Football: At FC Sion, the time for change may have come

We cannot talk about the Saint-Gall – Sion of this first Saturday evening (8:30 p.m.) in November without referring to what happened six days earlier at Tourbillon between these same two teams. Expressed differently, the Kybunpark meeting would be approached quite differently if it had not been for what no one has forgotten. Namely this stormy end marked by four red cards distributed by Nico Gianforte to respectively MM. Fayulu, Geubbels, sports director Constantin and Bertrand, Tholot’s assistant, all suspended or banned from the bench for the last two.

That’s a lot of latent frustration and hidden anger, ready to erupt during reunions that one can imagine boiling over.

But it would be wrong and above all dangerously reductive to see in this explanation only a war of buttons in a school playground. Both the sporting situation of FC Sion, by dint of failing, is becoming truly worrying, which is proven both by the figures (no victory since August 10, negative series of 8 matches/4 points, etc.) and the poverty of the content.

Because deprived last Sunday of a success which would certainly have returned to him without the masterful and late masterpiece of Yannick (84th, 2-2), the newly promoted would fall much lower during the week by losing his invincibility at home by being nicely humiliated by FC Zurich as playful as they are vengeful.

More than the defeat itself, it is the circumstances which led to this new hiccup which should be worrying. Because Sion really didn’t look like the team it must be to exist, and especially to hope to race with its opponents. As much as Zurich seduced, its host showed nothing except his limits.

To the absence of play was going to be added the absence of character altogether – perhaps the worst since this in no way corresponds to the Valais state of mind so often put forward. The euphoria of promotion seems to have definitively disappeared, giving way to the harsh reality of a team incapable of violence and displaying a semblance of revolt.

From Didier Tholot himself, as if stunned by what he saw before his eyes (or did not see, it depends), to the last replacement, there was no one to save the house against the Zurich residents who were nevertheless spanked three days earlier by Servette. Numa Lavanchy made no mistake in admitting his great perplexity at the microphone of Rhône FM. “No one took responsibility (…) With 13 points on the clock, we’re not going anywhere!” At this rate, the newly promoted is just “spoiling” the beautiful image of an enchanting start to the season now so far away.

This is what the Valais club is reduced to today, locked in the face of its destiny and not really knowing how to get out of it. For FC Sion, being able to play again so quickly must, however, be considered a blessing to be seized. Provided that appropriate corrections are made.

This primarily concerns attitude but it could also involve the names of the eleven starters lined up this evening at 8:30 p.m. Several changes even seem necessary. With his qualities and what is expected of him, Anton Miranchuk, presented as the great No. 10 who was still missing from Tourbillon when he arrived in Valais, undoubtedly deserves something other than a supernumerary role.

Will Gora Diouf, established at the start of the season when the newly promoted player was still winning, finally be given another chance? Reto Ziegler has certainly brought a lot to FC Sion during all his last seasons but at almost 39 years old, his lack of speed is starting to be felt. This does not mean that the historic captain cannot still provide valuable services, but perhaps in another role.

Reshuffling the cards in the hope of finding some winning assets in the game, this is what must have certainly guided Didier Tholot when (re)drawing the team he plans to field in a few hours at the other end of the country . If certain changes are naturally necessary given the list of suspended items (Fayulu, Bouchlarhem) and other unavailable elements (Bua, Moulin, Sow?), others will perhaps be prompted by the need to trigger the essential trigger. . Since Sion cannot afford to reproduce what he has already shown too often for some time, this must really be going through his trainer’s mind.

For what result? All options are still open.