Eirik Horneland has made his first steps with ASSE perfectly. A 3-1 victory that the Sainté Night Club team debriefed this Monday evening. Martin Mosnier (Eurosport) and Sylvain (Peuple-Vert) returned to the meeting. Excerpts.
Sylvain (Green People): “This is the first time this season that we have been behind and managed to turn things around. I appreciated this effort, especially since the scenario was quite cruel for us. Frankly, I wonder how a team can transform so quickly. In just six days of work, our new coach, Horneland, managed to give the impression that they are completely different players, almost a new team. Same guys, but a whole different dynamic. It really makes me want to find out what happens next. It’s almost frustrating to go to the Parc des Princes next week, because it will be a different match, but this performance offers a lot of hope in our fight to stay.”
Want to see ASSE again
Martin Mosnier (Eurosport) : “Metamorphosis”, it’s true that it’s a term that sticks well. We no longer recognize this team, either individually or collectively. Each player seems transformed, and in collective expression, it is just as striking. That said, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions, because football remains a balance of power. And it must be admitted that the defense of Reims was of rare naivety, offering real boulevards. But we cannot deny that ASSE knew how to provoke these situations, in particular thanks to increased aggressiveness.
There is also the well-known effect of the first match under a new coach: the players systematically increase their level of commitment. It is a natural phenomenon, against which it is impossible to fight. We must therefore remain cautious in the analysis.
However, I completely agree with Sylvain on one point: for the first time in a long time, we want to turn on our TV again or buy a ticket to see this team play. And that was far from being won at the start of the season, as the gap seemed abysmal between Saint-Étienne and its opponents. This time, we saw desire and pleasure. And that changes absolutely everything.”
Players who join!
Sylvain (Green People): “After the game, Dylan Batubinsika said it was nice to play with the ball, and that’s telling. During this meeting, the team mainly controlled possession, which changes a lot of things.
What is fundamental in a team is to make the players adhere to the game plan that the coach wants to put in place. And on this point, support was obvious, almost unanimous. This dynamic even allowed certain players to sublimate themselves. Of course, it may be one-off, linked to this specific match, but I have seen players that we imagined at the end of the race – either because they are reaching the end of their contract, or because they seemed promising to a secondary role — delivering surprising and very encouraging performances.
All of this, I think, stems from the fun they had on the pitch. After six complicated months, it must have been a breath of fresh air for them, even if this style of play requires a lot of energy. They must have had a blast, and that’s understandable.
That said, I would like to clarify that I am not one of those who criticize the work of Olivier Dall’Oglio. I have a lot of respect for what he accomplished last season. He allowed ASSE to return to Ligue 1, which was a real achievement in the context of Ligue 2. The club’s situation changed, and perhaps it found itself less in tune with the leaders on certain points. But regardless, I am one of those who thank him for the work he has done.”
