Nantes vs Saint-Etienne preview - Bammou: We're constantly improving

Posted Saturday, November 22, 2014 by PA

Nantes forward Yacine Bammou believes Les Canaris can keep on surprising people and stay among the Ligue 1 pace-setters.

Few expected Michel Der Zakarian's side to be doing so well this season but Nantes have lost only two of their 13 league games and lie in fifth ahead of sixth-placed St Etienne's visit to Stade de la Beaujoire on Sunday afternoon.

"We all want to stay in the top five and we all want to carry on our good run, to not lose games as the coach told us," Bammou told the official club website.

"We're improving all the time as a squad and we all get on well.

"There's a real collective force here and I think that's why we're near the top of the table."

Nantes are unbeaten since a 2-0 defeat at Lille on September 14 in week five and confidence in the camp is high after the club's best run of form since returning to the top division in 2013.

"I don't know much about St Etienne but I know they're a difficult team to play against and they have good players," said 23-year-old Bammou.

"It won't be easy, but if we want to keep our run going we have to believe that we're going to get a result.

"Whether we're at home or away our supporters are always there. The atmosphere is incredible at the Beaujoire and they are our 12th man.

"They help us and make us stronger, they allow us to surpass ourselves and obtain the results we've been getting."

Saint-Etienne are unbeaten in six games in all competitions and have shown plenty of defensive resilience in recent weeks.

They have kept six clean sheets in 13 league matches and five of the 12 goals they have conceded came in a 5-0 defeat at Paris St Germain at the end of August.

"In the four weeks before the internationals we had to play four league games and two European games," head coach Christophe Galtier told the official St Etienne website.

"We took eight points from the four league games and I hope we carry on in that sort of form for a long time to come.

"We were unbeaten against Inter Milan in two matches and we're still in with a shot of qualifying for the last 32 of the Europa League.

"I would have signed up for an unbeaten run in those six games if offered it prior to them."

Nantes pair Lucas Deaux and Jordan Veretout should come in for suspended midfielders Kian Hansen and Remi Gomis and centre-back Koffi Djidji (thigh) is still out.

Saint-Etienne are reeling from the loss of striker Mevlut Erding who suffered a thigh injury on international duty for Turkey last week and could be out until the new year.

Renaud Cohade (elbow) is also doubtful but Benjamin Corgnet, Stephane Ruffier and Loic Perrin hope to be available after injury.