Lemoine out for six months ?

Without dramatising the situation, the Stade Rennais’ victory in Nancy (0-3) had a bitter taste. All in Antonetti’s squad would certainly have loved to fully profit of their convincing success, but Fabien Lemoine’s injury after 15 minutes in the game changed the general feeling.

How did it happen ?

As Rennes plays with eleven against ten since two minutes, Lemoine and Lemaitre challenge a ball in the air. Nancy’s left back’s knee comes hitting Lemoine’s chest. Usually a tough player, Lemoine tries to stand up, but the pain is too hard and he has to give up, replaced by Kembo Ekoko.

The medical team is forced to stabilise the player, gone out of the pitch on the stretcher, before driving him to Nancy’s hospital. The first diagnosis is alarming, announcing Lemoine could undergo surgery on the same night for a punctured kidney. Following this announcement, the Rennes supporters even fear for Lemoine’s career. However, Pierre Dréossi was soon able to give reassuring news about the player on RMC, stating the kidney wasn’t perfored, and an emergency surgery was not necessary.

“Truly sorry” of causing Lemoine’s injury – kidney fracture – as he explained on Sunday morning, Lemaitre went to visit the Rennes midfielder at the hospital, where the two men could exchange a few words: “His family was there, he was tired by the morphine but we managed to talk a bit (…) He told me he doesn’t hold a grudge against me, he knows I did not want to do that” he explains. Still according to the Nancy defender, Lemoine told him he could miss the next six months. He should be transferred back to Rennes today or tomorrow.

A prejudicial absence

Back to the pitch, and it has to be said, that Lemoine’s injury could be a serious handicap to Rennes’ midfield over the next few weeks. Often criticised for his limited influence in the attacking zones, the Breton midfielder has shown how important he is in Rennes’ tactics since he became a member of the first squad.

A key element of Guy Lacombe’s strategy, Lemoine became an unmovable member of the squad since his beginning in the top flight. Immediately, his activity, his constant pressing on the ball carrier, his ability to close the angles and stop the attacks were the mark of fabric of a player that would beat all the competition imposed by his management.

Bruno Cheyrou, Etienne Didot, Junichi Inamoto, Alexander Tettey were all victims of Lemoine’s break through. Last year, Antonetti left him out of the squad for two games after a heavy defeat at home to Valenciennes (0-3), after the “Spaniard” had realised a good beginning of the season. Faced to the lack of balance of his team, the manager decided to bring him back to the team three weeks later against Lyon (1-1).

Forced to deal with Lemoine’s long term unavailability, Antonetti has a got a few alternative options to choose from with Doumbia – finally not loaned to Arles-Avignon-, Leroy and Mandjeck. He could also decide to use Brahimi in a more central position. Often put in partnership with Dalmat during the pre-season, the Breton gave a real balance to the team.

Leroy is maybe the most likely solution, after the playmaker’s amazing beginning of the season, portending a very attracting midfield setup: M’Vila, Leroy, Dalmat. No later than this Saturday, Antonetti will have to decide on a new system. No doubt he could have done without this incident and Lemoine’s resulting absence.

Also Read :
- Fabien Lemoine’s profile and stats