Short match highlights. First half he smashed a volley straight at the keeper, and then his 'assist' for St Etienne's (in green) first goal, looks like it was a lucky glance of the ball to a team mate.
Lovely team fast counter attacking goal his one in the 2nd half.
Its early days for Ben but he does have some competition in the SE starting eleven. Davitachvili and Stassin are both very good attacking players and scored 21 goals between them last season. It was thought that they would both leave when SE got relegated. But its possible they might stay as the mega wealthy club owner does not need to sell. Davitachvili is the clubs star player and plays on the left wing. Bens probably versatile enough to play elsewhere but he was excellent on the left in the season opening game.
Very unusual after a player drops a goal & assist off the rip he gets benched for the next game but hey! They’re 2-0 since so who’s complaining on their end.
Can imagine he will be frustrated not playing after such a good start opening weekend
Just read this on insta. Obviously doesn’t make it true but could be reason for lack of mins today if they don’t want him getting injured IMG_8593.jpeg617.73 KB
Very unusual after a player drops a goal & assist off the rip he gets benched for the next game but hey! They’re 2-0 since so who’s complaining on their end.
Can imagine he will be frustrated not playing after such a good start opening weekend
Davitashvili is just too good to be dropped it seems.
Just read this on insta. Obviously doesn’t make it true but could be reason for lack of mins today if they don’t want him getting injured IMG_8593.jpeg617.73 KB
Just commented on this in another thread - makes no sense. Plenty of goals in the preseason games... plus a goal and an assist already in the league.
Surely even if he is not in the starting 11 he is one of your most important subs?!
This rumour could be true. SE just signed another attacker. They now have seven for three places. Davitasvili is their star player and unfortunately plays in Bens position. Still it would be odd to loan him out IMO. But for Bens development he needs to start games. He would walk into any other Ligue 2 starting side
Sounds like wherever he goes, AS Saint-Etienne don't want to loan him to a fellow Ligue 2 club to strengthen the opposition - So hopefully that clears the road to Belgium.
There is an article out in the past few hours as well that states that if he stays, the club may look to train him in a LB/LWB role... So hopefully that clears the road to Belgium!!!
What a strange few days for the lad.
Arguably one of the most important years of his career ahead, so he goes and starts the season with a bang and its all happy days. To then seemingly finding himself on the outer, whilst simultaneously being acknowledged as too good to remain as a competitor in Ligue 2, with a potential positional change touted if he stays.
Sounds like wherever he goes, AS Saint-Etienne don't want to loan him to a fellow Ligue 2 club to strengthen the opposition - So hopefully that clears the road to Belgium.
There is an article out in the past few hours as well that states that if he stays, the club may look to train him in a LB/LWB role... So hopefully that clears the road to Belgium!!!
What a strange few days for the lad.
Arguably one of the most important years of his career ahead, so he goes and starts the season with a bang and its all happy days. To then seemingly finding himself on the outer, whilst simultaneously being acknowledged as too good to remain as a competitor in Ligue 2, with a potential positional change touted if he stays.
I’m actually not sure if I want him to go Belgium. The side that is reportedly interested in him are sitting 2nd to last in the league over there.
It won’t be a fun side to play in at all in comparison to if he can break through at AS (which doesn’t seem likely).
Would prefer a move away to a club that’s got some stability in the league opposed to him getting dropped into a poor side that’s scraping by week by week.
Pretty crazy considering how well he did in pre season and the opening league fixture!
Not a fan of the potential position change either at AS. He’s a final third player not someone I’d want to see parked up defending on the edge of the area.
Let’s hope the right decisions are made for the player.
Charleroi were 10th out of 16 teams last season, finishing 4 spots above Libby's old club Sint-Truiden (14th). Charleroi have been in the Belgian top flight since 2012-13.
They have only played 4 games this season (game in hand on half the league), and had to juggle a 2 legged UEFA Conference League tie against Sweden's Hammarby early on, which Charleroi lost. I wouldn't write them off as relegation battlers so early in the season. Belgium worked out perfectly for Cacace.
