A beautiful anniversary

Ligue 1, Stade rennais 2 - 0 Lorient. By winning against Lorient for the first derby of the season, Stade Rennais offered a beautiful anniversary present to the Roazhon Celtic Kop, which was celebrating its twenty years of existence.

- Féret, consultant for France Bleu :
Just like Romain Danzé, invited by TV Rennes to comment the Tennis Open of Rennes this week, Julien Féret was on the microphone last sunday. Suspended for this game, the costarmorican was invited by France Bleu Armorique to offer his look on the game alongside Cédric Guillou and Jean-Marc Mézenge.

- Rennes abandon its throne :
The best attack of Ligue 1 after its demonstration in Sochaux (6-2), Stade Rennais had to quit its throne last sunday despite the victory over Lorient (2-0). Montpellier, with five goals scored in Dijon, takes back the attacking leadership they had already owned this season with twenty-two goals.
Stade Rennais now follows two goals behind Montpellier, Paris Saint-Germain is in third place (19 goals). Rennes has got an average of two goals by game in the championship since the beginning of the season.

- Coutadeur in mourning :
Forced to pick Coutadeur in the first XI because of the absence of Alaixys Romao (suspended), Christian Gourcuff would certainly have preferred to spare his midfielder. The player indeed had the sadness to lose his father-in-law a few hours before the game, and was naturally very hurt. Interviewed on Canal + during half-time, the player could difficultly hold his tears.

- Kembo succeeds to Leroy :
In the recent years, and generally since the departure of Oliver Monterrubio, it is pretty unusual to see Stade Rennais score on a direct free-kick. In Ligue 1, since the arrival of Frédéric Antonetti, it had happened only once : On August 8th 2009 during the manager’s first game with the “Rouge et Noir”, Jérôme Leroy scored the third goal of a big rennes victory against Boulogne-sur-Mer (3-0) in that way. This season, Julien Féret managed to score with a direct free kick too, but it was against Rustavi in Europa League.
With a brilliant game, one of his best since the beginning of his career, Jirès Kembo had also “earned” his first penalty of the season. The French-congolese forward has scored his tenth goal of his career in Ligue 1, the fourth this season. With this total, he is the best Rennes goal-scorer in the league, tied with Victor Hugo Montano.

- Rennes kept the result :
After successive setbacks in Udine, against Nancy,Saint-Etienne and Atlético Madrid, Stade Rennas has finally managed to hold back - and during the entire game - its opponent of the day. It is only the second time since the beginning of the season in Ligue 1 that Benoît Costil keeps a clean sheet, after the victory in Marseille (1-0).
The strong defensive display might be connected with the return from injury of Kader Mangane, who played the entire game. An impermeability which probably satisfies Frédéric Antonetti.

- Mangane under the threat :
Back to competitive football, Kader Mangane received a yellow card from Mr. Fautrel. Already warned in Marseille, the Rennes captain is now under the threat of a suspension for the next booking, a threat which will last four games.
In addition to the Senegalese defender, two players are also under the threat of a possible suspension : Youssouf Hadji (for two more games), who was booked twice with Nancy, and Alexander Tettey (for another six games).

- An evening of joy for RCK :
With an indisputable victory in a derby, the Roazhon Celtic Kop has received a beautiful present for its twenty years of activity. The supporters asssociation has - as usual - carried the atmosphere in the stadium, despite an half-empty stadium (18 000 spectators). The huge tifo deployed during the beginning of the game (see picture) had a very fine figure.
From the pitch, there were many tributes to the RCK. Frédéric Antonetti, who had received a scarf from the group, didn’t forget to wear it during the game. As for the players, they came to show a banner at the end of the game, simply wishing a “happy birthday” to their fans.

- Pitroipa, the sixth shooter :
ALthgough they lost the bad habit of conceding penalties, Rennes players are still as able to win them. Against Lorient, Stade Rennais earned its sixth penalty in all competitions. As usual it’s yet another different player who tried his luck, since for this sixth attempt it’s a sixth different shooter who has showed up (Boukari, Féret, Montaño, Hadji and now Pitroipa last sunday).
In this exercice, and despite two failures at the beginning of the season, Stade Rennais stays on a positive note since the last fourth penalties were scored. As for Pitroipa, he has scored his fifth goals of the season this Sunday. The last one was against Belgrade in Europa League.

- Back to normal :
Last season, Lorient managed to break the curse against Stade Rennais. During the home game, Christian Gourcuff had the satisfaction to beat for the first time in this career the “Rouge et Noir”, and in the away game, the “Merlus” had their very first victory in the league at the stade de la route de lorient.
For this first derby of the 2011-2012 season, and as in the friendly game of last summer, Stade Rennais has returned to its goods habits with FC Lorient. A victory which resembled to the five other at the Stade de la route de lorient since their last promotion in Ligue 1, and which allows Rennes to overtake Lorient in the league table to gain fifth position. To be confirmed with a victory at the Moustoir during the return leg.

- The pressing pays :
On a tactical plan, Frédéric Antonetti dominated Christian Gourcuff. The permanentn pressing exerced by Tongo Doumbia and Vincent Pajot has totally disorganised Lorient’s game, and the South-Bretons were unable to play their game. A success which satisfies the Rennes manager : “We played a very high level game with the pressing, we stopped them. [...] I composed a very dense midfield, everybody did a good job and we deserved our victory the Corsican manager rejoiced after the game.
In Lorient, Gourcuff admitted the impotence of his players :”There is one regret that I can’t have, it’s the one to have lost, explains the former Rennes manager, It was impossible not to lose, there was such a difference of level. We have been constantly stunned with the pressing they imposed, even if we had a few opportunities. We were so slow bringing up the ball".

- Source interviews : ouest-france.fr
- Photo : @Clecle_Rennais