Kolo digs again, Mangala too low
Once again, no top in this Saint-Etienne formation despite a pleasant enthusiasm during the first hour of play.
The flops
Kolo sinks a little deeper
Left the field after a terrible performance in Lorient, then left the starting lineup against Brest, the Saint-Etienne defender returned to business in Bordeaux with the suspension of Mangala.
Once again established against Monaco, he did not regain his senses. At fault on the recovery bringing the goal of Volland (26th), he was never able to reassure despite the good general attitude of the Greens.
He definitely put his head in the bucket when he saw in his own net a cross that had become harmless from Jakobs, while Volland was offside. His second but against his side in less than a month after Marseille, one too many for Pascal Dupraz who took him out in stride.
Mangala, the unaligned
At the lower end of the central defense of Saint-Etienne, the winter rookie and ex-international has taken to his habits. Only, these have not really been the right ones for a few weeks already.
Between raises sometimes badly felt and placement too low, it facilitates the departures in the back of the side Etienne. This was again the case this Saturday on the opener. Covering Caio Henrique who left behind Maçon, Mangala also found himself behind Ben Yedder at the reception of the center (23rd). Late behind Martins on the second goal, he proved difficult on a regular basis on Monegasque accelerations, until taking a new yellow card (72nd).
Aouchiche and Youssouf without intensity
Supposed to bring a little oxygen instead of Maçon and Gourna, the two midfielders seemed borrowed. Light in the duels, they never offered solutions to facilitate the raises of their defenders, while losing balls on complicated transmissions.
Overwhelmed by the rhythm of the match, they only made too few races to compensate for the outings of the starters they replaced.
While the Greens still seemed to be in the game before the interruption of play, their presence on the pitch coincided with the disappearance of Etienne’s offensive inclinations.