This Wednesday, Nicolas Douchez and the Stade Rennais will be travelling to Marseille, a leader at the top of its form. Deficient since a few weeks, the Bretons hope to snatch the Ligue 1 lead back from the OM. But do they simply have the ability to do it?
The Stade Rennais spent October on top of the Ligue 1. Since, the team is suffering. Rennes only managed 5 points out of the last four games (two defeats, a draw, one victory), and even sunk on Saturday in Lorient. In the same lapse of time, the OM accumulated: All competitions included, the 2010 French Champion have one four times, the latest on Saturday, 4-0 against Montpellier, for one draw and a defeat.
However, by winning this game that was postponed on October 28th, at the Vélodrome, the Bretons could return at the top of the standings. This Wednesday, the opposition against Marseille will be what Antonetti calls a « major game », even though five key players are missing in his squad (Mangane, Marveaux, Tettey, Apam & Lemoine). But the leader position doesn’t mean much to him. The gap between teams in the league is too small, while both teams are not playing “in the same category”. “If we manage a good result over there, it will mean we have a competitive squad, as a good performance in Marseille is always difficult to achieve, he completes. But It wouldn’t guarantee us anything good at the term of the season.”
Nicolas Douchez are not seeing things the same way: to be playing for the first position is “a way to relativize the defeat in Lorient.” “We’re going there to win. (…) We have been heavily criticised for the way we play, for losing in Lorient… At the end of the day, we still have points. If we win this delayed game, we will be in the lead. It could be our way to say we are not that bad!”
«Collective failure », « the first really bad game since the season started ». To Nicolas Douchez, the defeat in Lorient should now be used: “We have to bounce on our setbacks. Lorient was a proper disappointment. Now we have to see what we did wrong and use it to our advantage.” “In Lorient we had twenty hard minutes. We don’t need to throw everything, the coach observes. We need to correct what went wrong and go back in the right direction.”
At the Vélodrome, the priority will be to try « and be efficient in front of the goal, this is what will help us win games”, Nicolas Douchez adds. For the Breton goalkeeper, the way Marseille play will advantage the Rouge et Noir. “In our three defeats, we played against teams defending deep and counter-attacking. Marseille is a team that goes forward, and this is more suitable to us.”
Another important question will be to find one or more leaders on the pitch. At the Vélodrome, the team won’t be allowed to be as lethargic as it was against Lorient. Without their captain, Kader Mangane, the squad will be without the man able to bring his partners back in the right frame of mind. Is there a Boss in this team? “I believe there are a few players able to play that role in the squad, but they need to be given some time, Nicolas Douchez replies. Yann (M’Vila) will certainly become a leader. I hope very soon. His character, his charisma, the fact that he plays with France, should all make him one of the team’s leader. A goalkeeper is also a leader. He speaks a lot, but because of his position, he can’t move all across the pitch during a game.”
Nicolas Auffray - Le Mensuel de Rennes
- Photo : www.rennes.lemensuel.com
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