Laid off from his post, Claude Puel leaves behind a club that is playing for survival in the elite. Back on his difficult passage which will not leave a great memory in the history of the Greens.
Defeat too many for Claude Puel. Beaten at home this Sunday by Stade Rennais (0-5), the Stéphanois saw their coach, forced and forced, leave the ship of the Greens on the evening of this meeting. “This Sunday, the Executive Chairman of AS Saint-Etienne took the decision to withdraw from Mr. Claude Puel, until further notice, the management of the professional team.»Underlines the Saint-Etienne club in an official press release. The dismissal of the French technician goes far beyond the current situation that the club is currently experiencing with historic figures.
A failed start to the season with only 12 points
With only 12 points on the clock in 17 games, Claude Puel leaves to his future successor a Saint-Etienne team which seeks to regain confidence and offensive impetus. With a record of two wins, six draws and nine defeats, Saint-Etienne finds itself in last place in the French championship. Soulless and with a defensive sector in difficulty, the French technician did with the means at his disposal, such as the young defender Mickaël Nadé who had no experience in Ligue 1 before the current season.
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Only 17 goals scored in 17 Ligue 1 games, a first for 5 years
This is the worst season (its 3th) on the offensive plan for Claude Puel at the head of AS Saint-Etienne after 17 games. Poorly performing and lacking an opportunity, the Saint-Etienne attack experienced many difficulties. Barely since the start of the championship, the offensive players do not succeed. Without a real forward attacker, the Greens rely on a Wahbi Khazri (7 goals) who is having one of his best seasons in Ligue 1. He is involved in more than 40% of ASSE’s goals.
Already 37 goals conceded in the 2021/2022 financial year
This is the first time in the 21st century that the Greens have conceded 37 goals after 17 league games. AS Saint-Etienne is not far from being the worst defense in the championship behind Bordeaux (39 goals). With a limited workforce, Claude Puel did everything to try to “save the furniture” at the start of the season, but to no avail. Evolving with two or three central defenders, the Greens still concede a lot of goals (2.18 / game on average). But it could be worse for Saint-Etienne if the performances of his goalkeeper Étienne Green were poor. With five goals conceded against Strasbourg and Rennes, the Greens must quickly straighten the bar.
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A loss percentage in Ligue 1 of 47% under the Claude Puel era
The passage of Claude Puel in Saint-Etienne will remain engraved for a long time in the history of the club. Appointed coach in place of Ghislain Printant on October 4, 2019, the French technician aimed to revive the Greens. Or even install the club at the top of the table. Two years later, on December 6, 2021, he was dismissed and therefore dismissed from his duties as general manager. On the Stéphanois bench, Claude Puel will have taken part in 75 matches counting for the French championship, of which 35 ended in defeat or 47% of matches lost.
31 players used in the Stéphane team
The crisis experienced by French football (Médiapro and Covid 19) forced Saint-Etienne to sell its young talents earlier than expected. Thus, William Saliba and Wesley Fofana left the Greens, in exchange for a check of 30 and 35 million euros respectively during the last two seasons. On the other hand, on the Stéphanois side, only one arrival during the summer transfer window this season with Ignacio Ramirez, a young Uruguayan striker. A “lean” recruitment forcing Claude Puel to act accordingly. Trust the young people of the training center. It is for this reason that the French technician has used 31 players since the start of the season in only 17 games. This is the highest total this year in Ligue 1.
Youth constantly under pressure
AS Saint-Etienne has a number of 3e youngest in Europe (24.74 years) for this 2021/2022 season behind the Germans of Leverkusen and AS Monaco according to CIES. Symbol of Saint-Etienne youth in the midfield, Saidou Sow was launched into the deep end at only 18 years old. With the poor results at the start of the season, the way to approach the meeting is different. We play to save a club, continuous pressure from the supporters, the right to make mistakes is not allowed. All these reasons deserve reflection in view of the current situation of the club and the choices made by Claude Puel.
While waiting for the next day of the championship on the lawn of Reims on Saturday (9 p.m.), AS Saint-Etienne will have to find a coach capable of filling the defensive gaps but also the lack of creativity in attack.
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