We have listened to and reread his interviews since his arrival on the Saint-Etienne bench, but the word “masochism” has never come out of his mouth. A passion for pain and suffering is obviously not what motivated him to come to Saint-Etienne. So even if it means putting some of his football precepts aside, coach Laurent Batlles wants above all today “to stop being flogged” on the lawns of Ligue 2 (comments made after the match against Le Havre).
Was this message heard by the Saint-Etienne players? In the absence of having a complete team, it is a desire and an extra soul, rarely seen this season, that we hope to find this Saturday in the ranks of ASSE. A team that would finally behave as such to begin to reassure (a little) the green people. “I will always defend my players from the moment they return things to us on the pitch“, declared this Thursday Laurent Batlles. The players, therefore, to give us things in Valenciennes to try to win a first victory there and get ASSE out of the negative (-1 point after four days).
Suspended players, dismissed players and the first
For this fifth meeting of the season, it is with a largely modified group that the Greens will present themselves in Valenciennes. Three players are suspended (Briançon, Cafaro and Green, sent off against Le Havre), two are dismissed (Neyou and Abi, not in the staff’s plans), Mahdi Camara has just been transferred, not to mention the injuries (Aouchiche, Moueffek, Gabriel Silva).
Lots of absences, of course, but also two big firsts: the appearance of goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer (who arrived in recent days from Lorient) and midfielder Dylan Chambost, back in competition after his arm injury contracted during summer preparation . Note the first summons of young Lucas Calodat (left side) and Darnell Bile (16-year-old striker)
A remodeled starting XI?
Faced with a large number of absentees and a lack of results, coach Laurent Batlles will field a team very different from that seen against Le Havre. In the choice of men, and perhaps also in tactics. The 4-2-3-1 could be shelved in favor of a strategy with three central defenders. Many questions also around the offensive animation and the names of the players who will support Jean-Philippe Krasso at kick-off (Pintor, Aïki, Chambost, Rivera?). Goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer and midfielder Benjamin Bouchouari should celebrate their first tenure.
Camara in Brest, Pétrot and Monconduit approaching
The historic defeat at Geoffroy-Guichard against Le Havre was therefore his last appearance with the green jersey. Mahdi Camara officially signed up this Friday evening in the form of a loan with an option to buy with the Stade Brestois, resident of Ligue 1. A page turns at ASSE with the departure of a player trained at the club , captain of the team 17 times.
A departure and undoubtedly arrivals in the hours to come. The sporting director, Loïc Perrin, has set himself the objective of attracting four recruits by the end of the transfer window. Two would be about to commit to ASSE: Léo Pétrot and Thomas Monconduit, two players from FC Lorient.
The first city is a left-handed axial defender, regularly cited as a potential recruit for several weeks. Originally from Firminy and trained at ASSE, Léo Pétrot played around twenty Ligue 1 games last season with Les Merlus and today finds himself blocked by competition in his position (Laporte, Talbi, Matsima). Not in the plans of Lorient coach Régis Le Bris either, Thomas Monconduit could also land in Forez. This experienced midfielder (31) has played nearly 150 Ligue 1 games with Lorient and Amiens. The signing of these two players could take place over the weekend.
Valenciennes – AS Saint-Étienne, fifth day of Ligue 2, a match to be experienced in full from 6.30 p.m. this Saturday on France Bleu Saint-Etienne Loire, with our partners from Evect.