouma, I like what he’s showing since the round. It is well. And Bouanga, I think he’s a little disturbed by the demands, but I don’t worry about him: he will come back, he is a good player.
“I am disappointed for Boudebouz, he was coming back well”
Afterwards, compared to the sidelined players, I find it hard for some. Khazri had been very good the first season. Boudebouz, it really disappoints me. I am disappointed for him, he was coming back well. His goal against Rennes had done him good. He made a good preparation. I hope it will not be final. We see that Puel wants to build with young people. It’s normal. We won the Gambardella, we are the 4th training center in France. When you have good young people, you have to make them play. In the middle, we have Youssouf, Neyou, Camara, Moueffek, Gourna-Douath, Aouchiche. Puel makes room for them. M’Vila brought a lot to the table when she arrived, but it wasn’t like that for some time. The club must move forward. “