In Grenoble, where they were eliminated from the Coupe de France on Saturday (1-0), the Crocos were harmless in attack.
It’s obvious: without scoring goals, Nîmes Olympique won’t win a game. In Grenoble, on Saturday, in the 32nd Coupe de France final, the Crocos, dominated by the opponent’s quick transition play, fell silent for the sixth time this season.
Only two shots attempted, none on goal
To score, another Lapalissade, you have to hit and, at the Stade des Alpes, the balance was made quickly in this area: two shots attempted (Saïd and a badly placed Koné, at the end of the first period), no goal … “I’ve touched very few balls, I’ve hardly been asked”was able to congratulate Isérois goalkeeper Esteban Salles.
In three competitive games, Frédéric Bompard’s team has yet to score in the match, the only goal they managed was from a penalty (Tchokounté ahead of Guingamp, 1-2).
Better in control…
In Grenoble, however, on good ground and despite a significantly changed starting line-up, the football ideas of Nicolas Usaï’s successor were able to be realized. The Crocos had the ball (57% possession), which was not the case against Guingamp (45%) and Annecy (41%), and made 596 passes, the second highest total of the season (640 made at Quevilly, 65 % possession, 3-1 defeat).
“We’ve had more mastery time than usual, which is encouragingappreciated Yacine Benrahou, who just completed two full games. In my position, on the pitch, I enjoyed myself.” “We were able to demonstrate that we have collective qualitiescontinues Maël Durand de Gevigney, we had good exits with the ball, that’s positive.”
…but a barren possession
Encouraging and positive for the future, maybe. But desperately barren at the time, which Frédéric Bompard did not fail to deplore. He if he appreciated the progress in “the short and combined game on the sides”the Nîmes coach regretted the lack of variety, precision and percussion in his team’s game. “When you put the ball on the sides, when you manage to combine, there must be crosses, people in the box, you have to make chances…”
Work and…recruit
“We missed the last step, the last call”Pointe Durand de Gevigney. “Sometimes we should have changed paceBenrahou adds, be sharper in the last meters, be able to combine to finish the actions.” And for both to bring out the traditional couplet: “We will continue to work.”
evocative “targeted needs” (a winger, a midfielder, certainly also a striker), Frédéric Bompard, not surprisingly, has taken up a well-known refrain at this point in the season: “We have to recruit.” And he clarified this desire using a formula that has become a classic of the genre: “I want to strengthen myself, not recruit to recruit, otherwise it’s not worth it. You have to act quickly and do nothing.” And without forgetting it “the nerve of war is money”.
Conclusion: at all levels, Nîmes Olympique is still a long way from the goal…
