AS Saint-Etienne : Ligue 1 – After Saint-Étienne – Lens (1-2): ASSE, Saint-Étienne, good intentions but still no rebound | ASSE News

This statistic will certainly not scare Pascal Dupraz. But it is likely to make more than one AS Saint-Étienne supporter shudder: never, since 1994 and the establishment of the three-point victory in France, has a team saved its skin with only 12 points collected after 20 days. 12 units is the meager nest egg displayed by the Greens this Saturday evening, after a defeat conceded to Geoffroy-Guichard against Lens (1-2).

In legs at the start of the game, the Stéphanois had opened the scoring just before half-time, thanks to Ryad Boudebouz. They then gradually lowered their foot and the Artésiens finally turned the tide, Seko Fofana scoring the winning goal in added time. “At the end of the match, we ran out of gas, analyzed Dupraz in a press conference after the meeting. Some struggled from the hour mark. We could have scored the second goal to lead 2-0, to win this game which the team deserved to win.”

Only here, ASSE did not impose itself. She did not even take a point, which would have allowed her to temporarily return to three lengths from Lorient (18th). She hasn’t moved forward, she hasn’t moved forward, for a while now. And, to top it off, she is faced with cruel scenarios, like against Nantes just before the break (0-1). “The defeat against Nantes frustrated me like that against Lens”, admitted the Stéphane coach.

The latter deplores in particular having to deal with many absentees because, in addition to the players who left to compete in the CAN, others were deprived of their match sheet due to a positive test for Covid-19. “I have the impression that ASSE is not spared, railed the 59-year-old coach. There is the Covid but I realize that all our opponents have their full squad. I will tell our players to be extra vigilant about barrier gestures so that we are at the same level as the others.”

Dupraz believes in “better days”, but “you have to act quickly”

The Covid-19, therefore, would partly explain the difficulties encountered at the moment by the current dunce cap of the championship. This is what Pascal Dupraz, who gave an optimistic and resolutely conquering speech to the media, suggests. “The fans pushed us, it’s heart warming, he recognized at the microphone of Prime Video. This Saturday evening, I admired my players. If the Covid could leave us alone, it would suit us. Before adding, as if to send a message to its leaders: “We also have the objective of recruiting.”

While waiting for hypothetical new recruits, and for those who have already arrived to finish making their mark (Paul Bernardoni and Sada Thioub were starters, Bakary Sako was absent because of the Covid-19), we will however have to grab points without delay. “Defeats are never a source of hope, assured the former coach of Toulouse. However, I did not see a formation that abdicated. We will go to better days if we keep these attitudes, but we must act quickly.” Starting with a perilous derby in Lyon next Friday (9 p.m.).