This was not planned at the start but the shock at the top of the 5th day of Ligue 1 will take place on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Saint-Etienne, where the Greens receive their Rennes dolphins against a backdrop of offensive renewal on both sides.
Admittedly, the "Cauldron" will ring hollow since, taking into account the new health measures which have reduced the gauge to 1,000 people in Saint-Etienne as in Rennes - players, management, staff and media included - only some 500 VIPs will be admitted to the facilities. lodges, and they are rarely the loudest.
In addition, the two coaches refuse to speak of a decisive poster.
“Four matches is nothing,” insists Claude Puel in Saint-Etienne.
At this stage of the championship, "the classification is anecdotal," insists Julien Stéphan in Rennes.
But for all that, they did not steal the ten points which placed them both in the lead before this 5th day.
“There is a lot of enthusiasm in this team, a great quality also in terms of race volume. They are very good at transitions, they project themselves very quickly. "
Julien Stephan
“We have a united team and there is a great atmosphere in the locker room.
We are trying to transcribe it in a match and for the moment it is succeeding with a great desire to progress, ”explains Stéphanois striker Arnaud Nordin, top passer in L1 with three assists in four matches.
Strongly rejuvenated, the team proposed by Puel "has been very successful since the start of the championship thanks to its dynamism, its generosity, its ability to play forward", Stéphan analyzes.
“There is a lot of enthusiasm in this team, a great quality also in terms of race volume.
They are very good at transitions, they project themselves very quickly. "
Best defense in the championship with only two goals conceded, Saint-Etienne was also consistent in attack with two goals per game, often without wasting time: last week, they opened the scoring in the 6th minute in Marseille and from the 2nd minute in Nantes.
Seven different scorers in Rennes
Rennes, on the other hand, returned to their stunning endings, with two goals scored in the last quarter of an hour on Saturday against Monaco.
But even in the absence of their top scorer of the last two seasons, M'Baye Niang, at the start, they showed new form in attack, with nine goals in four games - nearly double their average last season - and plenty of opportunities.
And already seven different goalscorers: a double from the new striker Serhou Guirassy, a feat from the star Eduardo Camavinga, a header from Steven Nzonzi, a powerful strike from the bizarre Adrien Truffert, goals from central defenders Damien Da Silva and Nayef Aguerd ... “So much the better that there are players who show their ability to be decisive.
It also means that they are going more and more into dangerous areas.
We push them ”, rejoices Stéphan.
“We play to score goals and everyone has the right to score.
Everyone has the opportunity to attack, then all you have to do is compensate well so that we are balanced, ”he insists.
In training, he also puts a new emphasis on set pieces, shooting and receiving.
“I try to apply myself as much as possible,” explains Benjamin Bourigeaud, one of the usual shooters.
“I analyze the goalkeepers a lot, I analyze the defenses a lot, their speed.
After that, it's the instinct, it's the feeling, and it's up to me to make the perfect gesture to help my teammates to score. ”
"We work a lot on these set pieces", adds Aguerd, often at the reception.
“For us, the most important thing is to attack the areas that are designated to us.
With Damien (Da Silva), we try to focus on these areas and if the ball reaches us, to score.
It doesn't matter who puts it on. "
Read also
League 1 standings
