Doubles for four former Rennes striker, Landry Chauvin on the Ligue 2 podium, Damien Le Tallec on his way back, thirteenth goal for Sébastien Le Toux with sights on a MVP title, Frédéric Piquionne on top form… Overview of a very prolific week for the former Rennes players.
"I knew luck would turn and I would start being efficient again”. The words are from Jimmy Briand, who had failed to find the net since he joined the Olympique Lyonnais. After his transfer for six million euros this summer, the Lyon fans started losing their patience regarding the French international’s performances, who only gave two assists so far.
Briand muted the critics last Saturday in Nancy (2-3), when he offered three really precious points to the seven-time French champion, showing a lot of opportunism on his two goals, and inspiration when he set-up Lisandro Lopez’ for his team’s first goal. For Nancy, Julien Féret had given his team the equaliser with his second goal of the season. In vain.
Briand’s realism certainly gave Moussa Sow ideas, as he knew the same success against Montpellier (3-1). In his “best match” since he joined Lille, the Senegal international scored his first ever brace in Ligue 1.
With Rennes, he had known this success in two occasions, twice in Coupe de France against amateur teams: Corte (2-3, 2005-2006 season), Saumur (0-4, 2009-2010 season).
Finally, Laurent Battles distinguished himself during this eight game week’s highlight, allowing Saint-Étienne to snatch a point against the defending champion, Olympique Marseille (1-1). Already two goals for the player who stayed in Rennes for a year (January 2002-January 2003), and was instrumental in the “Rouge et Noir”’s salvation in Ligue 1 that year.
Two weeks ago, Landry Chauvin celebrated his hundredth game as Sedan’s manager with much emotion. A particular time for the former Rennes Reserve coach, winner of the 2003 Gambardella Cup with players such as Briand, Gourcuff or N’Guéma: “I know what this number means, especially after the beginnings in the two previous seaons (i.e.: ninth in 2008-2009, twelvth in 2009-2010) and some difficult times”.
Let aside his previous results, Pierre Dréossi’s former assistant could play a more important role this season. Currently in the top 3, Sedan are displaying attractive, attacking football, as their performance against Istres (5-1) last Saturday shows, and are the best attack in the league at the moment with 20 goals. Chauvin in Ligue 1, why not?
After an exile in Greece, at PAOK Salonika, Olivier Sorlin has been playing with Evian-Thonon Gaillard since a few weeks, a club that went back to normality after an amazing beginning of the season.
This week-end, the former U21 international scored his team’s first goal, in a draw on the road at Clermont-Foot (3-3). Sorlin had not scored on French soil since 5 years and his short spell at Monaco: Monaco - Le Mans (2-0, 2005-2006 season).
Christophe Meslin, a.k.a “Poussin” shone again by scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season. It wasn’t enough however, as Pacy-sur-Eure, where Jimmy Nirlo also plays, lost at home (2-4). Since the beginning of the season, the former Rennes striker (1998-2000), who never made it in the professional squad, scored more than 60% of his team’s goals: five out of eight.
Currently in the relegation zone with Gueugnon, Tony Vairelles is up for another difficult year. Goalscorer against Guingamp (1-2) the player who is also involved in the team’s management, three goals since August, is working hard since he arrived in Saône-et-Loire to seek possible sponsorts. Close to relegation last year, Vairelles keeps on investing his own money to help Gueugnon’s survival. Until when?
Side-lined since he underwent shoulder surgery in May, Damien Le Tallec could be coming back to the playing fields soon. Indeed, the Borussia Dortmund striker returned, fifteen days ago, to a daily footballer’s life.
Gone from Rennes in June 2009, Anthony and Christophe’s younger brother – a 2007 French Reserves Champion – should soon be available to Jürgen Klopp’s choice, even though patience seems to be the key word: “I came back to full training two weeks ago. I hope to join the professional squad after the international break”, he declared to sports newspaper L’Equipe during the week.
Opposed to Manchester United (0-0), Asamoah Gyan started on the bench on Saturday afternoon, with Sunderland. Against the big teams, Steve Bruce always prefers to play with only one striker, Darren Bent. Entered ten minutes before the end of the game, the Ghanaian international only just had time to bring some activity in the “Black Cats”’ attack. At the end of the game, his bicycle kick was inches away from unlocking the situation, but Van der Sar was vigilant. John Mensah played the whole game.
The good form continues for Frédéric Piquionne, who celebrated his third goal in as many games with Fulham (1-1) with a superb header. A pleasant personal situation for the player: “At my age, I don’t want to ask myself questions anymore. I just want to have fun. Right now, I’m playing and it’s going well. Let’s hope it continues”, even though West Ham is currently last in the Premier League with seven points.
Here comes John Utaka ! It more and more looks like a real waste of talent to see the “Super Eagle" play in the English second division. Last week, Utaka scored his first goal of the season against Bristol (3-1). But Portsmouth’s future looks more and more precarious, with Pompey now down in 21st position in the league!
Transferred even he was the best Rennes goal scorer so far in the season, Ismaël Bangoura is gradually finding his marks in the United Arab Emirates. Three goals in two games with Al Nasr, including a brace against Al Shabab (3-0). He impressed all spectators at Al-Maktoum stadium, Dubai, by eliminating three defenders before striking a pure, victorious shot.
_ However, Michel Dussuyer, the Guinea national coach, did not select him to join the national team for this international break, for a 4 days training camp in Ivory Coast (October 4th to 8th) before the game against Nigeria, in Abuja.
And it’s thirteen for Sébastien Le Toux,who profited of the game against the Houston Dynamos to improve his goal statistics (not forgetting his ten assists this season). Trained as a defender, reconverted as a striker, his team, Philadelphia Union is already out of the race for the play-offs, but the players is setting his sights on the MVP award (Most Valuable Player of the season): “I rate the club and the people who work here very highly, and it would be awesome to win this award for them. There are many candidates, but as long as I play as well as I do now, I have a chance to bring the trophy here”.
The American media reckon the former Rennais is clearly in with a chance.
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