RC Lens is not one to look back but the soft underbelly lies in wait, and it can be difficult to lose in a season that damn near looks like a season of transition. Only one victory in eight matches, also only one at home in L1 which dates back to the end of August (2-0, against Brest), Racing is not moving forward. His solid eight-match unbeaten run had the seeds of his current concerns in his five consecutive draws. To tell the truth, since the elimination of the European Cup against Panathinaikos (2-0, August 29), it's more complicated.
Artesian president Joseph Oughourlian is aiming for the top 7 and regular European qualifications; after ten days, nothing definitive but the match in Paris (1-0) confirmed a slope and the concerns of a workforce which will remain what it is for the moment. The payroll remains too high and the idea of making more room for training.
Before the derby, Lens, with a forward game which also exposes it, leaves spaces and its players in one-on-one, was tied on points with LOSC, 4ehere he is seventh, two (big) matches later, with almost an obligation to beat Nantes on Saturday. “ There's no pressure, refutes Kevin Danso.Personally, I don't feel any. We will always try to win the matches. »
We also hear from Will Still who saw positives at the Park: “ There are details that go against us, we need to have a little more control over them, admits the Lensois coach. The biggest regret is conceding a goal on a defensive throw-in. But the content of the second half, even reduced to ten, was much better. We watched them play less, we were more aggressive, with more personality. »
Two suspended against Nantes and at least against OM
His team creates situations for itself, but it rarely frames and scores even less, in the absence of a real scorer, efficiency, animation sometimes, as well as technical quality. “ There is a slight efficiency problem, we are aware of it. But we must continue. And make people aware that there is a lot of quality, that we must not lose confidence when we arrive in these situations. The players are the first to be frustrated. Me with it. But there is no miracle recipe. There are no huge changes to be made, because we obtain these situations. We just need to be fairer, more serene in these positions. » The coach is waiting for the trigger. Anass Zaroury adds: “ It’s the work we do on ourselves. »
This work also touches on the management of emotions, which extend beyond the field. Lens is last in the fair play ranking, the most sanctioned team in L1. And it's not just about its intensity. On Saturday, he took another 5 yellow cards, including one for his coach who came under pressure before half-time, and a red (Khusanov, 59e). Against Nantes, M'bala Nzola and Kodir Khusanov will be suspended, then Jonathan Gradit and Will Still against Marseille and perhaps Khusanov again. He will also have to deal with the injuries, which weigh down his attack. Between now and Saturday, we will have to put Rémy Labeau-Lascary, for the moment the only one operational, under cover. And maybe change the system. To avoid a first crisis, at least trust.
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