AS Saint-Étienne manager Ian Cathro faces severe squad management challenges ahead of Saturday’s Ligue 2 fixture against Rodez, envertetcontretous.fr reported. Following a prolonged international break, the Saint-Étienne squad returned to training in the Forez region with varying levels of physical freshness after representing their respective national teams.
International Fixtures Fatigue High-Profile ASSE Players
The recent international fixtures left several high-profile ASSE players with demanding schedules. Irvin Cardona logged maximum minutes for Malta, playing the entirety of their three UEFA Nations League fixtures. New Zealand international Ben Old also started three consecutive matches, absorbing significant travel fatigue upon his return to club duties. Meanwhile, Zuriko Davitashvili featured in four matches for Georgia, though primarily as a substitute before earning a start in their fourth outing, and Adam Baallal captained Morocco U20 through a busy campaign.
Conversely, manager Ian Cathro welcomed back several untired options. Tamar Svetlin remained on the bench without playing for Slovenia, and Mamour Ndiaye did not feature for Senegal. Augustine Boakye and Kévin Pedro both earned their maiden international caps with Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively, returning in good physical shape after moderate playing time.
Defensive Hierarchy Shifts at Right-Back
Before his injury, Ferreira was Cathro’s undisputed first choice during pre-season and the opening two Ligue 2 fixtures. A violent clash against Clermont on August 14 abruptly halted his start to the campaign and sidelined him for several weeks.
However, 19-year-old Kévin Pedro seized the opportunity during Ferreira’s absence, cementing a permanent role in the starting XI and maintaining his place during the recent trip to Metz. Having extended his contract through 2030 in January, Pedro’s impressive adaptation from central defense to the right flank has complicated Cathro’s selection plans. According to Peuple-Vert.fr, Pedro is part of a core group that has logged heavy minutes alongside Áron Csongvai, Gautier Larsonneur, and Sohaib Naïr, all three of whom played every single minute of the opening seven matches.
Cathro Tests Attacking Combinations Against Sion
To mitigate international fatigue, Cathro tested several attacking combinations during a recent friendly match against Sion, which ended in a 5-1 victory. Joao Ferreira starred in that encounter and scored, while Ballo and Breum each netted twice to stake claims for starting berths against Rodez. Joshua Duffus also impressed during the friendly outing, offering a fresh alternative to rest fatigued forwards like Cardona or Davitashvili.
Peuple-Vert.fr noted that squad depth is further bolstered by the gradual recoveries of Chico Lamba and Mahmoud Jaber, giving the technical staff increased flexibility to manage load levels across a demanding autumn schedule. Cathro is expected to prioritize physical management on Saturday, ensuring players who logged exhaustive minutes during the international window are not pushed beyond their current capacities.
Stable Core Players Log High Minutes
Across the opening seven rounds of the campaign, manager Ian Cathro has leaned heavily on a stable core. Áron Csongvai, goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur, and Sohaib Naïr form an untouchable trio that has contested all 630 minutes without a single substitution or substitute appearance. Close behind them, Julien Le Cardinal has recorded 626 minutes, while Kévin Pedro and Maxime Bernauer sit at 596 and 566 minutes respectively. Augustine Boakye and Irvin Cardona have also surpassed the 500-minute threshold. Csongvai has contributed one goal and multiple assists, while Larsonneur retains his starting role despite outside criticism of certain displays. Meanwhile, Chico Lamba and Mahmoud Jaber hold totals of four and 25 minutes following interrupted comebacks.
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