Nîmes Olympique: small series must become big

Mbemba et l’attaque nîmoise, qui n’ont pas trouvé la faille au Mans (0-0), devront bien plus percuter et se montrer bien plus appliqués et précis offensivement pour battre Avranches. MAXPPP – YVON LOUE

The Crocos have stopped the bleeding for two days but, in their situation, they need to continue again and again to get out of it. Against Avranches, Friday February 9 at Antonins (7:30 p.m.), on behalf of the 20th day of National, victory is imperative.

A victory in front of Rouen (2-0) and a draw at Le Mans (0-0). After six defeats in a row, Nîmes Olympique has raised the bar. "It’s a very small series but it has the merit of being there", appreciates Frédéric Bompard, which does not need to be relaunched to continue with it -same: "This series absolutely must continue. We have no choice but to beat Avranches. We need to keep going, take points, win matches."

Bompard: "The team is on the right track"

The croc trainer knows the urgency of the situation – Nîmes is still relegated – but he wants to be confident: "The team is on the right track. It's no longer the same as in recent months, she has evolved, her way of playing too. The performance at Le Mans, even if we didn't win, gives me confidence."

#football Comme tous les mercredis, travail devant le but pour les joueurs de @nimesolympique. Sané manque à l’appel ainsi que Guessoum (cheville) et Sy. Labonne et Ngakoutou travaillent en solo. Doukansy en phase de reprise. pic.twitter.com/1t3EjBvn5S

— Midi Libre Sports (@MidiLibreSports) February 8, 2024

In Sarthe, the Crocos displayed a newfound defensive solidity, achieving a second clean sheet in a row, they who remained on seventeen goals conceded in six outings… "Defensively, we gave a lot (like the attackers, Editor's note). We had put an organization in place and we stuck to it, recalls Bompard. It requires a lot of racing, a lot of effort, a lot of athletic involvement. It’s normal, maintenance requires this. For us, every match is a fight and it will remain so until the end of the season."

Avranches, worst defense in the Championship and one of the worst away records

On their way, this evening, the Crocos will find the Manchois who remain on two collective bankruptcies, two 4-1 defeats against Marignane-Gignac and Dijon. "We are showing extreme fragility and we are taking on water in great depths", worries Manche coach Damien Ott. With 32 goals conceded, his team's defense is the worst in the Championship.
Another more than unfavorable result: Avranches travels very poorly and has only brought back 5 points from its ten trips (1 victory, 2 draws, 7 defeats, 9 goals scored, 24 conceded); only the red lantern Cholet does worse.
"These are telling stats but matches, when you win them, you have to go get them, tempers Frédéric Bompard. For us, each opponent is complicated to play, no match is easy."

Guessoum terminated his contract, Sané is out

Guessoum. The last pure Gardois in the squad, central defender Kelyan Guessoum, 25, terminated his contract which ran until June 2025 to join the Bulgarian Division 1. He signed his first professional contract in May 2019. In all competitions, he played 99 matches in the crocodile jersey.

Sané. Rookie of the winter transfer window, Abdoulaye Sané is qualified but his debut is postponed because he is injured. The Senegalese striker had an MRI on Wednesday which revealed a grade 1 injury to his hamstrings. He is forfeited for Avranches and, already, for Châteauroux.

Group. Bompard has called up 18 players (2 will not be on the match sheet) including goalkeeper Cozzella. Wade, Sy, Sacko and Ondoa were not selected. Dias, Labonne, Sané and Ngakoutou are injured. Absent since the start of the year, Doukansy makes his return.

Probable team. Nîmes should start with the following eleven: Paradowski – Sbaï, Diouf, Mendy (cap.), Diallo – Burner, Mexico, Picouleau, Mbemba – Mbina (or Doucouré), Camara. Substitutes (to choose): Cozzella (l.), Paviot, Doukansy, Delpech, Thoumin, Laurens, Doucouré or Mbina.

In attack, the Crocs must progress

The crocodile coach, who did not escape the fact that Avranches had with Kerouedan the top scorer in the National (11 goals) since Lepaul moved to Ligue 2 at Angers, knows that his team also has its flaws. With 17 goals scored, Nîmes has the second worst attack in the Championship. "We are capable of doing better in this sector. In the penultimate gesture, the penultimate pass, we perhaps need a little more concentration and application, he concludes. Sine qua non condition for small series to become larger.

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