Zapping Goal! Football club ASSE: Laurent Hess’ editorial on the management of Bilal Benkhedim’s hope
TOPS
Puel finally fired
It took another slap, against Rennes (0-5), for ASSE to finally decide to end Claude Puel’s contract. Biggest salary in the history of the club for a coach, the Castres has the worst record in terms of results. His passage will have been catastrophic. He leaves the team in last place in the standings. And bring Jacky Bonnevay, his faithful assistant, in his suitcases. Far from Forez.
Dupraz brings back some smiles
Smiles at L’Etrat, it’s been a long time! The Greens were gloomy with Claude Puel, but Pascal Dupraz, his replacement, arrived on a sunny day and his speech, full of humility, empathy and determination, seduced. A good point, already.
A real role for Perrin
ASSE has entrusted its maintenance operation to Pascal Dupraz but also to Loïc Perrin, in the role of sports coordinator. A real role for the former captain of the Greens, who intervened in the choice of Dupraz and who will also be the force of decisions on the Mercato. Who will complain?
Qualifying for the Coupe de France
For the baptism of Pascal Dupraz, a trap match awaited the Greens in Lyon-Duchère, in the Coupe de France. But Wahbi Khazri and his family negotiated it well with a qualification, thanks to a goal from Arnaud Nordin. The Greens will challenge fans of Jura Sud in the round of 16, the weekend of January 2 and 3. 13th in his group of N2, Jura Sud dismissed the Reunionese of Saint-Denis (5-2) in the round of 32.
Nadé
19th defense of L1, ASSE is in great difficulty in this sector of play (as in all), but Mickaël Nadé continues to perform well. In the wake of his encouraging start to the season, the former resident of the center training confirmed by ending the year on a high note. He is now well installed.
THE FLOPS
The rout against Rennes
Led by a great Martin Terrier, author of a hat-trick, Stade Rennais blew up ASSE in Geoffroy-Guichard. 5-0, a “manita” which Claude Puel, laid off in the wake, did not get up. A slap that pushed the Greens even more in the standings. And in the crisis.
The failed interim of Sablé in Reims
It was Julien Sablé who had been entrusted with the trip to Reims, after the dismissal of Claude Puel. With a loss to the key (0-2), and a sad performance to cry. No psychological shock, a flat encephalogram … and a second interim killed in the bud for “Juju” …
In the harbor in Brest
With the two defeats against Rennes and Reims, ASSE began its month of December with a setback in Brest (0-1). A contentious penalty following a poor recovery from Stefan Bajic and a hand from Lucas Gourna, loaded by Lucien Agoumé, sealed the outcome of a meeting where the Greens had the ball without succeeding in worrying the Breton goalkeeper, until so that Yanis Lhéry and Mahdi Camara do not find the bar twice in quick succession, in added time. One more purge. The penultimate of the Puel era …
And one last defeat to finish, against Nantes
The year 2021 ended with a final defeat against Nantes (0-1), for the first of Dupraz at Geoffroy-Guichard. A flash of Kolo Muani was enough for the Canaries. The Greens worried Lafont in the second half. In vain. And come what may…
Green out until February
Victim of a sprain and a fractured elbow during the trip to Reims (0-2), Étienne Green will be absent for six weeks, the club announced last Friday. We should therefore not see the native of Colchester again before February.
Mason still can’t do it
More than a year after his cruciate ligament operation, Yvann Maçon is still slow to regain his feelings. Catastrophic to the marking of Martin Terrier during the rout against Rennes, the Guadeloupean, replacing in Reims and in difficulty against the amateurs of Lyon-Duchère, finished the year with difficulty.
The elimination of U19s in Gambardella
Holders of the title following the cancellation of the competition last year, the Stéphanois U19s said goodbye to the Gambardella Cup as soon as they entered the running, beaten at L’Etrat by OL (1-2). An elimination from which the proteges of Jean-Luc Dogon struggled to recover since they ended the year with a defeat in the league, surprised by Istres (0-1).
to summarize
The improvement in November did not last for ASSE, which sank in the standings during the last month of the year, fatal to Claude Puel. Here are our Tops and Flops of this last month of a particularly difficult year 2021.
