In bad shape at the start of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats season, AS Saint-Etienne will have to re-mobilize this Sunday during the derby against Olympique Lyonnais. In a squad largely rejuvenated since the appointment of Claude Puel in October 2019, the Greens can count on the return to form of Wahbi Khazri to try to get out of the red zone.
The 30-year-old Tunisian international (214 top-flight appearances since his 2012 debut) is ASSE’s top scorer in Ligue 1 Uber Eats 2021/22 (3 goals). In calendar year 2021, he totaled 9 league goals, at least 3 more than any other Greens player in the period. This is also his 2e best total over a calendar year behind 2018 (12) when he joined Forez after a convincing stint at Stade Rennais.
Khazri, the 4the best expected goal differential
He has 62 top goals, more than any other current player from Saint-Etienne (Romain Hamouma 59, Ryad Boudebouz 46). In this total, 4 were registered against OL, only Bordeaux succeeding more (7). However, this experience against the Lyon club has not yet weighed in the derby where he has remained silent in 4 appearances. His last achievement against Lyon, which saw Rennes open the scoring at Groupama Stadium – dates back to February 11, 2018.
Wahbi Khazri has not faced Olympique Lyonnais since November 8, 2020 when he only had 15 minutes of play. In the meantime, the former player of SC Bastia and Girondins de Bordeaux has returned to the fore and has gained in efficiency. It displays the 4e best positive differential between goals scored and Expected Goals (+3.95) in Ligue 1 Uber Eats in 2021 behind Jonathan David (+4.79), Kevin Volland (+4.13) and Dimitri Payet (+4.02).
Over the current season, Wahbi Khazri continues to be one of the most active players in the Stéphane attack. He’s involved in 32 shots in Ligue 1 Uber Eats this season (18 shots, last 14 assists), 11 of which are from ball-to-toe progression. He works a lot on the field to press the ball as evidenced by his 10 balls recovered in the opposing third, no player has done better in the top flight this season. Moreover, his 2 goals in the game (against Lens and Bordeaux) follow high recoveries.
The former Bastien could also find the solution with a strike from outside the box, an area which has not been very successful for him this season but where he has proven himself in the past. He is – with Denis Bouanga – the player who shot the most from this distance without finding the flaw in Ligue 1 Uber Eats 2021/22 (11). However, he has already scored 17 such goals in his career, only Dimitri Payet (27) does better among the current players in the championship. On direct free kicks precisely, he even ahead of all his counterparts with 7 achievements. However, he remains on 16 unsuccessful attempts in the exercise. The derby would be the right moment to end this dearth.