He is not shy about it. Laval Stadium receives Avranches this Friday at the Francis Le Basser stadium for the 22nd day of National and he can count on a found Geoffray Durbant. The tango striker had a little crossing of the desert but found his way to the net again last weekend against Cholet (a 3-1 victory). And now that he is revived, he would like to see his name on the next championship top scorer trophy.
Geoffray, what state of mind are you in before this Avranches match?
We want to continue our good series in the league, whether at home or away, we take game after game and we try to stay the course and be in the right car. So far it works for us.
With the supporters who are around, do you feel that the enthusiasm is growing?
It’s an uphill atmosphere but we’re not there yet, there’s still a lot of matches left. We feel that there is something interesting to look for and we feel that the supporters are there to push us. It’s heartwarming to see them in every game. If we have an eighth success in a row, it will bring even more people to the matches, more supporters. We know that there is a stake at the end of each match and what we want are the three points and to reach the 50 point mark before the end of the month.
Do you look at the ranking?
We watch a little but we only focus on ourselves, it is above all we who are our own enemies because if we don’t do the job, no one else will do it for us. It’s the first two who go up so as long as we’re in the first two, it’s not a problem for us. Afterwards, if we can finish first to have a title in the individual prize list, that would be not bad.
You have found your way to the nets in Cholet, does it feel good?
Yes, it had been three games that I hadn’t scored, but after that I was kind of the first defender, I did the shadow work for my team. I try to recover a lot of balls, to burn in front, I did it rather well against Cholet and I was rewarded. It freed my mind a bit. Now I hope it will continue.
Since the beginning of the season, you have formed a duo with Kader N’Chobi. Is it easier to have a player in a slightly different and faster register?
I adapt to any situation, to each device that the coach puts in place, whether with Kader, with Sébastien Da Silva or perhaps soon with Ambroise Gboho. It doesn’t matter, it’s the same, I’ll adapt according to them. With Kader, I have more of a role of pivot, of keeping the balls, sometimes of giving depth when he has just won. I adapt, he also adapts. At the moment, we have good automation, even if since the start of the season, we already had it.
How did you experience this period of scarcity in front of goal?
It was a bit like the team. We were winning 1-0, 2-1 and there were a lot of defenders on me every time. But it attracted more people to me and suddenly it would free up more space for some players who knew how to take advantage of it like Kader. Now it has liberated me, since Kader scores goals, he also attracts defenders and so for me it gives me a little more space to forget myself a bit.
Do you still have that top scorer goal in mind?
Yes and no. It’s true that when I look at Laval’s ranking, I also look at the scorers’ ranking. It’s true that I watch the other attackers, but yes I would like to finish top scorer. In any case, I give myself the means, I work for and I hope that I will be rewarded. The only thing is that this year I’m not taking penalties yet. So, for my part, I scored 13 goals, including 13 goals in play. The other scorers scored penalties while I didn’t.
You scored 10 goals at Bastia-Borgo last season, that’s 13 goals and it’s not over, what explains why you’re scoring more goals today?
I’m in a team where there are experienced players, young players with a lot of passion, full of energy and a mix of everything. I was able to adapt to the team, they play ball, so it allows me to have balls in good situations, in good places. I try to be efficient, quite simply, and it works for me. I have worked hard all these years to get here and I would like to have, as they say, a nice gift at the end of the season plus the title of top scorer if possible.