The Signing of the Summer

By: Thomas | October 3rd, 2009

Sainté began the season with three strait losses, including one to newly promoted US Boulogne. It seemed as if the ten time champions would have another season fighting relegation. Then the scouts in Argentina reported back. Gonzalo Bergessio of San Lorenzo was available and interested in a move to France. Augusto Fernandez of River Plate was an option as well. Both were young Argentinian internationals who seemed like they could bring to life Les Vert’s hibernating attack. Few outside of the Loire capital took any notice when these two arrived in France.

In their first game in the green shirts the Argentine duo showed nothing out of the ordinary, and Rennes ran away with the match 1-0. The next week, against Auxerre, Bergessio made his breakthrough, scoring in the 13th minute on the way to a one to one draw. Though this could easily have been nothing more than that-a draw against a lower-midtable side, it became the spark for a goalscoring run. Four days later, Bergessio scored twice in a 4-1 Coupe de la Ligue drubbing of Nice. His run of form continued on the weekend against Monaco where is 92nd minute finish gave Saint-Etienne the three points. However, It was not only Bergessio who starred against Les Monegasques as Augusto Fernandez assisted Sainté’s first goal. The two South Americans came up against their biggest challenge in Ligue 1 today, against defending champions FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Les Girondins were on a 21 match unbeaten streak and Les Verts hardly looked to be the side to break it. Eight minutes into the match and Saint-Etienne were ahead, Fernandez sending Landrin’s cross into the back of the net. Twenty minutes later it was two nil, Bergessio sending a beautiful through-ball to Ilan who calmly converted. The match ended three to one, handing Bordeaux their first loss of the season. Is the double signing on track for a “Best Deal of the Mercato”? You tell me.