Loïc Perrin : “We need to be at 100% to win“

The International Break

“In these periods, we have the habit of working without our international players. And, despite the snow that caused the cancellation of our friendly match, we had two good weeks to prepare. That did us some good, when you play every three days, you don’t really have the time to work. The good thing is, is that playing matches consecutively allows everyone to play. The nine consecutive matches that we have in store from now until Christmas will mobilize the entire team.”

The game system

"There is a system in place but it has not been said that we will play in this fashion until the end of the season. Anyway, everything depends on the system we use. The coach must find the best system based on the available players. Personally, I have no preference.

The 6-match Undefeated Streak

"Our streak started in Nîmes where we proved our solidarity. The state of mind and the success that we experienced that day helped us to regain our confidence. We’ve also progressed these last few weeks. We’ve also overcome obstacles on a physical level. We must be at 100% to win matches because we don’t have the leeway of certain clubs. We still have to improve. That’s why these last two weeks were beneficial."

Montpellier, an efficient adversary as an away team

"They’re solid as an away team. They haven’t changed their structure much, their players are used to playing together. That’s a plus. For us, the challenge is to maintain our invincibility. We have to take advantage of these good periods. If we can put more distance between ourselves and our adversaries that would be good.

The Longevity of the Main Players

"It’s great to see Stéphane Ruffier surpass a player like Yvan Curkovic in the number of matches played in Ligue 1 Conforama (1). Time goes by quickly. They told me that I was going to join Robert Herbin in the history of the club (2). These are great players who represent AS Saint-Étienne. Hilton’s longevity (Montpellier) is also exceptional. He’s the only 42-year old player to play at this level. He performs well, is smart and has a feel for Football. We would all like to play until this age.”

1. The current goalie of the Verts is preparing to play his 304th Ligue 1 Conforama match, one more than the mythical goalie of the 70s.
2. Robert Herbin played 382 Ligue 1 matches and Loïc Perrin, 371.