Zapping Goal! Football club AS Saint-Etienne: The question of the day
“It was still a very difficult weekend for ASSE who only took one point in Metz (1-1) when Bordeaux and Brest, two direct competitors, won. Beyond pessimism or optimism, we owe it to ourselves to be realistic today: at the present time, Saint-Etienne has one foot in Ligue 2. This season, luck is turning. . To save itself in 2020-21, ASSE had been able to count on the repeated missteps of its rivals for maintenance. This year, even when the Greens scoop points, the others do more.
In view of the situation, the matches which arrive against Clermont and against Brest are even more decisive. The situation is becoming more and more critical. I think some players don’t realize it. We have to stop approaching the matches as a dilettante, now we have to strip off, realize that the green jersey is an institution and that we have to fight every game as was the case against Lyon during the derby. ASSE must transform into a Cup team every weekend. Now the goal should be to reach the truce with the least punctured mattress possible.
“Khazri? The problem is, he’s too lonely ”
Today, if we are realistic with this team, we do not see how maintenance is possible. Saint-Etienne has only two players at the level: its goalkeeper Etienne Green and Wahbi Khazri. Without these two, ASSE does not even count 3 points after 12 days. The situation has really become catastrophic over the weeks …
To come to Wahbi Khazri – who is still the second highest scorer in Ligue 1 (7 goals) despite the situation – it’s fantastic what he is doing individually. The problem is, he’s too lonely. It is often said of a team that it will function with a goalscorer and a great goalkeeper. But when you have no defense, it’s problematic! In just over a year, we went from a defense with Saliba, Fofana, Perrin and Debuchy to what it is today. We find ourselves with Harold Moukoudi, who is a good player, but who is poorly surrounded. Around it are inexperienced players like Saidou Sow or Mickaël Nadé. It lacks a taulier and we can regret that ASSE finally let Pape Abou Cissé go.
“At one point, it cracks …”
Saint-Etienne has a real staffing problem. We knew it from the start of the season but we thought it could work in front with the Hamouma, Khazri, Boudebouz, Bouanga, Nordin and others. We have perhaps also overplayed the quality of this group, especially in the middle of the field where many had not yet confirmed at the highest level. The supervision is really lacking in this team.
Today, I am wondering about certain choices. As much as I can understand for Stéphane Ruffier considering everything that has happened but Jessy Moulin, why did he leave? We let go of a man loyal to the club, a locker room man, who could unite a team in difficult times … It’s important to have players like that to put the club’s values on the table. Loïc Perrin was like that, Mathieu Debuchy too. The big mistake of this management was to underestimate the very average quality of the squad and to say that we will do as usual. At one point, it cracks … “
The ASSE chronicle by Denis Balbir
Denis Balbir returns to the draw of ASSE on the lawn of FC Metz (1-1) on Saturday. A result that does not suit either of the two teams on this game of fear. Our consultant is seriously starting to worry about the survival of the Greens.
