TOPS
Green Angel 2000
Montpellier coach in 2013, Rolland Courbis was not shy to say: “Saint-Étienne is playing green on a green lawn, and why not the green ball as long as it is needed. But hey, it’s their tradition, it’s just one more anomaly in the world of football. “
I let you imagine the reaction of the Marseille coach this Sunday to a new anomaly, well installed in his sofa, seeing the young Étienne Green take place in the goals of Saint-Étienne, dressed in a green jersey, on the green lawn of Costières.
“Étienne, Étienne, Étienne” sang Guesh Patti, a hit that the Stéphanois goalkeeper brought up to date for his first in Ligue 1. Pushed to the fore by the absence of Moulin and Bajic, injured, the goalkeeper Stéphanois built up pressure over the course of the match. Illustrating himself in the first period on assured aerial outings, he made his first parade as soon as he returned from the locker room on a powerful free kick from Ferhat (47th), before taking out a cross shot from Koné just after the Stéphanois break (68th).
Clean in his raises, he punctuates his match by taking out the penalty from Ripart that he had caused according to Mr. Léonard, thus avoiding a tense end of the match for his family (85th).
Khazri, the detonator
Like NTM who shouted “we are still here” on his fourth album, the Tunisian striker is “ready to screw up the souk” in the opposing defenses and “everyone is happy”. When it comes to raising the bar and making a difference at the right time, Wahbi Khazri is the right man for this team lacking in offensive efficiency.
Facilitating exchanges in front, he rewarded the domination of Saint-Etienne and the good work of Abi by opening the scoring with a superb strike in the left top corner of Reynet. When it comes to making a difference in cleaver matches, Khazri is always there.
Determining in the victory won in Rennes, he was the only goalscorer in Angers and the first this Sunday. Three matches where the Greens were full.
Bouanga, without mercy
Determined to score against his former club, the Gabonese should not have started the game without Nordin’s injury during the warm-up. So, with this new sign of fate, he didn’t want to miss his chance. Less solicited offensively since the Saint-Etienne game was organized around the Aouchiche-Khazri pair, he refined his game.
Out of the forty or so balls played (39), Bouanga lost only six, while showing precision in his passes, all successful. Still irregular against goal, he proved that he should not be given too much space by scoring the goal of the break with a clear shot from 25 meters.
A performance that comes at the right time to give him the confidence to tackle the final sprint.
THE FLOPS
Debuchy in halftone
Already seen in difficulty defensively in recent matches, the Saint-Etienne captain has been undermined several times by Ferhat, the only threat from Nîmes. In addition to this defensive embarrassment, the side has especially shone less in front.
Little inspired in his crosses, something unusual for him, he is one of the Stéphanois who lost the most balls with 21 losses. However, he was present in the duels, showing the way for his teammates in this rough match.