Football: Nîmes Olympique, the first judgment

Le capitaine Formose Mendy, ici contre Orléans, s’est adressé à ses coéquipiers, ce mercredi. MIDI LIBRE – TOM SERRANO

National/2nd day. Crocodile coach Adil Hermach had asked followers not to judge his team on the first match. Beaten by Orléans (1-2), NO is hosting again, and we will be able to say much more after Châteauroux, Friday August 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Antonins.

“I will ask you not to draw any lessons from this 1st day. If we win, it will get heated and if we lose, they will destroy us, we know that.” This request was made by Adil Hermach before the opening match against Orléans. After the defeat (1-2), of course, the first criticisms flew on social networks, and we are not sure that the 2,208 spectators present at the Antonins last Friday (not bad in the current context of the club…) will return this evening.

The Crocos coach is right. It is not the time, nor the day, nor even the month, to question anything. Especially since this first setback is a deception: NO led for more than an hour before cracking twice in ten minutes (75th, 85th) without being dominated in the second half. “We will make a first assessment in a few matches”, Hermach gave us an appointment. Fear or hope will come later.

In April, the coach had lost his first match and won the following four

Besides, we only have to rewind a little to avoid jumping to conclusions. Appointed in April to lead a relegated Nîmes, Adil Hermach lost the first match he managed, at home already, 1-0 against Versailles. Everyone had then condemned the Crocodiles to N2. Four matches and four wins later, they remained in National…

We would obviously sign up for the same scenario. We would not, however, sign up for the one at the start of last season, when the Gardois always opened the scoring and were always caught up. Today's visitor, Châteauroux, for example, equalized in the 90th+11 at the Antonins (2-2, 5th day, September 8, 2023). Opening the score is good. Opening the counter is better. Especially when you have the chance to start with two receptions in a row.

Adil Hermach: “It's up to me to find the levers to do better”

Because not judging doesn't prevent us from questioning ourselves. Against Orléans, Nîmes should have defended better on corners and in their area, and should have shot better on goal, like the masterpiece of the ex-Croco Mbemba who gave Versailles victory against Le Mans, Monday (1-0).

“It's up to me to find the levers to do better”, the coach had already told us after the last preparation match, won 2-0 against Cannes (N2) after a drop in form in the second half. Who will have the best reaction capacity between two teams who lost at home straight away (1-0 for the promoted Boulogne-sur-Mer in Châteauroux) ? “We will have to raise our heads and go back to war together, says the new center forward Abdeldjelil. The key word is union, remaining solid and united to be rewarded according to our investment. Cohesion is the strength of this team. Everything was built like that here, so that we want to work together, suffer together and win together."

Waly Diouf : "We're not starting from scratch"

Especially since this summer, "We're not starting from scratch, we've kept a good framework, Diouf takes over.We have the basics, the automatisms, we are gaining time. We must launch the season more quickly than last year, when we started with a lot of zeros. We must quickly catch the right lead wagon and not fall behind".

Just so as not to remind everyone in each article that Nîmes' first success only came on the 7th day of the previous season. This Friday, if it is not the moment of the last judgment, it is perhaps that of the first judgment.

Behind the scenes of the Crocos and the teams

The line-ups: without Amara, with Mexico.The probable eleven: Simon – Sbaï, Diouf, Mendy (cap), Beneddine – Akkal, Picouleau – Camara, Bouaoune, Khalid – Abdeldjelil.

Replacements (to choose from): Cozzella (l.), Diallo, Iafrate, Labonne, Mexico, Marcel, El Hamri.

Absent: Amara, Doukansy (resumption), Osei (normally not qualified, but the club hopes this Friday), Dias (l.), Paviot, Delpech, Lemaangr, Laurens (choice of the coach).

Châteauroux. Ba – Collela, Agounon, Pires (cape), Magnora, Mbengue – Pierre, Duterte – Dembélé, Diallo, Tormin. Substitutes: Tostivint (l.), Umbdenstock, Michel, Chraibi, Mendy. Absents: Konaté, Clairicia, Cognard, N’Goma, Wandji.

Practice. Kick-off at 7:30 p.m. at the Antonins. Opening doors at 6:30 p.m.
Referee: Romain Perpinan. Tickets: only on the club website. Prices: 5 euro South stand, 10 euro and 12 euro East, 12 euro West, 22 euro ;euro; à 27 € family pack adult + one or two child(ren) under 16. Live on ffftv.fff.fr

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