Great to see Oldie making a comeback! FYI, Mat Ryan was signed by Roma in the summer and sat on our bench for all but one cup game. Then decided he wanted to play so he went off to France. Good GK. Too good and still too young to just sit on the bench, so I'm glad he's out there playing
Arggh. Knew it was going to happen, but DAZN have lost the Ligue One rights.
I only got two watch Ben twice. Was hoping I was going to get to see him a bit more without laying out additional cash. Plus the missus likes him so it makes it easier justifying keeping DAZN.
Niche Cache. Note Lyon had played 120 mins midweek in the Europa League verus Man U, so good day for St Etienne to play them.
...................added some extra spice to a match that didn’t really need any extra flavouring. The consequence of that was the game being forced into postponement shortly before half-time due to a linesman getting hit by a coin thrown from the crowd. The ref took the players away for roughly forty minutes to allow the crowd to simmer down. Can’t blame the Lyon fans because travelling fans were banned due to previous dramas. Saint-Étienne seem to be a common denominator in a few too many of these crowd shenanigans. Anyway, the game did eventually resume and ASSE picked up where they left off. Stassin scored a banger from 20 metres out in the 67th minute.
Ben Old was substituted onto the right wing in place of Irvin Cardona after 74 mins. Lyon immediately pulled a goal back via Tanner Tessmann... but Saint-Étienne saw it through from there for an absolutely enormous 2-1 victory. Old managed several good touches on the break, the most memorable being when he chopped inside and fizzed a shot into the face of a defender. Completed all his passes. Did the hard yards tracking back. Solid from him after being an unused sub in the 3-3 draw vs Brest last week. Since returning from injury, Old has gotten 27 mins, 22 mins, unused sub, and 16 mins. No time to ease into things when you’re deep in the relegation murk.
Tuiloma was on loan (from OM) at Strasbourg years ago and they were pretty shark then. In the 2nd or 3rd tier.
Strasbourg had a similar experience to Rangers in Scotland in that they got demoted down to the 5th tier due for financial reasons, when Tuiloma was with them they were on the way back up. Now owned by same owners (BlueCo) as Chelsea so a good opposition to try and make a favourable impression.
Niche Cache. Le Havre won, so St Etienne do look a bit doomed for the drop now.
It was worst-case scenario stuff for Saint-Étienne this week as they were beaten 3-1 by Monaco whereas Le Havre won 2-1 against Auxerre. Ben Old did get a solid twenty minutes on the right wing but wasn’t able to affect anything. What that means is that, with two rounds to go, Saint-Étienne are four points away from earning a relegation playoff and five points from automatic safety. If Le Havre win one of their remaining two games then it’s over. ASSE were promoted last season and it’s looking like they’ll be going straight back down. Saint-Étienne do probably have the easiest remaining schedule of the three relevant teams (themselves and the two that they can catch) but it’s still going to take something biblical to save them.
St Etienne take it into the last week, getting the vital 2-0 win at Reims. Old on at 70 mins (2-0) replacing Cardonna who scored the 2nd goal, and had the assist for the 1st one.
Staying up very much alive for SE (17th, 30 pts, GD -37).
They host Toulouse (12th - nothing to play for) in the last round. Le Havre (16th, 31 pts, GD -32) lost overnight, and they travel to Strasbourg (6th) in their last game. Strasbourg motivated to secure a playoff spot.
Le Havre are in the relegation playoff spot. Nantes (15th) & Reims (14th) are on 33 pts, but even though SE could finish equal on pts with they both have a GD way better than St Etienne. Le Havre is the only team they can realistically overtake.
At face value SE have an easier final game than Le Havre, but a draw no good to them - they have to beat Toulouse to give themselves a shot - and hope Le Havre do no better than a draw at Strasbourg. 50:50 call now I'd say
SE need to win and hope Le Havre (16th, 31 pts) get nothing better than a draw when they travel to Strasbourg (6th). Strasbourg motivated as in a fight to stay in the promotion playoff spots
SE need to win and hope Le Havre (16th, 31 pts) get nothing better than a draw when they travel to Strasbourg (6th). Strasbourg motivated as in a fight to stay in the promotion playoff spots
Looks like SE lose, but Le Havre won anyway, so a moot point. Down to Ligue 2 it seems for Ben next year. Good chance to solidify his place in the team and push for promotion again.
Niche Cache. Old signed a contract through until the end of the 2027-28 season with ASSE so he’s got time to settle into some second tier stuff, earn his reps with the club, and help them get promoted back next time around. Sometimes a relegation can work out nicely for a kiwi player trying to make their way – Winston Reid at West Ham is the best example of that. But yes, alas, Benjamin Old will be playing Ligue 2 next season.
Takeaways. Both Paulsen & Old impressive intelligent guys. Especially Ben.
Obvious that when he first broke into the Nix, David Ball was a massive big older brother type influence on Old. Likely a mentor way beyond what we know. You feel Ball was hugely popular within the squad. they showed snippets of some very funny Insta or Twitter posts Ball has made taking the mickey out of guys like Old even now. Good banter. Always a sign of great team spirit.
Whether it was right of Chiefy to get rid of Ball or not, it definitely would have saddened many in the squad to see him go.
Then talks about coming on as a sub against PSG (ST lost 6-1) in his first game back from injury!
Finishing with how ruthless and cut throat it can be in Europe. Like Old immediately making the ST match day squads, even starting gmes before the injury, which surprised him. He had the recognised technical ability ST wanted, so kudos Nix and ALM. But he had to learn to be a bit 'un Kiwi' and build himself up with big confidence in his own ability. The challenges more mental than actual physical/technical - playing the likes of PSG obviously both!!
But then massive admiration from Old for Chris Wood who has been through all the brutal ups & downs in the UK football scene. The relentless mental pressure, and yet has still kept to his grounded humble Kiwi roots. You'd guess nearly all of the AWs squad would be looking at Wood this season, and going wow. Knowing just how immensely difficult it is, doing what he has done.
And lastly Old is confident the Nix will be successful again, when the current crop of Weenix grads get that often talked about 2-3 ALM seasons under their belt.
Oh and the ST fans sound mental. 15,000 turning up to watch the last training pre the big home derby game against hated Lyon.
Not surprised at all. If a player performs in the ALM the step up to most European Leagues ain't that high. I'm happy he spoke about mentality because that tends to be a big difference. At home you playing with your mates, yes you working hard but you still have your mates around you. In Europe it's very different.
Sounds like big club Lyon are possibly going to be relegated to Ligue Two. They are appealing the decision. That could make promotion back to Ligue One trickier for St Etienne.
Lyon have the right to appeal against the decision. Should it stand, Lyon will be replaced in the top flight by Reims, who were beaten in the relegation play-off by Metz.
I have been in France for years and i couldnt pronounce half those words. Funny vid though! Ben seems to be fitting in well. Second year is always easier. I have a feeling Ben is going to have a break out season in Ligue2. Much less pressure and Ligue 2 is much more open for a player like him. I think he will be a star player and then get signed by a bigger club.
Finished 3-3. Laval late goal. Typical St Etienne, cant defend just like last season. Ben got rated 6.8, second best rating for his team. Goal and assist. Hope he stays fit. I think hes going to have a great seasin
