The Breton destroyers take on Nice

The first half of the game against Udinese made it crystal clear: the Rouge et Noir need them. Without Jirès Kembo, Jonathan Pitroipa and Julien Féret, the team didn’t seem able to find a way round the Italian defence. In Ligue 1, the Stade Rennais has the second attack with 27 goals, including 14 by these three players.

Behind the striker, these technical dribbling footballers harass the defence and force them to make errors. A force the Rennes team didn’t have last season. Frédéric Antonetti looks at the situation before travelling to Nice, 19th in Ligue 1: “We have guys able to be very fast on the counter and some who can make a difference against reinforce defences, this is what makes our team strong this year”. He is convinced he has “more weapons than last year".

A close look at four creative players

Jonathan Pitroipa, 25 games, 6 goals, 3 assists. The Burkinabé took part in all games, mostly on the left wing. Since the game in Lyon, the player who enjoys a lot of freedom on the pitch has found his legs again. And his love of dribbling too. “The most important is to make a difference and bring a challenge”, he affirmed this Thursday. Frédéric Antonetti reckons « he is able to do things few players can do. As the rest of the team, he needs to realise he can go very far.” Room for improvement “I should finish my dribbles with a goal or a chance on goal”. “He needs to create and score more goals”, his manager confirms.

Jirès Kembo, 17 games, 7 goals, no assist. This season, he is no longer moving between a striker and a winger position as last year. This seems to have freed him, especially since he has been spared by injuries. “Even though I can scored, I don’t see myself as a striker”, the club’s current best goal scorer in Ligue 1 admits. With Kembo and Pitroipa, the Stade Rennais can now unsettle the opposition’s defence both on the right and on the left wing. However, at 23, he still needs to be able to play a full season.

Julien Féret, 22 goals, 7 goals, 3 assists. Questioned about Jonathan Pitroipa and Julien Féret on Thursday, Frédéric Antonetti replied: “In the constitution of the team, they did a lot of good”. When in good form, the man from Saint-Brieuc is unstoppable. Positioned as a playmaker, he also brings the danger himself in front of the opposition’s goal. Beyond his superb slalom against Evian, resulting in a goal, he also has a great ability to pass the ball wide and vertically in small spaces.

Yacine Brahimi, 7 games, no goal, no assist. Suffering with an ankle injury, the youngest man in the attacking line (21 y/o) is yet to reach his full potential this season. With Rennes needing two players able to accelerate on the wings or cut across, he will play as a replacement for Jirès Kembo or Jonathan Pitroipa. Since he can also feature as a playmaker, he may have a key role to play this season. “Yacine needs playing time and weeks of training to return to his best, Frédéric Antonetti judges. I know he will bring us a lot from now on."

The alternatives

Injured against Udinese, Razak Boukari will not be travelling to Nice. The Togolese can play on the right wing, where his crossing and his ability to escape the marking can be precious. A position where Victor Hugo Montaño can also play if Youssouf Hadji plays at centre. On the wing, his speed and power are very useful in counter-attacks. Stéphane Dalmat, lacking pace at the moment, has already given four assists. Even though he is not the type of players to slalom in the middle of a defence, he has a great passing ability and has already played on the left wing in training. Arrived this summer, Abdoulaye Sané and Cheik Fantamady Diarra haven’t played with the pros yet, but at 19, they have already been included on match sheets. The first can play on a wing or as a centre forward, the second is mainly a winger.

Nicolas Auffray - Le Mensuel de Rennes

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