Stade Rennais – Angers: Quickly, the rest!
Always coherent defensively, Stade Rennes was once again close to nothing in its use of the ball. A victory without relief to move on to 2025, like the year 2024 for an unrecognizable team.
Victory was imperative for Stade Rennes last night, and from the reception in Angers at the end of the year, we will only remember that. “We needed to win today against a direct competitor, we must admit. It wasn't pretty, but we're going to hold on to the victory.”confided Steve Mandanda after the meeting.
The doorman doesn't think he's saying that well. With 45% possession and only 42% duels won, the SRFC is far from having been imperial at home against a SCO having helped it a lot by not targeting a shot (an indirect free kick not counted at the end of the match ). If on arrival two of Rennes' four shots on target ended up in the net, what can we say about the content proposed by Jorge Sampaoli's team, whose game plan is difficult to read after 4 matches?
Priority to the defensive block
Let's start with the positive: Rennes concedes very little. Against Lille and Nantes, the Breton club lost by conceding only two shots on target per away game, for a goal taken each time. Against Saint-Etienne and Angers at Roazhon Park, zero shots on target for the opponent, and zero goals conceded. There « consolidation » defense claimed by the Argentinian coach upon his arrival is tending to take shape even if we feel this team is seriously lacking in confidence. Upon arrival, Rennes conceded two goals and scored seven, in four matches.
“It’s very difficult because there have been a lot of changes since we arrived. We're trying to make a lot of changes.”reacted yesterday Diogo Meschine, coach on the bench during Sampaoli's suspension. “As coaches we would like things to progress as quickly as possible, but we have to take it step by step. Some players understand quickly, others less, others will never understand. We have to take it slowly so that we can develop our idea: to have the ball as much as possible. » To do what with it, on the other hand?
Second phase this winter?
Yesterday, the most striking thing on Rennes' side was the lack of movement of all the players around the goalkeeper. No race to propose, to free up a space or to accompany the latter, like Blas burying himself on one side to win a touch several times. Was it a question of the staff killing the rhythm, especially when Rennes were ahead in the 33rd minute?
“The instructions were to have control of the ball, to be able to move the block and attack, to have a lot of situations. But we didn't do what we had to do.”confided Mandanda on this subject. Control of the ball could only be claimed for the Hateboer-Ostigard-Truffert hinge, a notch behind the rest of the Rennes block, and far from being technically comfortable.
“The football that Jorge likes is more offensive. Most players may not be able to move at our desired speed of change. But we are happy with the players”supported Meschine. Solidifying the block, not being too ambitious with the ball, that's what this SRFC sends back, as a first phase of the new staff's plan. Will the second be to free yourself with new elements when winter arrives?
At a press conference, Diogo Meshine kicked into touch. Jorge Sampaoli explained on Friday that he had to meet with his management this week to discuss the reinforcements, which this staff seems to be waiting for to initiate the continuation of its plan, in the persistent absence of offensive elements capable of freeing themselves, of making the difference.
Twelfth at the break, four points ahead of the play-off and four points behind eighth, Rennes will spend the holidays without a lump in their stomach. But with Nice, Marseille, Brest and Monaco on the program in January, the start of the year could quickly feel like Christmas.
