How Freddy Guarin doing? He was always a great buy on Football Manager, and just wanted to know hoe he is doing in real life.

I agree with everything you said, Domina. Our away record has definitely got to change, it is one of the worst in Ligue 1..Our home record however is quite good, I think we are 4th or 5th..

Their defence is pretty bad. They can never hold a lead lol. But i really think Landrin and Perrin are 2 quality players.

Their defence is pretty bad. They can never hold a lead lol. But i really think Landrin and Perrin are 2 quality players.

No argument there..Our back 4 are individually quite good but they just don't work well together.

Ilan is a pretty good player and you can always count on him to score under pressure. Against Sochaux, if it wasn't for his goal in the last 15-20 minutes, you wouldn't have been able to win the game. Overall, I think he's a pretty special player, but I don't think he's your best striker. I think, especially this season, Gomis has been really impressive and he is a vital part of your attack now.

In general, although it wouldn't hurt to get another striker during the mercato, I think that Sainté needs to worry about sorting our their defense.

By the way, welcome to SP, TheGreenAngels.

PSG surprises St. Etienne

Saint Etienne, France (Sports Network) - Pegguy Luyindula scored in the 51st minute as PSG surprised St. Etienne, 1-0, on Sunday in the French Ligue 1.

Luyindula scored off a header for his third goal in league play this season. PSG (5-7-7) won for just the fifth time, jumping two spots to 16th.

St. Etienne (7-8-4) hit the frame twice and was denied by PSG goalie Mickael Landreau six times. St. Etienne is 11th, 14 points behind first-place Lyon.

Also on Sunday, Toulouse and Rennes tied 0-0 and the match between Lille and Lens was postponed.

Few questions for anyone who knows really. I haven't gotten to watch Ligue 1 much this season so first of all, what the hell has happened St. Etienne?

How has Gomis played?
How has Matuidi played?

Surely with players like the above two, aswell as Perrin, Dabo, Ilan they should be doing alot better?

Mirallas looked quality every time I saw him playing for Lille.

Well first off, they had a very bad start. They've just been in terrible form and couldn't get it together. They had their coach fired and the previous coach of Lyon (Perrin) has been brought in.

Gomis has scored 2 goals... and he is their top scorer. That about sums up their inability to score at all. They're having trouble with their offense, despite having Mirallas, Payet, Gomis, Matsui and Perrin. Mirallas and Payet haven't stepped up their game to fulfill their potential. The frontline is a bit young imo, to be expected to carry this team. Mirallas and Payet haven't been doing as well as they were projected, or people expected i suppose. I can't say much on Matuidi as i only watched one full game...

They are doing quite well in the uefa cup group stage though.

Ah kk... cheers for the info.

Do you think they will go down?

Saint-Etienne’s Japanese international Daisuke Matsui was the form man for Les Verts as they ended a seven-game losing streak away to Nancy in Week 16. The former Le Mans winger finally lived up to his pre-season billing as one of the players to watch this season...

Guile, speed, skill and a world-class left-foot

Guile, speed, skill and a world-class left-foot. Saint-Etienne fans finally got to see the best of Daisuke Matsui in last Sunday's 2-1 win over Nancy that lifted Les Verts off the bottom of the Ligue 1 table and up to 17th.

The Japan international (13 caps, one goal) produced his best performance in a green shirt to date, lively throughout his 88 minutes on the pitch, regularly switching flanks, Matsui was a permanent threat to Nancy's rearguard. The 27-year-old, who signed from Le Mans on a free transfer last summer, just missed out on the goal that would have capped his fine individual performance when he shot wide of Damien Grégorini's goal before being substituted to a deserved ovation from the travelling supporters at the Stade Marcel-Picot.

Matsui's performance suggests that he has finally turned the corner after a difficult initiation to life at France's most successful club and, just like his club, has perhaps laid the foundations for better things to come.

A fast learner

Matsui arrived in France in 2004 after five seasons at Kyoto Purple Sanga in his homeland, turning down Grenoble and Lazio to join up with Frédéric Hantz's Le Mans in the French second division. It was to prove a rude introduction to European football:

"I chose Le Mans over Grenoble in France because they had more recent Ligue 1 experience and I didn't want to go to Italy because the football there is too defensive – I don't like it," he said. "I had a pretty negative impression of France, too though. I'd played several times here with Japan youth teams and also spent one month training with PSG when I was 15. I also came with Japan to the 2003 Confederations Cup. But Le Mans changed my opinion even if the football took getting used to.

"My very first ball, in my very first match with Le Mans, I got tackled from behind," said the Japanese star. "Every challenge in Ligue 2 was really tough and I had to change my playing style to avoid taking so many knocks. The coach told me not to hold onto the ball so much, to play quicker."

A fast learner, Matsui helped Le Mans back to Ligue 1 in his very first season.

Spellbinding goals

His Ligue 1 apprenticeship was to prove just as successful. His first-ever L1 goal in Week 12 of the 2005-06 season was the stuff of dreams. A stunning left-footed volley from the edge of the area, which left Strasbourg 'keeper Stéphane Cassard spellbound as the ball flew into the far right top corner.

Yet it was last season that Matsui produced his most consistent and eye catching campaign, playing in 35 matches and scoring five goals, as Les Manceaux earned their highest ever Ligue 1 position of 9th. In the 31st minute of Le Mans Week 5 game away to Monaco at the Stade Louis II, Matsui scored one of the goals of the season. After single-handedly launching an 80m counterattack, Matsui fed the play right before steaming into the penalty area to meet the return ball and scoring with a bewildering flying backheel.

Japan international Daisuke Matsui notched a fine performance in Saint-Etienne’s 2-0 win over Le Havre, playing an important role in a large part of Les Verts’ attacking play on Saturday night.
The attacking midfielder is enjoying a return to form under new coach Alain Perrin and against Le Havre showed the kind of form that prompted Saint-Etienne to sign him from Le Mans during the summer.

Matsui shone particularly in the first half, his movement causing the Le Havre defence all sorts of problems, linking well creating several scoring chances, notably in the 17th minute when he forced a fine save from Le Havre 'keeper Christophe Revault with a first-time shot after being released by David Gigliotti.

Minutes later Matsui was at it again, winning the ball on the edge of the area but shooting powerfully over the bar.

Although quieter in the second half, Matsui continued to pressure the visiting defence and was instrumental in the Saint-Etienne's opener.

Released down the right flank, the Japan international drew his defender in before neatly back-heeling for Belgian international Kévin Mirallas to cross to the far post where Dimitri Payet pounced to set Saint-Etienne up for their second consecutive league win.

It was very important to defeat Le Havre, and by doing so, my week has been much better. Hopefully it is a sign of good things to come.