Askou backs Toulouse: the work will “pay off”

Toulouse head to Lorient with a paradox on their hands: their performances are convincing, but the scoreboard hasn’t caught up yet. According to L'Équipe, the club have taken 1 point in their first three Ligue 1 games, creating a situation where the football looks good while the efficiency still isn’t there.

Good play, weak finishing

The season so far, as described by the outlet, includes two disappointing home results at the Stadium in the opening fixtures. They lost 0-2 to OL and 0-1 to Lille, despite dominating large parts of those matches. They then managed to recover momentum with a 2-2 draw at Brest, with a late equaliser that prevented further anxiety.

“Ça va finir par payer”

In his press conference, coach Jens Berthel Askou acknowledged the frustration but insisted the approach will eventually deliver. As L'Équipe quotes him, “On est frustrés… et ça va finir par payer”, and he added that the team are putting “une énergie folle” into trying to win. His message is that they’re competitors who keep working the same way because the payoff should come.

He also pointed to the need for time: “On a une nouvelle philosophie de jeu… ça prend du temps.” Cristian Casseres echoed the calm in the dressing room, saying they understand where the group stands and that “la démonstration est claire sur les derniers matches”. He also noted they haven’t yet spent enough time together across the full season to fully lock in their identity.

Next stop: Lorient

The immediate test is against Lorient this Saturday, kick-off at 20:45 (followed on Ligue 1+, per L'Équipe). Toulouse will be hoping their dominance finally turns into goals and, most importantly, points.