The art of free kicks is only reserved for a minority, and on the Lorient side, the aptly named Armand Laurienté has made it his specialty.
In 2021, no one has scored as much as him in the five major European championships, except Lionel Messi (also 3).
Only Daniel Wass (5th in 2014) has done better in a Ligue 1 calendar year over the last ten years.
Above all, his gestures are reminiscent of that of the great Juninho, undisputed master of the exercise, who saw the 22-year-old striker score on his home soil, in Lyon, on September 25.
“There are similarities, humbly acknowledges Laurienté.
But we don't have the same efficiency.
Juninho is Juninho even if our strikes are a little closer.
For me, there was no stronger than him in terms of free kick.
"Still, today he is a major asset for Lorient and his coach Christophe Pélissier who initially told him, in the form of a joke, not to know" if he was going to kill a spectator, a sparrow or put a skylight " .
“Now all L 1 coaches know Armand's strike force.
When there is a free kick at 25-30m, there must be fear in the opponent.
"
One free kick in five at the back of the net
Statistically, nearly one in five free kicks taken by Laurienté ends up in the back of the net, and this efficiency was not born overnight.
Very young, already, his father took the car to bring him to strike not far from the family house, on the grounds of Roissy.
Time has passed since then, and through hard work Laurienté has found a routine that works.
“Before each free kick, I put my ball down, I take four steps back, then one to the side.
If I take one step too far, it won't, he explains.
Finally, when the referee whistles, I take the time I want, it's up to me to feel that it's the right time.
I try to take the ball at the level of the bunion of the foot so that it goes down quickly.
There is no variation.
"
✨ "𝑳𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒅𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌-𝒆𝒏𝒅" signed @ArmandLauriente x @FCLorient!
😱 pic.twitter.com/TZyFGOYFl2
- Ligue 1 Uber Eats (@ Ligue1UberEats) March 22, 2021
On March 22 in Nantes, Armand Laurienté switched to another sphere by signing what will remain as one of the most beautiful gestures of the past season: a direct free kick of 39 m, flashed at 88 km / h which surprised Lafont after the balloon is raised to a maximum height of 5.70 m.
"We had not seen that since Juninho", had just released Kombouaré after the match.
"A free kick is in the head"
Maxime Bernauer, right side of Paris FC with whom Laurienté was trained in Rennes recalls that his friend “never stopped working on his technique of strike, and not only on stopped ball.
He always had a harsh shot, even his crosses were shot strong, it was already hard to defend.
"
“I always ask Armand to frame, continues Pélissier, because it is very difficult for the goalkeeper to stop his strikes, it can be the opportunity to follow and score behind.
Now that Laurienté has found the right gesture, it is a matter of not losing it.
And for that, the current top scorer of the Merlus (3) has his method: “Once you have your gesture, you have to work it but not necessarily hit several times a day.
Before Lyon, for example, I hadn't even trained.
I think I did not put a shot on target in the warm-up.
There are going to be more or less good periods, because a free kick is in the head.
One day you will say to yourself:
I can shoot anywhere,
and another day you will know right away that it is not for you.
"
Right now everything is working for him.
What thrill the OM of Jorge Sampaoli who will cross his path this Sunday.