The context: a peaceful confrontation?
FC Annecy will return to the Paul-Lignon stadium where it had acquired, or almost, its retention in Ligue 2 last season (3-1 victory). “It remains a good memory in the sense that it was the match that kept us going. Now it's in the past. » But the open war between the two clubs dating back to the summer of 2022, is it really over? “The incident has passed. I don’t hold grudges but I don’t forget,” recalled coach Laurent Guyot. Before continuing: “The two clubs showed last year that they were capable of playing real football matches without ulterior motives. We must do everything to ensure that things go in that direction. » Defender Julien Kouadio, who arrived this summer, smiles: “I don’t feel any tension in this match. We approach it in a normal way, there is no resentment or resentment. It's a match like any other. » This time, the FCA, a small point from second place synonymous with L1, arrives with other ambitions, having been on the podium for two days. The Haut-Savoyards have just taken seven points out of nine, without conceding a goal. The reaction was a model after the defeat in Lorient (4-2).
The opponent: Rodez has perked up
The Ruthenians were buried a little quickly. After a wave of departures (Corredor, Hountondji, Rajot, Danger, Raux-Yao, Haag, etc.) within the squad which reached the play-offs last season, the six defeats during the first seven days had raised fears of the worst for Raf. Since then, Rodez has been undefeated for five days (2v, 3d) and moved up to 15th place. “They put in some great performances last week (3-3 against Lorient and Paris FC in particular). It is a team that is identified with strong playing principles on which they have relied for several seasons with their coach (Didier Santini). You will have to be strong and tough to be able to fight against this team. » If Rodez has one of the best attacks in L2, it is also the penultimate defense in the championship (21), only Martigues does worse (25).
>> The ranking and calendar of Ligue 2
The man to follow: Julien Kouadio
He is the pleasant surprise of recent weeks, in a central defender position that he had never really experienced in a two-man position. “It’s very rarely happened to me in my career and I didn’t think it would happen to me at this level especially. It’s a great discovery,” slips the person concerned. A repositioning which was decided in collaboration with Guyot at half-time of the match against Red Star (1-0 victory) who asked him if he preferred to play right back or central defender. “I responded in the middle because Thibault (Delphis) had a very good match on the right against Damien Durant. I tried to do the best I could and that gave him an idea after the injury to Axel (Drouhin). » In two and a half matches with Kouadio in central defense, FCA has not conceded a single goal.
The fact: no defensive joker envisaged
When François Lajugie was injured against Pau (2-0 victory), replaced by Thibault Delphis, Guyot had no other defenders on hand than the four on the field (Delphis, Kouadio, Soukouna, Nsakala). Enough to consider a medical joker when Lajugie will miss several weeks of competition and defender Abdourahmane Barry (Amiens) came on trial in October? No because Axel Drouhin and Ritchy Valme are doing better. “The urgency to recover a player on the defensive level does not exist,” assures Guyot.
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By settling on the podium during the last two days, the FCA currently occupies the second best ranking in its history (3rd) for 36 years and September 1988 (it had been second in L2 the same season a few weeks earlier). “I can't say it's anecdotal, it's pleasant but it shouldn't make us lose sight of the club's main objective, which remains to remain in L2. The best way to move forward is to only think about the next step and that is Rodez. Performance goes with humility and confidence. », Estimates Guyot.
The phrase: “We go under the radar”
Julien Kouadio, FC Annecy defender: “I don’t think the way opponents view us has changed. Not yet, the championship has only just started. It's too early. I think that if we are still in a good position at the break, people will start to distrust us. For the moment, as we weren't expected, we're going under the radar but that's not bad. »
The squad: Drouhin operational, Lajugie out
As expected, Guyot will have to do without his attacker Kapit Djoco nor his defensive midfielder Vincent Pajot, both suspended for this meeting. Exited in the first period against Pau last Friday, badly injured in the hamstrings, François Lajugie underwent additional examinations this Wednesday but a return only in 2025 is feared for the right-back. Attacking midfielder Noha Lemina is very uncertain (knee). In terms of good news, central defender Axel Drouhin (calf) has returned to training and should return to the group. It is also imminent for another central defender Ritchy Valme (meniscus) who has returned to collective training. If not this Friday, it will be the following week in the Coupe de France. A week which will be devoted to international matches. Midfielder Waël Debbiche was selected again with Tunisia U20 for the CAN U20 qualifiers.
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