The Aube executioners of the weekend have twisted the knife further into an already well-opened wound. Despite a visible determination in the first half, the “eaglets,” reduced to 10 after 20 minutes of play following Fanni’s expulsion, ultimately had to surrender in Troyes with another defeat by a score of 2-0.
After Le Mans, Toulouse, and Lyon, Troyes once again knocked Frédéric Antonetti’s men off a pedestal that President Maurice Cohen had already shaken in recent days by calling out certain players who, according to him, were not giving their best on the field and sometimes even showed a certain complacency. The lack of aggressiveness and combativeness drove Maurice Cohen to desire that his protégés “give their all,” emphasizing that a collective realization is necessary.
On the coaching side, Frédéric Antonetti aims to be more reassuring after this new setback: “It’s the law of series, and series, you never know when they’re going to end. I’m not worried, we will finish mid-table! (source France Football)” That’s what we wish for the islander coach who noted some positive points in the match against Troyes and who must already think about the team’s composition for the League Cup with a probable return of Damien Grégorini in the Nice goalposts.
This new defeat in a match between low-ranking teams will not bring serenity to a Nice team that will have to arm itself with determination to challenge AS Nancy next Wednesday in a League Cup round of 16, which will remind players and supporters of recent memories… memories, memories.
Afterwards, it will be a return to their nest at Ray for Cédric Varrault’s teammates who will host a Valenciennes team coming off their second victory of the season against Nantes, bringing their points tally to 8 before facing Monaco in the League Cup. Certainly, one mustn’t stumble against Valenciennes because the next step in Lille could already prove to be crucial.
The years go by but are not the same at the Gym, and the coming days will undoubtedly be complicated to manage for the staff and all the players of the red and black house because a crisis is only worth dealing with if everyone takes it head-on, and there is no doubt that the decisions made by each party will be aimed at getting the club out of this rough patch as quickly as possible before it irreversibly becomes a dead end.
