“After the derby lost in Lyon (1-2), AS Saint-Etienne left us with an encouraging impression. The defeat in Brest (1-4) is a big blow. Despite the suspension of Wahbi Khazri and Romain Hamouma, two players far from trivial for the Greens, we could hope for better with the return of some players.
If we want to talk about individualities, we can always underline the interesting return of Ryad Boudebouz. Now, at the collective level, ASSE has taken water. At the moment, the team is not paying enough attention defensively. There is not a good state of mind. Maybe there is a loss of confidence, but we can’t begin to tell ourselves that we have to be good when it’s OL and PSG in front and do anything against others.
“Saint-Etienne has switched to another championship”
For me, things are now very clear: Saint-Etienne has switched to another championship. Over the next six matches, the important moments will not be the prestigious matches against Lille and Monaco. But rather those against Dijon, Angers, Bordeaux or Nîmes. We must forget all ambition, all the perspectives that some people began to see after three or four days. At the start of the season, everything was going well but there was also some success.
Today, ASSE no longer has a central defender. Of course, we cannot explain everything with the departure of Wesley Fofana and the abortive return of William Saliba but what is certain is that “Kolo” does not have the shoulders to be the boss of this defense. He is not a very high level central defender. We also see that Jessy Moulin is no longer successful because abandoned by his defense. When you glue back to 2-1 in Brest, against a team that is not among the top L1, you have to know how to lock to return to 2-2. There, the team totally discovered and it ended in humiliation for the Greens.
At the moment, ASSE goes from humiliation to humiliation. Suitcase after suitcase, the situation is becoming worrying. It’s up to the players to create a start … They represent AS Saint-Etienne, a jersey, a history, a city and the supporters (even if they are not at the stadium). It’s up to them to find the ingredients to at least look good. It is up to them to do violence to themselves and to tell themselves that Saint-Etienne will play the maintenance and nothing else.
“It is up to executives to take their responsibilities”
Today, some wonder about the choice of Claude Puel and the fact that he is the man for the job. For me, young people are not in question, the choices of Claude Puel not necessarily always in question. If some decisions have been taken, we must not forget that it was by force most of the time with the suspended and injured. I’m not going to be the bar pillar who comments on the coach’s choices with his ball of red wine in his hand, who swings at young people who are zero – which is not the case – and shouts on a recruitment that is bad.
In my opinion, Hamouma, Monnet-Paquet, Khazri, Boudebouz, Debuchy, Moulin or even Camara are tauliers of this team. Or have become by force of circumstance. It’s up to them to take the reins of the locker room. We cannot entrust all the responsibilities to an 18-year-old who comes from PSG or to winners of Gambardella. It is not the players who are there for the medium and long term who should take the lead. Today, there is a lack of confidence in Saint-Etienne and this confidence can only come through results. The duty of managers is precisely to guide young people and act as potential captains. The alarm bell is sounded. “