These are rock hard times.

There’s no denying it, I loved Dréossi. He seemed to be a good manager, with an eye for talent young and old, an ability to develop rough gems into great players, and a great catalyst for group spirit. Well, All that can only keep you in the job for so long when you’ve only got 1 point in 8 games…

Ligue 1 #13 – 03-Nov-07 Home vs. Monaco 0-1
UEFA Cup Group D #2 – 08-Nov-07 Home vs. SK Brann 1-1 (Cheyrou 88′)
Ligue 1 #14 – 11-Nov-07 Away vs. Bordeaux 0-3
Ligue 1 #15 – 24-Nov-07 Home vs. Lyon 0-2
UEFA Cup Group D #3 – 29-Nov-07 Away vs. Hamburg 0-3
Ligue 1 #16 – 02-Dec-07 Away vs. Valenciennes 0-3
Ligue 1 #17 – 08-Dec-07 Away vs. Strasbourg 0-3
Ligue 1 #18 – 15-Dec-07 Home vs. Caen 1-2 (Pagis 88′)

So, with Christmas bearing down on us, Pinault and Saint-Sernin have decided that it’s time to ring the bells of change and have appointed Guy Lacombe as head coach, Dréossi returning to the sporting direction position he occupied prior to becoming “general manager” last season.

Can Lacombe reverse the bad trend?

In my opinion, Dréossi’s sacking is a bit harsh. Sure, since November the 1^st Rennes have only scored 2 goals, and only taken 1 point from a possible 24, but that’s not all the story. Against Monaco, Bordeaux, Lyon and Hamburg, defeats were expected, and only against Bordeaux did the squad seem a bit lost on the pitch. Sure the draw against Brann is hard to accept, but Brann have knocked out Club Brugge this season, beat Dynamo Zagreb, and only lost by one goal to Hamburg… Not a shameful record for Rennes to draw with them then!

So it’s down to the last three : Valenciennes, Strasbourg and Caen. Well, sure the results are harsh : 8 goals against, 1 goal scored, and they’re relatively “small” clubs… But even there, what could Dréossi have done? Against Valenciennes a balanced game went completely in Valenciennes’ favour after the referee was conned into giving a red card to Mensah, leaving Rennes playing for over half an hour one man down… And from 1-0 with both teams having chances, it became 3-0. Against Strasbourg, an early goal left us pushing forwards, and Strasbourg played the counter-attack very well, taking advantage of Mensah, Edman and Jeunechamps’ absences… Caen, who have beated Lyon this season, proved to be just a little too much, Eluchans getting a stupid penalty from M’Bia, and then scoring the second goal, something that could have been repaired if Thomert had been a little more precise.

Because what Dréossi has been working with wouldn’t be wanted by many managers. A bucketful of injuries (Pouplin, Didot, Mensah, Edman and Moreira are the most important) and a squad that has been playing well under their best (Briand has lost his match-winning form, Wiltord and Leroy are less decisive than early in the season, Hansson is making more and more mistakes, Cheyrou is not living up to his name) have made his task almost impossible. What’s more, with the departure of Jeunechamp there has been a loss of an all-round player that could have fitted in anywhere in defence or in midfield…

No matter what, I’ll remember Dréossi as the manager that gave us a great end to last season, and a brilliant start to this one. Sure, the last two months are sour, but I’m going to remember the other 13 or so where he pulled us up the table and brought players of the quality of Leroy and Wiltord to provide great football and great results.

The source of my main concern…

Guy Lacombe’s task won’t be easy. I doubt he’ll bring many players in over the winter break, even if there are a few names that are kicking around (Boutabout, Berthod, Stromstad, Chermiti, Feghouli, Rbati), I think that Lacombe will stick with the crop he has, perhaps replace one or two players, but that’s it. The only player on the out seems to be Pagis a.k.a. the only player that has scored for us in the last 5600 minutes. Why? Because Pagis had a hate-love relationship with Lacombe at Sochaux back in 2001 and neither of them seem to have forgotten. So perhaps a striker and a defender since we’re a bit short at the back to come in. Nothing more, I think.

Lacombe is probably a better tactician than Dréossi. Not that Lacombe is a great manager, but that Dréossi’s previsible 4-2-3-1 is only really good without turn-over, and we suffered the effects of that technique over the past month. What’s more, Lacombe has worked with truly great talent (Zidane, Micoud, Vieira, Frey, Malouda, Drogba) and also had a decent run with PSG, something that proves his ability seen the poor level of players in Paris…

So, what is there to hope of this change? I’m not expecting a revolution, but rather a slow change from 4-2-3-1 to 4-4-2 or 5-3-2, as Lacombe finds his style of play. Few new players will join us right now, and Pagis seems to be leaving, sadly.

Good luck, Guy!

Category: Team News

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