Lacking inspiration, OGC Nice has clearly lost momentum over the past few games, especially in the absence of Ben Arfa. This was confirmed once again last night against Bastia at the Allianz Riviera, with a 0-2 defeat.
OGC Nice would have needed more offensive drive, more defensive solidity, and more cohesion in the midfield to bounce back last night. In fact, they needed more of everything. But Nice didn’t have much to offer, even though Bastia’s solidarity is also commendable. Puel’s men were unable to produce the sparkling play they showcased at the beginning of the season.
The absence of Ben Arfa weighed heavily throughout the game, and the Germain/Plea duo, despite being so complementary, never really got into the rhythm. This, even though Germain could have scored in the 2nd minute of play if it weren’t for an excellent Jean-Louis Leca in Bastia’s goal. A strong performance by Bastia’s goalkeeper continued throughout this Nice-Bastia match.
Not in their game, Nice completely fell into the Corsican trap in the second half. The disrupted play and excessive commitment led Paul Baysse to make a clumsy mistake with serious consequences in the 57th minute. The Nice defender was sent off while conceding a well-placed free kick. A free kick perfectly taken by Diallo, in line with Corsican realism in recent weeks.
Not recovering from this dismissal, Nice conceded a second goal 3 minutes later. A scramble in the box and Ayité sealed the fate for the Gym. While Nice has remained on the podium despite disappointing results for a little over a month, the eaglets will likely drop out of the Top 3 this time.
This is bad news as matches against Paris, Lyon, or Saint-Etienne are still to be played before the end of the season. If inconsistency continues at Nice, their Champions League bid will clearly have to wait. And even to secure a spot in Europe, they’ll certainly need much more accomplished performances in the upcoming weeks.
Photo credit and more information on www.ogcnice.com
