Nîmes Olympique: it holds at the back, it gets stuck at the front

The 7th day of the national and the ranking

Positive attitude

The coach and the two central defenders repeated the same words: “It's a point taken away, we have to be happy with it. When you can't win a match, you have to know how not to lose it.” A positive attitude reinforced by the words of captain Formose Mendy: “The counter is running. A victory against Versailles, a draw in Villefranche, we're starting a small series."

Hermach : "A lack of offensive talent"

What Adil Hermach appreciated : "The players were actors." The crocodile coach had played the offensive by adopting a 4-4-2, the objective being to "verticalize the game from the recovery". It worked pretty well in the first half even if the control in the midfield and the significant possession did not lead to a plethora of situations, let alone opportunities.

Two big ones were listed and for Hermach, who refuted a lack of rhythm – "We tried to put some speed. We wanted races, there were some" –, that's already a lot : "You shouldn't dream ! Outside, if I have two opportunities like that each time, I'll take it!"

Les échos des Crocos

Cardboard boxes.Warned Friday in Villefranche, Bouaoune, who had already received a yellow card in front of Orléans, now finds himself under threat of a third card synonymous with an automatic suspension. Three other Crocos are in the same situation: Beneddine, Akkal and Marcel.

Suspension. Formose Mendy will be suspended next Friday for the reception of Sochaux. The Croco captain is the only player to have played the entire of the first seven matches. Four of his teammates also took part in all the matches, without playing the full 90 minutes: Marcel, Beneddine, Akkal and Abdeljelil.

Draws.Nîmes and Villefranche have faced each other three times in recent months. There has never been a winner since last season, two draws (both times 1-1) had ended the debates.

Now it remains to put them in the bottom. “We must learn to unblock situations on set pieces or long-range shots” notes the crocodile technician who, in addition to haste and not enough application, concedes “a lack of offensive talent”, and who wonders : “How to score ? I don't know what we're going to have to do, keep working, that's for sure…”

Better feel the blows, put more application and determination

“We didn't necessarily do the extra thing to pocket the three points”, points out Formose Mendy, who would have liked “more application in the penultimate pass or the last” and “more determination”, who would have liked to see his partners “feel the shots better”. Dagui Paviot, for his part, believes that there should have been “more movement and cutting edge".

Fourteenth attack of the National tied with Dijon (5 goals), Nîmes Olympique has already remained silent three times since the start of the Championship. It is stuck up front but, fortunately, it holds up behind. Simon Ngapandouetnbu, who asserts himself in the crocodile cages, and not only in the air, has three clean sheets.

A well-managed weak time

During "the twenty-five-minute gap" of the second period, the Nîmes team "managed (the situation) rather well and Simon didn't have to make many saves", Hermach is pleased.

"There were moments of slight hesitation, we retreated instead to move forward but as everyone was giving their all, I was calm, really not worried, assures Paviot. I was just afraid of conceding a stupid goal."

"We didn't give up during the strong period in Villefranche, adds Mendy. We knew that if we didn't score, we would have to keep our heads down, which we did well. We are finding our defensive solidity again, that bodes well. We have to work so that it follows offensively." Condition sine qua non to be able to display a little more ambition.

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