Ayew Brothers: The End of an Era
By Ed Dove
Ghana internationals Andre and Jordan Ayew return to Ligue 1 action this weekend for the first match since their thrilling encounter last Friday.
That match—a 5-3 victory for FC Lorient over domestic giants Olympique de Marseille—was an unforgettable contest, mesmerising in almost every sense. However, it also marked something of an ‘end of an era’ for the Ayew brothers.
At lease one of the duo has been involved in French football for the last decade. Andre joined Marseille’s youth team in 2005 before Jordan followed a year later.
The younger brother made his debut at the end of 2009, scoring, coincidentally, against Lorient. Andre made his first appearance at the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign, establishing himself at the Stade Velodrome three seasons later after spells at Arles-Avignon and, again, Lorient.
For years the two competed together in the white of Marseille, while last week, the public were treated to an Ayew vs. Ayew Ligue 1 clash.
Friday’s bout was the first of its kind and also, one suspects, the last…
Heading into that fixture, the focus was on Andre.
First of all, it was hoped that his return to the side—the Ghanaian had been suspended for OM’s previous match after being sent off for arguing with a referee—would inspire Marcelo Bielsa’s side to end their three-match losing streak.
Instead, they extended it, dropping firmly out of the Ligue 1 title race in the process. Indeed, a season that had promised so much for Les Phoceens is threatening to end in overwhelming disappointment.
The Southern giants have gone from the midst of the French title race to fifth place with four matches to go. As things stand, they are out of the Champions League places and—five points behind AS Monaco in third—appear outsiders to salvage anything from the campaign.
But the focus was also on the elder Ayew for another reason.
It is no secret that Andre is ambling inexorably towards the exit door at the Stade Velodrome; with no new contract signed and some of Europe’s major clubs circling this most talented of free agents, he is surely already counting his remaining OM matches on one hand.
Marseille meet Metz on Friday evening.
The strugglers sit 19th in the Ligue 1 table and are eight points off Stade de Reims with four matches to go. Time is running out for Les Grenats, who will be supremely motivated to expose any weakness in OM and secure the maximum points possible.
Will this be the match that Ayew helps his teammates turn things around, or will Marseille’s slump continue?
Either way, it’s hard to see Andre competing for Marseille against Jordan’s Lorient—or against any other Ligue 1 side, for that matter, after the end of the season.
Firstly, of course, Lorient could get relegated—a very real possibility that I have outlined above.
Secondly, and this is something that hasn’t truly been discussed very much, but regardless of Lorient’s fate, might some other European sides take a look at the Ghana forward?
He’s still not the finished product—and may never be—but his scoring record in France this year stands up to scrutiny, particularly in his first season ‘standing on his own two feet’.
Ayew has scored 11 Ligue 1 goals in 27 appearances—no player to have managed 10 goals or more this season has done so in fewer matches apart from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Similarly, in the top 10 scorers in France—and Jordan is joint-eighth—he is the only one two play for one of the bottom nine clubs in the division.
Finally, of all the Ligue 1 players with 11 goals or more, only two (Lyon pair Nabil Fekir and Alex Lacazette—both France internationals) have contributed more assists than the Black Star.
This is the kind of contribution that gets you noticed!
Maybe two Ayew brothers, and not just one, will be making transfer headlines this summer…either way, don’t expect any Ligue 1 reunions any time soon!
Source: Goal.com
Readers Comment
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godfather
9 years ago
Is there an editor for this website? A pool of Grammatical errors!! Embarrassing.
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