AS Saint-Etienne returns to competition after a two-month hiatus. A new season starts this Saturday. Loïc Perrin, Laurent Battles and Dylan Batubinsika presented themselves to the press this afternoon. The Stéphanois coach took the opportunity to take stock of the form of his team and the state of mind that reigns there.
“There is a fairly strong group and the players are there to achieve a goal”
A weakened team? : « No I won’t say that. She was unfortunately weakened by illness, that’s fact. After seeing what we had done on the friendlies and the investment that the players gave today, I think they are totally ready. We tried to compensate this week with an internal opposition of an hour to try to raise the players a little more compared to the canceled Montpellier match. Today I think the players are totally ready to be able to play their first game. There is a fairly large group and the players are there to achieve a goal. »
“Last year we had -3 points and 4 games behind closed doors without supporters. There we will be on an equal footing with everyone and with our supporters. So we have the will to build our way, to structure it and to move forward in our championship. »
A radical change of state of mind in the group?
« The group has completely changed. The state of mind and the values that we see on a daily basis are very important. And totally different from last year. And that is changing a lot already. Because the fact of working in good conditions with players who are there to achieve this objective and who want it… for a coach, a staff, for a club, for the leaders and the employees, it’s a total upheaval . Because last year we were in a different operation. This year we are in a totally serene climate. »
On the choice of his pistons for the start of the championship: « Frankly today I am already waiting to know the state of form of each to be able to make a decision. In all honesty, I cannot answer that question today. I take a lot of caution even if I have an idea of what I want to put in place. »
Laurent BATLLES (Coach Saint-Etienne ASSE) – Vincent HOGNON (coach GRENOBLE GF38) during the Ligue 2 BKT match between Grenoble and Saint-Etienne at Stade des Alpes on April 17, 2023 in Grenoble, France. (Photo by Alex Martin/FEP/Icon Sport)
Batlles is wary of the GF38 of the fine tactician Vincent Hognon
Thomas Monconduit in central defense: « Today that’s not particularly an option. It’s because I had no other choice on friendlies. Now depending on certain suspensions, injuries, malforms, expulsions… The versatility of certain players allows them to continue in this championship. »
On the GF38: « It is an opponent who has only had victories except in their last warm-up match. This is a team that is always difficult to play with a fairly tight block. Vincent Hognon is a coach who works a lot tactically on this and with a lot of transitions. They took power players up front with speed. We know what to expect. I had spoken about it with players, we reworked it. We know that today we will have to perform well in our offensive block to put them in difficulty. But very efficient defensively also especially in the imbalance because they have players of speed, power. But I think it will not be a block that will play in our camp. It is a block that will be quite low and that will reach. It’s one of those clubs that work very well and have a different way of playing from the others. »
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