“There are a few players from Puy who would not be out of place with us, from what I have seen technically,” declared Jean-Louis Gasset, MHSC coach. If the emblematic technician did not wish to elaborate further at first, he then mentioned “number 10”. Without quoting him, Gasset therefore wanted to pay tribute to Nicolas Pays. “It looked like the pitch was not bumpy for him,” remarked the Montpellier coach.
It’s true that he knows rural areas! A little over a year and a half ago, Vellave was still playing in Blavozy in Regional 1. Having seen great potential, Le Puy Foot grabbed hold of it last season. In competition with boys who are now playing in National, he was able to find a place within Stéphane Dief's squad.
Staying to confirm, Nicolas Pays was quick to prove himself decisive again. While he was lined up as a winger until then, he discovered a new role, that of playmaker behind the two attackers, during the change of system (3-4-1-2) in September.
“We knew he could make a mess of their line spacing”
He who likes to hold the ball, dribble, create gaps, immediately showed himself at ease. In recent weeks, we have nevertheless noticed a slight drop in performance. His coach even decided to put him on the bench, during the last day of the championship, against Fréjus Saint-Raphaël. “And he didn’t make a magical entrance,” notes Stéphane Dief.
However, a week later, the technician decided to line him up against the MHSC. No doubt because he knows that a great player must show himself in big matches. But above all because his profile made it possible to put the Montpellier rearguard in difficulty. “He had a real match and we used him for that,” said his coach. We knew he could make a mess of their space by having the ability to turn around. »
For the magic to work, the former Carrier had to refine his game and avoid giving too much ammunition to Ligue 1 players, who can be intractable on recovery balls. He also gave satisfaction on this aspect of the game. “We insisted on its simplicity, so that it releases the balls,” confirms Stéphane Dief. By entering the duels constantly, it would not have happened all the time and he was good in the alternation. »
Involved in three of the four goals
Nicolas Pays was not only content to dictate the tone of the match, by delaying and dynamiting, depending on the sequences. The icing on the cake was that he was decisive. It was he who hit the free kick which led to Maël Zogba's opening goal, just before the break. He then made the break, a quarter of an hour from time, with a shot from the left, at the edge of the area, which left Bertaud unmoved. “I see Marvin (Adelaïde) starting on the right and I move into the middle, because I know that the defenders will follow the other attackers, then I finish well from the left,” said the second scorer of the match.
Not satisfied, Nicolas Pays was very close to scoring a double in the 90th minute. His shot, repelled by Bertaud, finally benefited Mayela who scored the fourth and final goal.
If Vellave gains in consistency and repeats performances at this level, its rise is not quite over.
Lucas JACQUET
