We watched every goal Lens scored and conceded under Still

However, the 32 year old will bring with him a clearly defined style of play to limit opposition chances and stretch their defensive lines.

Lens scored 42 goals and conceded 39 in 34 matches as they finished eighth in Ligue 1 last season, just five points off European qualification.

They underscored their expected goals by a division-high 11.8, suggesting the quality of their chances should have yielded nearly 12 more.

Will Still chatting to assistant technical director Elliott Stapley as the players and staff’s families have a kick about. #SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/7z0R1Uk5SP

— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) May 25, 2025

At the same time, xG stats suggest they should have conceded 6.3 more goals than they did, making them the sixth most fortunate team.

We watched every goal scored and conceded by Lens under Still, including cup competitions, to determine if there were any patterns.

Here is what we learnt from the clips... 

Firstly, we should probably explain our grouping. It is a rough categorisation of types of goals but most of them are fairly self explanatory. 

Crosses and corners are as described, although not necessarily scored off the first action - it could be a second or third ball, or recycled. 

We have categorised ground counter attacks as when the ball is moved from the defensive half to the goal in around 10 seconds or less.

High turnovers are goals that come directly from winning possession in the opposition half and playing into the resultant space to score. 

Penalty kicks are penalty kicks, wonder goals are instances when creation or scoring is simply individual brilliance rather than tactical genius, and own goals or opposition gifts have been reserved for the opposite. 

Types of goal scored

• Cross - 14 
• Corners - 6
• Ground counter attack - 10
• High turnover - 5
• Wondergoal - 2
• Penalty - 5 
• Own goal or opposition gift - 3

The first thing that sticks out is that 20 of the 45 Lens goals under Still that we watched and grouped came from either crosses or from corner kicks.

Still's side were dangerous with their wing play, whether that was wing backs crossing from deep or wingers getting to byline and pulling across.

In a Sky Sports interview, he spoke about using these two positions on both sides of the pitch to maintain 'double width' - and the result is clear.

One example of a cross Lens scored from this season (Image: Wyscout)

A further 10 goals were scored from ground counter attacks, typifying Still's philosophy to attack quickly and raid any opposition space.

Notably, apart from the odd crossed goal and one opposition gift, none of the goals scored by Still's side came from sustained spells of pressure.

It was always a swift scenario that took very little time from start to completion, or tenacity to have multiple shots and crosses in a single move.

Still's side tended to attack in numbers, haranguing second balls in and around the area, but leaving Lens open to counter-attacking - as we will discuss.

Eight of 10 outfield players are inside or on the edge of the box (Image: Wyscout)

In build-up, it appeared that Lens played mostly on the ground. There were not many instances of a long ball into the striker and attacking from there.

High pressure turnovers were more frequent at the start of season than they were by the end, potentially indicating a decision to ease off after losing key players in the January transfer market. 

The numbers could be down simply due to Lens being inefficient with finishes when chances were created by turning the ball over up the pitch.

What is clear from watching the goals scored by Still's Lens is that Saints will attack aggressively and quickly, forcing an action one way or another.

Rather than keep the ball and probe the opposition over long spells of time, it is likely they will prefer to complete an attack and reset if needed.

But he has spoken about the need to be patient, and maintaining the width on both sides of the pitch allows his side to switch play when required.

Lens put more crosses into the box than any other team in Ligue 1 and it is likely that Still's wide players are going to have importance at Saints.

Newly appointed Saints manager Will Still at St Mary's (Image: PA)

Types of goal conceded

• Cross - 4 
• Corners - 4 
• Ground counter attack - 10
• Played through - 7
• High turnover - 2
• Wondergoal - 2 
• Direct free-kick - 2
• Penalty - 9
• Own goal/opposition gift - 3 

It is a little bit harder to categorise goals against because when you are mostly looking at what went wrong, there are usually many factors at play.

We have added a 'Played through' category, simply to indicate a passage of central play through the middle of the defence before scoring.

This was not even a category needed with the goals scored because of the decisions Still's charges almost always made to utilise their width.

Still's side only conceded 39 goals in Ligue 1, the third fewest in the division last season, but their record should have been even better.

Not only did they concede a mammoth nine penalties out of 43 total goals we watched, the general level of defending the box was appalling.

A sequence of head tennis resulting in a goal conceded (Image: Wyscout)

A sequence of head tennis resulting in a goal conceded (Image: Wyscout) A sequence of head tennis resulting in a goal conceded (Image: Wyscout) A sequence of head tennis resulting in a goal conceded (Image: Wyscout) A sequence of head tennis resulting in a goal conceded (Image: Wyscout)

Still believes his side could have cut out several of the goals they conceded simply by being more alert or physically stronger in the penalty area.

However, 10 of the goals conceded were from ground counter attacks and are a consequence of his ideas to play forward quickly with numbers.

The opposition would regularly find themselves able play into space behind the defence, where they would have a one-on-one or better.

Lens were knocked out of Europe by a counter-attack (Image: Wyscout)

Some of these came when Lens were chasing, but they were knocked out of Europe by a counter attack when the game was 2-2 in the 85th minute.

There is always give and take, and good with bad, and a consequence of aggressive, attacking football is the space you subsequently leave. 

But if Saints can avoid the penalties and general bad-level box defending, Still's numbers against the ball could be even more favourable.