This gets more and more bizarre because its also reported in France that Davitachvili, the star SE left winger is also likely to depart. Apparently he is unhappy playing in League 2. West ham and Galatasary are supposedly interested. A 20 million transfer fee is mentioned. If Ben gets loaned out too then thats both their LWs gone Theres something odd going on . Looking at SE fan forums most are very unhappy about Old possibly going
Niche Cache's pretty sound take on the current Old situation
If Callum McCowatt is underrated then Ben Old, sorry to say it, has become a wee bit overrated. You can’t turn down a move such as the one that came his way from Saint-Étienne but while Surman and Paulsen were clearly ready to advance their careers, Old perhaps could have used another year in the A-League to keep ironing out a few elements of his game in a friendly environment. Old’s pace and dribbling and fitness are incredible. Especially as a left-footer, adding another element of rarity to his profile. But his final product was still dodgy when he left the Nix and he’s not the effective defender you’d think he would be. The hope was that ASSE’s relegation would give him that room to keep developing, particularly after knee surgery kept him out for so much of last season, but now it sounds like Saint-Étienne are trying to loan him out before the window closes. Ideally outside of France where he won’t benefit a rival.
It’s not a matter of giving up on him as much as Les Verts thinking he needs some more sharpening up. That club is desperate to get promoted back to Ligue 1 and need to be winning most weeks, limiting their allowances for any project players. His All Whites situation is similar. Old’s got a unique and exciting profile but his only AWs goal was the fourth in a 4-0 win against Vanuatu and his only starts against non-OFC teams were a 3-0 loss to Mexico (within arguably the worst All Whites performance of the Bazeley era) and the 4-0 win against Malaysia at home. He hasn’t done the stuff that guys like Singh, Just, Garbett, Waine, even McCowatt have done in a white jersey. Not yet, anyway.
Did any of us watch that first game in full or his Ligue One games since? Always tricky to make judgements just off some brief highlights, half a world away.
His club coaches see him every day. And it's not just how is Old going but what other players they have, do they intend to bring in more players as they chase promotion etc etc.
Did he see Olds preseason form, or that of the first game. I think, his end product was developing nicely personally.
Yeah its all very confusing. When he first came into the team he only had 5 starts before his injury and didn't get any g/a but the fans were very happy with how he was playing and coming straight to Ligue 1 from the A-League he would've needed a bit of time to get those g/a numbers up anyway.
But for this season in a weaker league and a strong pre-season and first game just seems so weird to think he doesn't have a role to play, even if its a more rotated role. He is behind Davitachvili, their best player but thats for the LW role and Old played more on the right for us and I think thats his better position anyway being able to cut in.
He’s obviously put on a good amount of size in the last 18 months but not enough. He’s probably about 5’7 and still very raw. Mind you he’s not 16-17 anymore he’s 23 so you question how he will develop physically in the future.
He’s a very exciting talent. But nowadays clubs look at the physical side of a player a lot more than before. This is also the reason why I think Paulsen won’t be able to reach the top levels. He’s also about 5’11 ish. Keepers nowadays are easily 6’4 and above.
Point is Old is not rapid out of this world or a natural finisher. He’s very one footed too which will hold him back. Can’t really play in multiple positions either due to his size and lack of both feet.
I hate to sound negative but that just is reality. I think he’s more than good enough with his current ability to make coaches look past all the other variables he doesn’t offer- same with Paulsen.
Its not his size, its his technical ability and speed that is the most important for his position. And his got plenty.
Size is only considered for lone strikers (real no.9) and thus central defenders (minimum 1 not necessarily both) and goalkeepers (Paulsen) need to be tall on the opposing side.
He’s obviously put on a good amount of size in the last 18 months but not enough. He’s probably about 5’7 and still very raw. Mind you he’s not 16-17 anymore he’s 23 so you question how he will develop physically in the future.
