the essential
Team 1 of the UAG takes the lead in its group at the break. The results are excellent and the style, with a rhythmic and lively game, pleases the public.
Eleven victories in thirteen matches: the numbers speak for the UAG team 1. No wonder in these conditions that Jérémie Raffanel; the manager, although not inclined to be self-satisfied, reports a “very positive” assessment of this first phase. But he does not stick to the accounting results and details his assessment.
“The state of mind is very good, the players are involved, the competition leads to emulation and we managed to see what we wanted to put in place: an airy game, based on speed, with as few collisions as possible. It’s also the game that our squad allows us.”
A delicate way of emphasizing that the UAG pack is not made up of Golgoths, rather elements that have three lungs. The bench was often decisive: Jérémie Raffanel, Sylvain Dupuy and Julien Régnier used 34 players mid-championship, without the starters or finishers (thanks Galthié) reducing the performance. So, in this high-risk movement game (sliding ball, one-step passes or hand-to-hands), there is inevitably some waste.
A game that thrills
“It’s a risk that we assume,” cuts the manager short. The public doesn’t blame them, they enjoy the revivals of Clément Gau, Calvin Gomes or Teddy Goze. Another positive point: recruitment. “I don’t think we were too wrong.”
Jérémie Raffanel, like most coaches, does not like to highlight this or that player. He cares about the cohesion of the group, the star is the collective. But Bilal Dikhal made a strong start to the season and strengthened the right axis, Thomas Breton was no longer the only one to bear the load, Sandrik Maciotta pushed loads like crazy.
“He saves himself in training, but on Sunday, nothing to say about his performance.” Maelik Canda performed, Benjamin Malignon comes out of XXL games, Théo Aussibal remains a scratcher with arms of steel, Charly Goze is the local Ramos and heats up the calculator, Simon Gély puts speed in the ejection, Quentin Lourmières animates the upwind play, Kevin Girou is valuable in foot management and alternation, etc.
The group will recover injured people like Alexandre Alibert, Elie Servat, Nico Adell. It may take longer for Victor Renaud (acromioclavicular sprain).
“But they are a little tired. We also see it in the teams we face. The 10-day truce will allow them to recharge their batteries,” concedes Jérémie Raffanel. Everyone is heading towards New Year’s Eve with an individual physical training program. But there are still more fun sessions (fitness games). Their best match is perhaps that of Blagnac (one of the two defeats, however, with that of Mazamet).
The Stade Toulousain staff were in the stands: rumor has it that they had a great time. Jumps, off loads, restarts… The UAG recited its “Toulouse style” range (all things considered of course): victory brings the public to the stadium, but so does the beautiful game. And the second half against Granada ended the calendar year with a bang.
