Halfway through, your team is the leader with five points ahead of Fréjus, to whom it will have to go on February 22, three days before the end of the regular phase. Despite an almost flawless accounting record, this leadership position is still far from being assured?
The return match will probably be decisive. But first, there will also be away confrontations against dangerous and efficient teams in their home arena like Nancy, Royan for us and Illac, Martigues, Royanregarding Fréjus. Many uncertainties therefore remain, but if we continue the work we are currently doing, there is no need to be overly concerned.
Last year, you also finished the first game in the lead, conceding only one setback in Cannes, which then came to win in the return match in Ajaccio. Direct confrontations risk once again weighing heavily in the balance?
This is what made the difference last year. As a result, this had considerably complicated our task during the play-offs with this return final played away. Afterwards, we must not forget that we lost our striker Bala to injury. These are parameters that we cannot control, but which can prove decisive, just like the fact that during the final phase, teams retain the possibility of strengthening themselves.
Volleyball: the GFCA wins in a match marked by the stroke of a Martigues player during warm-up
Your return schedule seems more affordable with one trip less than that of the outward journey, but this is also the case for Fréjus with five receptions and four exits. The management of this long and unprecedented truce will therefore be important, to get off on the right foot in Nancy, while Fréjus will host Cambrai?
Yes and that's why we worked normally until this recovery week. This will allow the organisms to rest but also to regain mental freshness, so as to face the successive deadlines from January 18. Thanks to the Coupe de France at the start of the year, we will have (like Fréjus which will host Tours, editor's note) the opportunity to get back into the rhythm.
What conclusions do you draw from your team's play? How is it different from the previous one and is it ultimately better equipped to go to the end this time?
She is different. Last year, we had a high quality of service – block and reception difficulties. This year, we have very good offensive strength and stability in reception. On the collective assessment that we established together with supporting statistics and precise game facts, we clearly saw that if in the area of attack and counter-attack we were very efficient, the We nevertheless remained very capable of improvement in terms of service and block.
Are the areas of play where your team will have to progress well identified?
There is room for improvement in terms of our counter performance and I repeat it on our throws which will need to be better ensured by being more impactful.
If you had to put forward a reference match, which one would you choose?
I would rather say the two successive ones that we largely won in the Cup in Nancy then, three days later at the end of November, in Saint-Quentin. I also really liked the good management of the event during the reception in Fréjus.
Conversely, doesn't the only loss in the tie-break at Illac leave you with a bitter taste?
We could indeed have achieved a nice hat-trick this week. We were playing a very good game, but we missed it That one this bit of freshness (2,300 km traveled by road in one week, editor's note) to once again end this match with a score of (3-0). We weren't able to play it in good conditions and as a result, it obviously leaves me with a taste of unfinished business. I would have liked to know the outcome of this confrontation, with all the elements coming together to compete as we should have done without this aberrant schedule. After, That one like Martigues will be due to the fact that their game is the one that suits us the least, the teams against whom, I think, we will have the most difficulty.
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From an individual point of view, are you satisfied with the performance of your recruits and the contribution of the young people who make up the bench?
We didn't make a casting mistake when it came to our recruitment. Everyone responds in a very good way. I'm lucky to have a group that lives well and gets to know each other. Regarding the contribution of the bench, I am extremely satisfied with boys like Socié, Serafin, Talon et Bouallègue which is greatly needed. They had playing time, something I didn't manage to do last season. We now know that we have boys capable of helping us on a daily basis, but also when the team is doing a little less well.
To conclude, the year will restart at the Palatinu on January 7 with a gala Cup match against Chaumont, a team competing in the Champions League. What do you expect from your players in this match?
This will allow me to see if we are capable of raising our level of play, in a match which will look a bit like a play-off or cup final. Seeing how some of my players will react before the play-offs can only be enriching. I know that in the engagement they will respond, but will their strength be enough to create the feat?
DNACG: the GFCA and Fréjus sanctioned
One withdrawal point for the leader and three for his runner-up, the financial policeman of the National League once again had a heavy hand, after examining the accounts of the 23 professional men's clubs. In question, a reserve fund deemed insufficient (cash immediately available) which also earned Ligue A leader Tourcoing a withdrawal of two units. As a result, the GFCA, not so unhappy in the matter, finds itself five steps ahead of Martigues with 23 points. Fréjus remains in the company of the Provençals on the second step.
Agenda
Domicile
Ajaccio – Reims on January 25
Ajaccio – France Avenir on February 1
Ajaccio – Cambrai on February 15
Ajaccio – Saint-Quentin on March 1
Ajaccio – Illac on March 15
Play-offs
Quarter-finals (best of 5 matches): April 4, 6, 11, 13 and 18
Semi-final: April 25 (go), May 2 (return) and if necessary support match on May 5
Final: first leg on May 9 and return on May 16 with, like last year, a golden set contested in the event of a tie
Dashboard
Ranking after 9 days: 1st with 24 points
Victories: 8
Defeat: 1
Home: 4 won, or 11 points out of 12 possible
Away: 4 won, 1 lost, i.e. 13 points out of 15 possible
Set average : 26 s.p, 9 s.c
Points scored: 834
Points conceded: 737
Success details: 3-0 (3 times), 3-1 (4 times), 3-2 (1 time)
Loss details: 3-2 (1 time)
Top scorer: Bala 174 points in 34 sets played
Best blocker: Rooms 19 points
Best server: Bala 15 points
1 200
This is on average the public attendance recorded this season at the Palatinu, with in particular a packed house (more than 1,500 entries) during the visit to Fréjus.
The sentence
” Ajaccio is a calm, clinical, simple and efficient team. It doesn't panic much and it hits the right spot. “Anisse Guéchou coach of Saint-Jean d’Illac