He’s a very exciting talent. But nowadays clubs look at the physical side of a player a lot more than before. This is also the reason why I think Paulsen won’t be able to reach the top levels. He’s also about 5’11 ish. Keepers nowadays are easily 6’4 and above.
Point is Old is not rapid out of this world or a natural finisher. He’s very one footed too which will hold him back. Can’t really play in multiple positions either due to his size and lack of both feet.
I hate to sound negative but that just is reality. I think he’s more than good enough with his current ability to make coaches look past all the other variables he doesn’t offer- same with Paulsen.
The continual obsession with height on this forum is kinda funny. I don't think Ben's height is an issue for his position and Paulsen (according to everything I can find online) is about 6'3".
His size is definitely a big factor in why they don’t trust him to start. Europe is as physical as it’s ever been it doesn’t really matter what position you’re in. If you don’t stand above the rest in a certain category which Oldie doesn’t at that level.
Then you’ll fall down the pecking order. Just because he’s not a No9 or anything it doesn’t mean he’s not gonna be eating shoulders from opposing midfielders, Wingers/FullBacks etc during games.
He’ll be fine because I believe he’s too good to let it effect his game. But the size factor is definitely a thing. Even for the All Whites he’s struggled in the past with playing against bigger more physical opposition.
Saffa
Its not his size, its his technical ability and speed that is the most important for his position. And his got plenty.
Size is only considered for lone strikers (real no.9) and thus central defenders (minimum 1 not necessarily both) and goalkeepers (Paulsen) need to be tall on the opposing side.
The truth hurts mate. If you ask St Etienne staff what the issue is what will they tell you. That he’s not good enough technically yet? Because that’d be a definite lie.
My money would be that he still needs to improve on how to use his incredible technical ability to off set his lack of physical attributes which comes from being short. Maybe improve his finishing too.
Other than that he’s more than comfortable at Ligue 2 level. This is just my guess on why they’re wanting to loan him out because even i find it quite odd :). djtim3000
Sh817
He’s obviously put on a good amount of size in the last 18 months but not enough. He’s probably about 5’7 and still very raw. Mind you he’s not 16-17 anymore he’s 23 so you question how he will develop physically in the future.
He’s a very exciting talent. But nowadays clubs look at the physical side of a player a lot more than before. This is also the reason why I think Paulsen won’t be able to reach the top levels. He’s also about 5’11 ish. Keepers nowadays are easily 6’4 and above.
Point is Old is not rapid out of this world or a natural finisher. He’s very one footed too which will hold him back. Can’t really play in multiple positions either due to his size and lack of both feet.
I hate to sound negative but that just is reality. I think he’s more than good enough with his current ability to make coaches look past all the other variables he doesn’t offer- same with Paulsen.
The continual obsession with height on this forum is kinda funny. I don't think Ben's height is an issue for his position and Paulsen (according to everything I can find online) is about 6'3".
djtim3000
Sh817
He’s obviously put on a good amount of size in the last 18 months but not enough. He’s probably about 5’7 and still very raw. Mind you he’s not 16-17 anymore he’s 23 so you question how he will develop physically in the future.
He’s a very exciting talent. But nowadays clubs look at the physical side of a player a lot more than before. This is also the reason why I think Paulsen won’t be able to reach the top levels. He’s also about 5’11 ish. Keepers nowadays are easily 6’4 and above.
Point is Old is not rapid out of this world or a natural finisher. He’s very one footed too which will hold him back. Can’t really play in multiple positions either due to his size and lack of both feet.
I hate to sound negative but that just is reality. I think he’s more than good enough with his current ability to make coaches look past all the other variables he doesn’t offer- same with Paulsen.
The continual obsession with height on this forum is kinda funny. I don't think Ben's height is an issue for his position and Paulsen (according to everything I can find online) is about 6'3".
