It's the beautiful theory of the glass half full or half empty. This Sporting certainly does not win. But he doesn't lose. And that, for a coach, is very important: taking a point is always moving forward, taking a point, it's not falling into gloom.
“But now, it tires me, it wears me out, admits Benoît Tavenot. We can hope for a little better. Of the six draws, there are two or three matches in which we have a chance of pocketing victory. I'd be happy if they were total draws, that's not the case.”
This afternoon, Sporting will complete its fifth match in fourteen days, in an unprecedented scenario of a match replayed, in Pau, and to be replayed, in Ajaccio. On the postponement of the latter, the Bastiais coach is fatalistic: “We had to find a date as quickly as possible. But restarting at the 42' minute, that's nonsense. And, a month later, with the same players? This has neither head nor tail!”
Convert situations into opportunities
The news remains this Norman movement, among a team that doubts despite a large workforce and resources. “Ligue 2 is a championship where no team should be taken lightly,” said Lisandru Tramoni yesterday for his first pre-match press conference. The former Pisa player, reassured by his second half against Rodez, knows that he can and must do even better. “We have improved in recent matches, but of course we continue to do specific attackers during training.”
It's this efficiencycet impact what is the staff looking for? realism which would allow certain matches, certain opponents to be extinguished. Benoît Tavenot is the first to be aware of this: “We don't convert situations into opportunities… Yes, we end our sessions with work for the attackers in the company of Lilian (Laslandes) and Miché (Moretti). We talked a lot about Félix (Tomi) but he had each time this ability to make the right call, at the right time, against Rodez, the goalkeeper makes a save. When he scores his first goal, others will come.
Vincent rather than Maggiotti?
Not worried about the quality of his group, the Bastia coach is also satisfied with his quality of recovery in this sequence from October-November. Faced with a Stade Malherbe forced to play the game, to impose itself, undoubtedly with a two-attacker scheme, Sporting once again has its card to play.
Without injuries, without suspensions, Johny Placide's troop should line up in their preferred 4-2-3-1. Cissé in point with Boutrah and Tramoni. And probably Vincent in the midfield.
At the Stade Malherbe in Caen, the Mendypendance
What a disappointment for Michel d'Ornano at the start of the season. Stade Malherbe perhaps did not expect to jostle with Metz, Paris or Lorient for accession, but from there to floundering at the bottom of the rankings…
It must be said that the offseason was eventful with rumors of the departure of Alexandre Mendy, who ultimately remained in Normandy. Despite a truncated preparation due to his aborted transfer, the 30-year-old striker remained faithful to the meeting with six goals and an assist. He even became the top scorer in SMC history this Tuesday thanks to his double against Martigues, registering in total 70 pawns.
More than ever, his team is dependent on him, even if there is no shortage of offensive talent, like Bilal Brahimi, formerly from Niort. In the cages, Yanis Clémentia should be lined up for the second time, after taking the place of Anthony Mandréa during the day this Tuesday.
Since the start of the season, the coach Nicolas Seube tested different gaming systemswithout ever finding the right formula. 4-3-3, then 4-2-3-1 after the injury of Yann M'Villa, to finally switch to a 3-5-2, before successfully trying at the end of the game this week in Martigues for a 4- 4-2.
The Normandy technician should renew with this device this evening against Sporting to hope to finally launch his team's season, which alternates between the very average and the not good at all. Besides M'Villa, Meddah, Sy and Ntim will also be missing from the group. Mathias Autret could make his return.
Changing rooms
The benefits of cryotherapy
Who says a series of meetings says optimal recovery. Also, to keep their group in shape, the SCB staff opted for cryotherapy and pressotherapy sessions. And it's not Lisandru Tramoni who will complain about it: “It's the second time, it's been two weeks that we've been doing these sessions. It's a very good thing, it professionalizes the club. Personally it did me a lot of good. When we come out it gives a little slap, it feels good.”
The extras – SM Caen
• A clear victory in Martigues (0-3) to be confirmed
• The return to form of Alexandre Mendy, top scorer in the club's history (70 goals)
The advantages – SC Bastia
• Only one defeat this season
• Many situations during the last matches (47 shots over the last three days)
Cons – SM Caen
• A team far from imperial at home (7 points out of 18)
• A defense far from airtight with 16 goals conceded
Cons – SC Bastia
• Fatigue with this 5th match in 14 days
• A more crumbly defense in recent days
The referee: Ahmed Taleb (Federal 2)
A young 31-year-old referee, this will be his first for a Sporting match this season. This afternoon he will referee only his 27th Ligue 2 match. The last time he officiated at an SCB match was on August 24, 2020 during the first day of National on the Red Star pitch, a 3-5 victory for Bastia. He was heavily criticized after his performance during AC Ajaccio's trip to Amiens on October 19 during the 9th day.
2pm (BeIn) Stade Michel d'Ornano Referee: Ahmed Taleb SCB: Placide – Meynadier, Akueson, Guevara, Ariss – Ducrocq, Janneh – Tramoni, Vincent, Boutrah – Cissé. Enter. : Benoît Tavenot. Rempl. : Fabri, Bohnert, Guidi, Roncaglia, Etoga, Maggiotti, Tomi
