Defeated (3-1) on the Strasbourg pitch, OGC Nice delivered a performance marked by numerous errors, especially in the first half. After the match, players, coach, and management expressed their anger and concern over a worsening situation.
OGC Nice returns from Strasbourg with another defeat (3-1), this Saturday, April 4, as part of the 28th day, in an important match in the race for survival. The Racing Club of Strasbourg built its success right in the first half, taking advantage of Nice’s leniencies. Opposite, the Gym continued to chase the score and still shows no collective reaction.
Claude Puel’s tactical choices did not bear fruit. The coach opted for a back four with Clauss, Mendy, Bah, and Bard, leaving Dante on the bench at kickoff. The midfield consisted of Boudaoui and Sanson, with Louchet and Diop on the wings, while Jansson accompanied Wahi in attack.
The first minutes, however, hinted at a different outcome. OGC Nice created a clear situation as early as the 2nd minute, but Diop delayed too long to conclude. This missed opportunity marked a turning point. Behind, the team gradually became disorganized.
Defensive errors weighed heavily. Mendy found himself involved in the first two goals. On the opening goal, a lack of communication with Clauss left Godo free in the box (28’). A few minutes later, a failed clearance provided a direct opportunity for Strasbourg, concluded by Enciso (36’). In the meantime, the Niçois seemed overwhelmed in duels and pace.
On the right side, Clauss struggled against the opponent’s accelerations. The midfield failed to compensate. Boudaoui and Sanson ran without making an impact. Louchet remained discreet. Diop didn’t influence the game. Jansson, returning, didn’t provide a solution. Wahi found himself isolated.
Before halftime, Strasbourg drove it home. El-Mourabet scored a third goal with a half-volley at the edge of the box (42’). At that point, Nice was no longer responding.
Morgan Sanson: “it’s starting to piss us off”
At halftime already, Morgan Sanson made no secret of his anger. The captain spoke straightforwardly: “it’s starting to piss us off. We gift goals every time. It’s starting to be way too much to hope for something in every match. We make far too many collective and defensive errors to claim better. And we’re not decisive when we need to be. I feel like I’m saying the same things at halftime. It’s getting annoying.”
Claude Puel tried to react in the second half with several changes. Dante, Vanhoutte, and Cho came on. The content was slightly different, but the gap was already made.
After the match, captain Dante emphasized the need for a change in attitude: “How to explain it? First, it’s hard to explain things every weekend; that’s where it starts. Secondly, I think it shows what we need: in the first five minutes, we have two great chances in the box, but we can’t even shoot. There is a lack of demand, of concentration. At some point, everyone needs to have a big reconsideration. Of course, the team can run, be aggressive, and intense, but we need to maintain technical accuracy and have the desire to score. Fear of relegation or playoffs? We need to define fear well. We are aware of the danger, I speak for myself, but I believe the group too. We all need to roll up our sleeves and work, it must be uncompromising now, demand is in the past now, it must be uncompromising. Football can have fear, but it also requires courage, we are professional players. It’s a difficult situation to live in, a big challenge, but why give up? Do we only want to play in the good times? No, we have to take responsibility now. That’s where we might find the key in the coming weeks.”
Claude Puel delivered a similar assessment. The technician spoke of a lack of response after the first few minutes: “it’s a good summary. I would say we had 15-20 promising minutes, with good positioning, quality. We created situations where we have to be more ruthless to convert. We conceded the first goal, almost a lob, poorly handled. After that, we had no response, whether mental, tactical, or physical. This team moved us in duels, in its expression and especially in impact. These are things we must not accept. It will, of course, be important to lay things flat and properly prepare the last six games by showing a completely different aspect of our personality, with much more character in moments like this.”
The coach also insisted on collective responsibility: “we are all responsible, we are in the same dressing room. First and foremost, I must find the arguments for them to mobilize and express their qualities, not just technical, but especially their character and virtues to defend the club and please our supporters who came in large numbers. We are very disappointed for them; we owe them something else in our output.”
From the management’s side, the message is equally direct. Maurice Cohen pointed to a mindset problem: “no, we saw a catastrophic team. We saw a team that played for 10, 15 minutes in the first half. And then we saw a team lacking confidence that gave up. That’s not how we’re going to save ourselves. The players need to pull themselves together, display energy and a willingness to fight. Now, what we need is a knife fight. They need to realize it, and I believe some are not yet in that state of mind.”
The vice-president also expressed frustration about the supporters present: “yes, it annoys me. It bothers me more for our supporters than for anything else. They are 600, they come the day before. They might sleep here before returning by car or bus. To see such a performance. It’s scandalous. It’s not normal.”