According to google Marco Verrati was 5ft 5, and he had an amazing career at PSG. There are so many other examples that make this argument null... and to say this is reason why his not playing is crazy. For all we know Ben is not playing because he made a pass at the coaches wife...there is a multitude of reasons coaches select different players, but height is almost never the reason in the midfield
Big difference in Oldie and Veratti. As I said if you don’t EXCEL in something, things like height and lack of physicality will come up.
Look at Owen Parker Price as an example. He’s listed as 164cm. He was once starting ahead of Sarpreet Singh at age group World Cups. Was widely regarded as one of the best technical players in this country by multiple pupils back 8-9 years ago.
3 years later one got signed by Bayern and the others was playing Swedish 4th division.
That tells you all you need to know. If you lack size and can’t stand out in any aspect. In most cases it will bite you. It’s reality mate. Look at Josh Nisbet? What a player, but he won’t ever get picked for the Socceroos. Saffa
So why did they sign a "short player" then?
According to google Marco Verrati was 5ft 5, and he had an amazing career at PSG. There are so many other examples that make this argument null... and to say this is reason why his not playing is crazy. For all we know Ben is not playing because he made a pass at the coaches wife...there is a multitude of reasons coaches select different players, but height is almost never the reason in the midfield
Mate, you said the reason his not getting game time is because his "short" and thus lacks fisicality.
That is not the reason 100% and no coach will say such a thing because he will be laughed at. Now is the coach not playing him for other reasons....lack of goals, assists, passing ability etc then yes he will not play.
A goal and an assist in the opening round of the season and then they stuck him on the bench. So I’d hope that’s not the issue. Saffa
Mate, you said the reason his not getting game time is because his "short" and thus lacks fisicality.
That is not the reason 100% and no coach will say such a thing because he will be laughed at. Now is the coach not playing him for other reasons....lack of goals, assists, passing ability etc then yes he will not play.
Possibly this has nothing to do with Ben and more with trying to keep Dashivilli, even eliminating competition for his favored spot to mollify him? Perhaps Oldie did too well in that first game and as a result Dashvilli packed a sad at the possibility of not getting as many starts as he wants?
Anyway, strange days, but I think I may have access to the Belgian league so…!
Not in the squad today as AS draw 1-1 . Let’s see where this deadline day loan move takes him. It’s quite something what’s unfolded for Oldie over the last 3 weeks but that’s football.
Let’s hope the next club gives him a proper opportunity.
Nothing solid on any of the French transfer sites except speculation. The transfer market closes at 8pm Monday French time. Theres lots happing at SE at the moment regarding players coming in our out. So Bens future could swing on the outcome of several other negotiations happing today. As an aside in Ligue 2 a team can only field two players from outside the E.U. SE have a bunch of non E.U players already, many from African countries. It gets complicated because there us some dispensation allowed for some African countries. Bens potential transfer could be for a simple reason that the club has at least two non E.U players who are key starting players( Bachitvili from Georgia is one) and therefore the club knows Ben wont get much game time.
Surprised nothing had come from this, but having just checked, the Belgian window closes next week on the 8th.
If he's not even making the matchday squad for the lastest round in Ligue 2, then you feel something is definitely going on in the background. He's not going to want to be benchwarming in the lead up to a world cup year.
Do have to wonder though that if a loan deal does eventuate soon, will that then impact his availability for the AW's? ala Paulsen and his recent move to Lechia Gdańsk.
Makes me think that LBS has potentially come in for Ben rather than as a Cacace replacement. There’s already two left backs in the squad for the window.
Darren and the staff probably know Ben won’t be coming in this window but can’t announce anything till everything is confirmed with his potential new destination. YoungHeartHM
Surprised nothing had come from this, but having just checked, the Belgian window closes next week on the 8th.
If he's not even making the matchday squad for the lastest round in Ligue 2, then you feel something is definitely going on in the background. He's not going to want to be benchwarming in the lead up to a world cup year.
Do have to wonder though that if a loan deal does eventuate soon, will that then impact his availability for the AW's? ala Paulsen and his recent move to Lechia Gdańsk.
