AS Saint-Etienne : Ligue 1, 10th day – Total regal, Savanier “the magnificent”, ASSE in crisis: the tops and flops of the 10th day | ASSE News

Tops

• A “total treat” day

If Kamaldeen Sulemana and Gaétan Laborde have combined efficiency and show with Stade Rennais, they were not the only ones to make L1 fans dream this weekend. Saturday night during Lyon-Monaco, Lucas Paqueta, barely returned from Brazil and on the bench at kick-off, thus demonstrated that he was from another class by changing the course of the match in a few minutes. The Brazilian was decisive on both Lyon goals, and his blind pass on the second is a gem. But Hwang Hui-jo and Franck Honorat were not left out. Against Nantes (1-1), the South Korean from Bordeaux opened the scoring with a sumptuous curling shot while Franck Honorat avoided a defeat in Brest against Reims (1-1) with a magnificent volley of 25 meters. At the Vélodrome, Mattéo Guendouzi scored a striking double: an absolutely magnificent uncrossed header on a corner for the first goal and a solitary effort on the right side of the surface, concluded in “grinta” mode, to secure the double. We liked this 10th day.

• Savanier, the “magnificent”

The MHSC playmaker continued his superb start to the season during the success against Lens at La Mosson (1-0). Author of a decisive pass for Stéphy Mavididi, Savanier was especially in the oven and the mill during this match. More used as a creator this season, he did not hesitate to be the locomotive in the midfield to bring balance to his team. This attitude was reinforced late in the game after the expulsion of Jordan Ferri, Savanier turning into number six, eight and ten at the same time. There is a man who liked to see the old Nîmes at work. No, it is not Olivier Dall’Oglio, the Hérault coach, but Franck Haise, that of Lens. “Savanier is a magnificent player. I didn’t wait until tonight to find out he was. He put in a huge performance with a lot of intelligence, finesse and technical quality.. “

• Bernat, the return with a bang

It is an understatement to say that he was desired. Thirteen months after his serious knee injury, Juan Bernat finally returned to the field on Friday against Angers (2-1). The best news for the Spanish side. And for PSG. The entry of the former Bayern player coincided with the return to form of the Parisians, hardly dashing until then. Very present on his left side, not hesitating to call in depth, he brought to PSG everything he lacked on the sides. And offered valuable support to Kylian Mbappé. It is not necessarily a coincidence that the Frenchman made the difference when Bernat came to lend him a hand. A welcome reinforcement on this match. And for the rest of the season.

And to think that Jérémy Doku is still not there! But even without its explosive Belgian winger, Stade Rennais enjoyed this Sunday. With some silky collective movements. But also for the technical quality of its players, who put on the show. Gaëtan Laborde first. On a cross from Hamari Traoré, the Breton serial scorer placed an uncrossed heel at the near post to find the nets again. And a few minutes later, it was the phenomenon Kamaldeen Sulemana who made his talent speak. On the right side, the young Ghanaian made the difference with a small bridge over Matthieu Udol before scoring with an outside foot under the crossbar. A delight.

• Clermont, finally a clean sheet

It was time for the bleeding to stop for Clermont. The promoted won his first league success since the second day against LOSC (1-0) and ended a series of seven games without a win. Above all, it is with a new approach that Pascal Gastien’s men approached this meeting against the reigning French champion. Rather focused on the offensive, very playful, perhaps too much, Clermont has tightened the ranks behind, without necessarily denying his philosophy of play. He found the balance between the two.

On arrival, a success, yes, but above all a zero cage, a first since the second day as well. The promoted had spent their month of September counting goals, which made them the worst defense in the championship with Bordeaux before the 10th day (20 goals conceded, 21 for Bordeaux now). “It’s really good, even for our goalkeeper Arthur (Desmas) (…) For a defense it’s rewarding, we are the worst defense in the championship. It’s a reward for the defense, because we work a lot. We questioned ourselves, we wanted to start winning matches again. We played well but we had concentration jumps that punished us“, welcomed Akim Zedadka at the microphone of Prime Video.

The flops

• Monaco does not succeed against its direct competitors

ASM saw its series of six unbeaten games come to an end on the lawn of Groupama Stadium. A stop for the men of Niko Kovac, particularly clumsy in front of the goal, while the opportunities to shake the nets were not lacking. It was also a bad operation in the quest for European places, and more mainly for the podium. This defeat against OL was added to the poor results against its direct competitors for Europe. Beaten by Lens, OM and now Lyon, hooked by Nice during the Riviera derby, ASM stalls for the moment when the level rises. Kovac refused to be alarmed. “We lost, but life goes on, we have to move on. In the last six matches we have had a series of positive results. We will get up and continue our progress“.

The Azuréens offered their worst version against Troyes. Surprised from the start of the match, the Aiglons had no reaction before the second period when the entry of Amine Gouiri was good, but without bringing a real revolution. On arrival, Christophe Galtier’s men suffered a logical defeat which angered their coach. Losing is possible, but losing this way doesn’t work. “We didn’t put anything. The start of the match is disastrous, but it’s not just the start: the entire match is disastrous. We lacked the character of commitment. I don’t know if it was the truce that cut us off, or the fact of playing in Lorient, in Troyes, which is something other than playing OM or another club. If this team wants to be ambitious, we must have a different face, a total investment regardless of the opponent or the schedule. We must at least react. There, we did not even do it. This is what I’m waiting for my group. ”

• Youssouf, symbol of Saint-Etienne bankruptcy

It’s a match that he will quickly have to forget. This Sunday against Strasbourg (5-1), Zaydou Youssouf lived a nightmare, a bit like the start of the season of the Greens. The young midfielder of the Greens first scored a goal against his camp on a tense cross. And a few minutes later – perhaps a little touched by his goal – he was sent off following a poorly mastered tackle from behind on Ludovic Ajorque. All before half-time is even whistled. There are days like this when nothing goes. A real ordeal. As a symbol of the horrible start to the season for Saint-Etienne, still dead last in L1 while ASSE has not won a single match this season after this new defeat.

• Metz is already in “maintenance” mode

If Saint-Etienne and Brest, respectively 20th and 19th in the standings, have still not won in Ligue 1 this season, there is another team that worries about the poverty of its services: FC Metz. The Lorraine club conceded its fourth defeat in five meetings Sunday against Rennes and confirmed a very fair overall level. Problem for Frédéric Antonetti’s men, they are not performing at all at home. The heavy defeat conceded against the Bretons confirmed that there was a problem with Saint-Symphorien where the record is 2 draws for 3 losses. After the meeting, Antonetti has already put himself in maintenance mode while we are only playing the 10th day. “Each point nibbled on will be a point towards salvation. We were almost equal for half an hour and then there were the two goals and it was over (…) We have to be united, very united. These are qualities that we have not always had …“Very disturbing words.

Vincent BREGEVIN, Glenn CEILLIER, Alexandre COIQUIL