2023-12-03 01:03:24
A successful first for Gourvennec, Moffi did not adjust the sights. AFP / LOIC VENANCE / AFP / LOIC VENANCE
For his first on the Nantes bench, Jocelyn Gourvennec saw his men triumph over Nice (1-0). The Nice are no longer undefeated.
Tops
The Gourvennec era perfectly launched
The news caused a stir this week on the banks of the Loire. Despite an eleventh place in the standings and an attractive set-up, Pierre Aristouy was dismissed by the general management of FC Nantes. To replace him, Jocelyn Gourvennec, having worn the colors of the club between 1995 and 1998, was called to the rescue. The old Ligue 1 veteran was thus entrusted with the reins of a fourth team after Guingamp, Lille and Bordeaux. Heckled by the Nantes public before the match, Gourvennec was able to draw on the resources of his squad to lead his team to bring down OGC Nice for the first time this season. As usual, he celebrated each recovery of his men with as much energy as if he were on the pitch. This bodes well for the future, even if it will be necessary to confirm.
Moses Simon, the Nantes wisp
It would not have been surprising to see Pablo Rosario ask for a ventolin at the end of the meeting. For 90 minutes, the Nice full-back saw a rocket going back and forth on his side. Established on his left wing, Moses Simon was the most visible offensive element on the Canary side. At the origin of Nantes’ first goal after an overflow, not the last of his match, he led a number of counterattacks for his team. At the end of the match, he was systematically sought after by his partners and, icing on the cake, recovered numerous balls. He even won a physical duel against Todibo, which is not given to everyone.
Pedro Chirivella captain courage
The soul of La Beaujoire on Saturday evening was him. The Nantes captain was omnipresent in the midfield from the start of the match until his exit in the 94th minute. Very fair in his choices, he finished the match with 94% of successful passes, a rare occurrence for a central midfielder. He also projected himself and struck three times on goal, and delivered a delicious backheel into the heart of the opposing area, which led to the only goal of the evening. A leader, he came out to the cheers of his audience and pushed his team even from the sidelines. The kind of player every fan wants to see on their team.
Flops
End of series for the Aiglons
OGC Nice lost a Ligue 1 match. What didn’t necessarily cause a sensation every year is an event this season. Since the start of this 2023-2024 financial year, and in 13 Ligue 1 matches, Farioli’s men have never conceded a defeat. Only Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen are now undefeated in Europe. But that’s not the only series that ended. The Aiglons had not been behind for 1,307 minutes, and Bulka had not found a ball in the back of his net for 747 minutes, or eight matches. By winning 1-0, the Nantes team achieved a real feat, and signed what could be called, ironically, a Nice-style victory.
The Nice attack runs out of steam
By not scoring this evening, the Niçois finished their eleventh meeting of the season by scoring zero or one goal. OGC Nice is the eleventh attack in Ligue 1, an anomaly for second in the French championship standings. Worse still, Farioli’s men have never won a match when they conceded a goal, except against PSG at the Parc des Princes. Although they can count on an iron defense, the eagles, on the other hand, have real difficulty shaking the opposing nets. Symbol of this inefficiency this evening, Moffi never managed to convert his opportunities. With four shots, two of which were on target, he could have brought his team back to the level of Nantes but did not succeed. If the Niçois want to continue to play leading roles in Ligue 1 this season, they will probably have to succeed in adjusting the sights.
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