Player Focus: Will Lille Roux their Latest Signing?

This January’s transfer window has been quite quiet en France. League leaders PSG have been linked with nearly everyone in the footballing world. Apart from defender Maxwell the main goal for Leonardo and co. was to equip Carlo Ancelotti with a new attacking option. David Beckham, Alexandre Pato, Kaka and now Carlos Tevez have all been “close” but deals in the end came up short.

One team that has been able to add some firepower in this window is the champions Lille OSC. Not happy with the current striking options Rudi Garcia paid Stade Brestois €8m for the talents of 23-year old Nolan Roux. With the ink on the contract barely dry the questions over the future of Eden Hazard and Moussa Sow were quickly raised. Was Roux a replacement for last season’s top scorer or the Belgian wonder kid? The answer at first was no.

Before the window closes there is a good chance that Moussa Sow could make the switch to Fenerbahce. This would leave Roux as the main striking option for a side that needs to come in the top three to ensure the opening of their new stadium is blessed with Champions League football. No pressure then.

The criticism of Roux’s abilities look founded when you look at the stats for this season. The striker has had 57 shots on goal resulting in four goals and an average of 3.2 shots per game. Other players with the same shots average include PSG’s 9 goal striker Kevin Gameiro and Demba Ba, Newcastle United’s new hero with 15 goals this season. There is no doubt with the chances presented to Roux; he should have more than four goals.

Last season in Moussa Sow’s fantastic 25 goal haul the Senegalese striker only averaged 2.8 shots per game. 101 shots on goal for 25 goals is a success rate of just under 25%. For Nolan Roux this season his success rate is just over 7%. Sow himself isn’t enjoying the best of seasons; with only 6 goals the forward on duty at the African Cup of Nations has a success rate of around 12%. Perhaps Rudi Garcia and owner Michel Seydoux felt that Sow could never hit the heights of last season.

In the same season that Sow and Lille were so successful it was the newcomers Brest that started the season on fire, along with the excellent team work and fearless play, Roux had gotten himself off to a great start. Before Christmas Roux had scored five goals and his team sat 7th in the Ligue 1 table.  Unfortunately disaster struck when Roux picked up an injury and missed four months of the season. It was no coincidence that his team dropped down and finished 16th come the final day.

It was down in Ligue 2 that Roux had made his name, scoring 15 goals as Brest won promotion there was plenty of expectation and excitement about the striker stepping up to Ligue 1. After the injury the same expectance surrounded the forward before the start of this season. With only one goal during the pre-season fixtures it was hoped that Roux was keeping his best for the games that matter.

Seven games passed without Roux finding the net and the pressure began to grow, questions were raised over his place in the side, the pressure was even higher considering his team were without a win and struggling at the bottom of the table. A run of four 1-1 draws in a row started when Roux finally got off the mark with the opening goal of the game against Ajaccio. Les Ty' Zefs fans hoped this would kick start their, and Roux’s, season.

Four games later and Brest won their first game of the season. Lorient were their opponents and although Roux didn’t get himself on the score sheet he was magnificent with his constant runs down the channel, moving the Lorient defence all over the pitch, allowing Bruno Grougi to capitalise and pick up a couple of goals. His hard-work had been evident in previous games but this time it paid off.

At the start of December we finally got a glimpse of Roux’s excellent finishing for the first time this season. His two goals against Saint-Etienne were superb, the first a confident strike from 20+ yards past the excellent Stephane Ruffier. This was the Roux we were waiting for, he quickly made it 2-0 and the fans were delighted to see their top marksman back on form.

There is no way that Lille have bought Roux just for his goal-scoring presence, they will have been attracted by the whole package. A very hard-working player that will run himself into the ground with his selfless non-stop attitude that fans instantly get behind, this will by him some time if the goals don’t come at first.

Even if Moussa Sow stays there is a chance Roux will still find his way into the starting line-up. He has the ability and skills required to play anywhere along the front three, and could easily blossom under Rudi Garcia’s free-flowing style. When the signing was announced there wasn’t one Lille fan that questioned his lack of goals, they could see the potential.

A supply line that includes Eden Hazard, Joe Cole and Dimitri Payet will easily provide Roux with enough chances to score over 20 goals this season; all he needs to do is take them. Behind the front three, there is another player that will be over the moon with the capture of Roux. Midfielder Benoit Pedretti.

Pedretti was signed as a replacement for Newcastle bound Yohan Cabaye and from his numbers it was easy to see what Lille were bringing in. For Auxerre the former French international had four assists and five goals. Known for his excellent range of passing Pedretti averaged 7.3 accurate long balls and 2.3 key passes a game. This season his averages have dropped to 4.1 long balls and 0.9 key passes.

During the recent game against Marseille his fellow former Auxerre teammate Ireneusz Jelen started up front and you could see glimpses of the old Pedretti as he constantly looked for the runs of Jelen down the channel or over the top of the defence, sparking back thoughts of their partnership at Auxerre when Pedretti’s well executed passes would find the Polish striker. After suffering from back problems Jelen is not the threat he used to be, but in Lille’s new signing Pedretti has a new, quicker and more deadly target for his excellent right foot.

The justification of Lille’s transfer activity is not possible without Roux having made an appearance for Les Dogues; it is only something we can monitor at the end of the season. If his new supporting cast can get the best out of their new #23 then the €8 million spent on the former Lens striker could turn out to be the bargain of the season.