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Following promotion to the top-flight last season, it has been a difficult and inconsistent start to the campaign for Saint-Etienne as they now prepare to face an impressive Strasbourg side at Stade Geoffrey-Guichard this weekend.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 2nd November, 2024 - UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 4:00pm / US PT – 1:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Ligue 1 pass / US – beIN Sports
SAINT-ETIENNE PREVIEW: TRYING TO BE HARD TO BEAT
Coached by former Montpellier Herault boss Olivier Dall’Oglio, Saint-Etienne gained promotion to the top-flight of French football with a very defensive style of football that saw them score very few goals. They are trying to build up form that could see them steer clear of the bottom three and the relegation places.
However, ASSE come into this one on the back of a 4-2 defeat away to fellow newly-promoted and previously winless Angers in their most recent outing at Stade Raymond Kopa at the weekend. They begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom three and the relegation playoff place.
STRASBOURG PREVIEW: SILKY STRASBOURG
Former Hull City boss Liam Rosenior is in charge of an impressive Strasbourg side that haven’t bowed down to the BlueCo pressure of picking all of the BlueCo players but the Alsace-based club are benefitting from that investment with an easy on the eye style of football also being implemented by Rosenior.
Strasbourg come into this one on the back of a comfortable 3-1 defeat of Nantes at Stade de la Meinau last weekend. Andrey Santos notched a brace with Dilan Bakwa also scoring before Bahereba Guirassy’s late consolation. Their nine matches so far this season in Ligue 1 have consisted of 36 goals.
SAINT-ETIENNE TEAM NEWS: LONG INJURY LIST
Saint-Etienne have no injury concerns or suspension issues for this weekend’s visit of Strasbourg with a few absentees such as Anthony Briancon and Yvann Macon.
New Zealand international and summer signing Ben Old is also absent for ASSE alongside Thomas Monconduit, Pierre Cornud and Ibrahima Wadji.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-4-1): Larsonneur; Appiah, Abdelhamid, Nade, Petrot; Ekwah; Boakye, Mouton, Bouchouari, Davitashvili; Stassin
UNAVAILABLE: Briancon (Injured), Monconduit (Injured), Wadji (Injured), Cornud (Injured), Macon (Injured), Old (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
STRASBOURG TEAM NEWS: SMART ROSENIOR
Liam Rosenior has been very smart with his ability to rotate his squad around but the visitors have several absentees for this weekend now including the suspended Marcos Senaya.
Former number one goalkeeper Alaa Bellaarouch is also absent alongside the likes of Caleb Wiley, Thomas Delaine and key attacker Emmanuel Emegha.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Petrovic; Doue, Sow, Sarr; Bakwa, Santos, Doukoure, Diego Moreira; Diarra; Mara, Nanasi
UNAVAILABLE: Bellaarouch (Injured), Delaine (Injured), Senaya (Suspended), Wiley (Injured), Lukovic (Injured), Sahi (Injured), Emegha (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
SAINT-ETIENNE VS STRASBOURG PREDICTION
This has the potential to be quite an entertaining encounter for the neutral. Saint-Etienne were very defensive last season and even at the start of this season but the form of Georgia international Zuriko Davitashvili has caused them to open up a bit more. Strasbourg, as mentioned, have been the entertainers in Ligue 1 so far this season and they are favourites for what could be a high-scoring clash at the Geoffrey-Guichard.
SAINT-ETIENNE VS STRASBOURG TIP: STRASBOURG TO WIN & BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE