In the early stages of the 2020-21 season, Montpellier has taken Ligue 1 by storm.
Michel Der Zakarian's side has been one of the most exciting teams on the continent, in large part thanks to the attacking trident of Andy Delort, Gaëtan Laborde and Téji Savanier. Five games into the campaign, Montpellier is joint-first in goals scored and riding high in third place.
Delort and Laborde, the two forwards in Der Zakarian's 3-4-1-2 setup, have been playing together since the 2018-19 season. Delort arrived on loan from Toulouse that July, followed a month later by Laborde on a permanent transfer from Bordeaux. In that season, one which saw Montpellier finish sixth, the duo forged an excellent understanding which has continued to flourish.
Delort scored 14 goals and assisted a further seven in 2018-19, followed closely by Laborde's totals of 11 and five. Ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, which would eventually be shortened by the coronavirus pandemic, Montpellier secured a gem with the signing of attacking midfielder Savanier from Nimes.
He returned to the city where he was born and raised in a deal worth $10.45 million after producing a league-high 14 assists for Nimes, bringing his total to 44 in 129 appearances for the club. He had also scored what was probably the goal of the season in a game against Dijon, lobbing the opposition goalkeeper from just inside the attacking half.
Stunning goals in Ligue 1 this weekend - Téji Savanier, a leading break out star this season - with the naughtiest of lobs. pic.twitter.com/45qpYVJOpJ
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) February 18, 2019
Delort and Laborde, both physically imposing, hard-running forwards, have benefited from the added majesty that Savanier provides. So far in 2020-21, he and Delort lead the team with three goals while Laborde has two to his name, as well as a league-best four assists.
Along with pinpoint dead-ball delivery and a dogged determination to win back possession for his side, Savanier is always looking for a progressive passing option and trying to drive the team up the pitch. He produced a man-of-the-match worthy display this weekend against Dijon, creating several chances and completing four dribbles before calmly converting a 90th-minute penalty to secure a draw for Montpellier.
Savanier fan account pic.twitter.com/bnC1QBJvrM
— KierownikWodopoju (@BoyBetterKnown_) September 28, 2020
After five games, Savanier is second in the league in chances created with 15, behind only Léo Dubois of Lyon. While it is early in the season, Montpellier's attacking trio looks as if it could propel the team to equaling or surpassing the sixth-place finish of 2018-19, which saw the club come tantalizingly close to European qualification.
