Through Aline Chatel
Published on
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The Stade Malherbe Caen will try to keep his clean sheet this Saturday, November 7, 2020 against Nancy. He still hasn’t conceded a goal at home this season. But in general, and although this has been observed so far away, Caen suffers when his typical defense does not start. Gold Jonathan Rivierez will serve a suspension match tonight (7:00 p.m.) …
Six goals in three games without the typical defense, only one in six games with her
We will gladly grant you that reducing an analysis to a handful of figures is somewhat hazardous, but those which follow are so telling that it is very difficult to ignore them. With what Pascal Dupraz describes as a “typical defense” (Anthony Weber and Jonathan Rivierez in the hinge, Yoël Armougom on the left, Steeve Yago or Hugo Vandermersch on the right), Caen took 11 points out of 18 possible and conceded a single goal in six matches. From the trip to Niort, Stade Malherbe had to deal with many absences: Anthony Weber, Steeve Yago, Yoël Armougom and even Rémy Riou, “since the goalkeeper is part of the defense”, according to the Caen coach, have their turn alternately missed the call. In three games, Caen went to get the ball six times in his net, pocketing only three points out of nine possible.
Sans Rivierez against Nancy
This Saturday, November 7, 2020, Caen will recover Yoël Armougom on the left but will have to do for the first time this season without his captain Jonathan Rivierez, expelled a week earlier. “That a defender is sometimes absent for suspension is part of the order of things,” said Pascal Dupraz. As against Guingamp when Anthony Weber was missing, it’s Prince Oniangué who should help out in central defense. Caen had also displayed a good defensive solidity against the Bretons, attesting that the composition of its defensive line was not everything …
“Very difficult to move around the typical defense”
The exception that confirms the rule ? Too few games have been played to confirm this. But when Pascal Dupraz evokes the weed control success at home (three wins, one draw, no conceded goal), he emphasizes that his team is “very difficult to move when it is articulated around its typical defense”. The three victories “by the smallest margin” (1-0) attest to this.
In the axis, no regrets
Failing to be able to align this chosen rearguard, the Caen coach made against bad luck. “That allows to give playing time to other players and to realize that they are not that far. To perform well in this season, we will have to rely on everyone. The solutions are however limited in the axis. Jason Ngouabi, number 3 in the hierarchy, still appears too tender. The replacement is therefore provided by a player for whom this is not the preferred position. What to give some regrets? “No,” says Pascal Dupraz. I do not go into these considerations. If the latitude had been present, then I think we would have responded to that… (he thinks) accuracy in this area of play. It’s too easy to lament, we’re not going to repeat history. “
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