No calculations, only results! In the home stretch of the Ligue 2 championship, the objective is clear for the FCSM. Fifth in the standings, and therefore play-offs, the Sochaliens are one point behind third Auxerre, four behind second Ajaccio. An order to be turned upside down according to the results of each other.
The Yellow and Blue start a decisive week : traveling to Nîmes this Saturday, they will then welcome the leader Toulouse on Tuesday, then go to Pau on Friday. Hoping that Sochaux can count on all its weapons.
Confidence and maturity
There are six days left, “six finals” as Steve Ambri describes them. The FCSM approaches the first of these meetings filled with confidence. Three wins in a row (Rodez, Quevilly, Nancy), five goals scored, none conceded.
“The current results should give us a lot of serenity and confidence” rejoices coach Omar Daf. “_These three victories must lead to others_, where in any case give us an appetite. We want to continue to chain and keep this regularity.”
A confidence to which is added a certain maturity in the game that Sochaux is beginning to take, like its midfielder Rassoul Ndiaye, scorer against Nancy last week. “A lot of players have progressed tactically and technically” underlines the Senegalese coach, who speaks of a “satisfaction” about these advances.
All the more so when it translates into results on the pitch. Against Rodez, Quevilly and Nancy, the FCSM did not always offer football-champagne, but knew how to let the weak beats pass, and be incisive on your own strong beats.
Without Aaneba and Weissbeck
But in Nîmes, the Sochaliens will have to do without two of their executive players. Injured, defender Ismaïl Aaneba and midfielder Gaëtan Weissbeck will not be traveling to the Gard. Another player, whose name has not been filtered, is uncertain. Joseph Lopy, on the other hand, is back in the FCSM group, made up of 18 players.
Calculations ? What calculations?
In addition to the results of their own team, for several weeks already the supporters of the FCSM have also an eye on the shapes of direct competitors : Ajaccio, Auxerre and Paris FC. All this little world is held in a pocket handkerchief (see ranking below), and each hopes for a misstep from the other. But on the Sochaux side, the best calculation … is not to do it.
“We have to look at each other” argues Steve Ambri. “If we achieve the necessary results, at the end of the season we will have no regrets. Even if in front of us, everyone will have won, at least we will have done the maximum. We’ll figure it out at the end. Doing calculations would distract us.”
Same auto-focus with Omar Daf. And no question of thinking about this week of madness that awaits Sochaux: “The remaining matches will be just as important. I am really focused on the Nîmes game. The error would be to project further, or to calculate. You don’t have to calculate“.
Only exercise to do therefore for the FCSM: continue to add three points by three points.