“Vladimir Stojkovic was very good. Like Lloris, he could do nothing about Ederson’s free kick. Jรฉrรฉmy Toulalan has moved to Lyon, but it seems that FC Nantes will always have midfielders of great talent. Emerse Faรฉ and Alioum Saรฏdou proved their worth. They are strong defensively and impose their physical presence. Offensively, they know how to bring their techniques. This was evident in the second half where they were less timid. Nourdin Boukhari, the former Ajax player, started the match energetically. All the balls went through him, but he faded unlike Christian Wilhelmsson and Aurรฉlien Capoue who ramped up to finish very strong. Nice dominates territorially but is very little dangerous due to lack of penetration and inaccurate passing. The desire is there, and even though Matt Moussilou is the only new eagle in the starting eleven, it feels like some automatisms are missing.”
This analysis dates back to August 13. Nice was hosting Nantes at Le Ray for the second matchday of the L1 championship. The match was not of a high level. This could be attributed to a lack of automatisms. Matt Moussilou, the recruit from Nice, was clumsy but not worrying.
In the opposing camp, a confessed fault forgiven, I found the recruits convincing and was not particularly worried for the two teams. Sometimes, it’s better to remain silent and not think that just because one is a journalist, one is necessarily right. Mea culpa. Five months later, Nantes and Nice face each other. OGC Nice is 19th, two points behind the current 17th, FC Nantes Atlantique. The coach on the Nantes side has changed. Georges Eo has taken over from Serge le Dizet.
The match on Saturday will be important. After the break, it will decide which of the Canaries and the Eagles has treated their issues better and who can emerge from the crisis. Frรฉdรฉric Antonetti made a strong point after the last match of 2006, a home defeat against Lens. He hopes to see warriors on the field. The Eagles fought well in Crรฉteil in the 1/32 finals of the French Cup to snatch a 2-1 victory after extra time. The squad has strengthened offensively, an area that was lacking, exemplified by Matt Moussilou’s ongoing silence, with the arrival of Lilian Laslandes.
The Canaries also negotiated the French Cup well by eliminating Guingamp thanks to a 90th-minute goal by Nicolas Savinaud. The highlight of this match was Fabien Barthez, who came out of retirement to help Georges Eo’s formation. In the week, Luigi Pieroni, the Belgian striker from AJ Auxerre, arrived at La Joneliรจre.
