The return of the public without the gauge to the Abbé-Deschamps since the end of December. An opponent from Lorraine (20th, 16 points) is a red lantern in the hard, very hard. And a team from Auxerre (5th, 38 points) who want to find success in front of their home crowd to start a new positive series and get closer to the podium. On paper, this AJA-Nancy (7 p.m., 24th day L2) has everything from the ideal match to revive the Icaunaise machine, a little seized up, 15 games from the end.
The challenge: a little Coué method but above all positive to move forward
In the ranks of Auxerre, there has been a lot, a lot of “frustration”, whether among the players as explained by coach Jean-Marc Furlan, or on the side of the supporters, after the last three matches without a win for the Auxerre, with two draws at Ajaccio (0-0, matchday 21 L2) and Guingamp (1-1, matchday 23) and a defeat against Paris FC at home (1-2, matchday 22). The Ajaist standstill is not new, with two successes in eight league games. Poor form of certain executives, opponents managing to better read the icaunais game in loss of fluidity, less pronounced inspiration of the collective and the coach in his choices, cluster generating three weeks without competition and a lack of physical freshness… The reasons are “multifactorial” as a certain ‘JMF’ would say. Now for the Icaunais, it’s time to reconquer, and on their land, they who remain on two defeats in a row at home, and whose last success at Abbé-Deschamps dates back to November 6, against Pau ( 4-1, 15th d.).
“As a professional, I’ve never had a season where everything is linear, with the lights all on green. There are less good shots and at the moment, that’s the case. But you have to keep confidence, at us to re-ignite a positive dynamic, poses Icaunese defender and vice-captain Quentin Bernard. I am not a pessimistic person in life. Admittedly, we may have lost a little confidence, drive and carelessness.” For the locker room man, it’s in the head, but also in the legs, that it happens: “The Covid has not helped in this sense. I know that some players, including me, when it is physically weak and we are not at 100%, we have no margin compared to other teams. There , we were able to do a full week, all together, and I hope we will be there against Nancy.”
Bernard concedes that “Positive jokers were grilled because we could have made the switch and really been at the very top of the table”, while the 2nd place occupied by the Parisians and synonymous with a direct climb is now six points away, and the 6th, Niort, is only three points behind Auxerre with one game less. This “pressure on the shoulders”the vice-captain feels it. “We know the Auxerrois and the Bourguignon. Even when it’s going well, it must go even better. Even the local baker, or the one who doesn’t know anything about the ball, when he meets you and sees that you You’re an AJA player, he says to you: ‘We have to go up to Ligue 1! We have to win on Saturday!’ It’s a habit to get used to. It’s a permanent but positive pressure. The unhappy will say that we could have four or five more points, but there are 15 teams behind us. We are 5th, we are where the we want to be. We are not dropped at all. But it is up to us to re-engage a positive dynamic.” A bit of the Coué method can’t hurt if it helps re-motivate the troops to tackle the top of the table.
The group: Brass returns to the 18
His last in the Auxerrois group dates back to November 1, and a victorious 2-1 trip to Valenciennes (J14 L2): Sonny Brass returns to the 18 Auxerrois for the reception of Nancy this Saturday as goalkeeper number 2 while Théo De Percin, who had replaced him, was sent to reserve. This is the only change made by coach Jean-Marc Furlan compared to the trip to Guingamp. A workforce that deplores the absence of defenders Alec Georgen, injured in the Achilles tendon, and Gautier Lloris, who relapsed in the hamstrings. On the composition side, Paul Joly could resume his place as right-back, while winger Gauthier Hein, physically affected in training, is not certain to start as a starter. Author of his second goal of the season at Guingamp for the opener, Lassine Sinayoko is tipped to be again in the starting 11 on one side of the Icaunaise attack.
The opponent: Nancy has nothing to lose
There is no more beast injured than the ASNL. 20th, nine points from the first non-relegation Bastia, the Lorraine club has only one success in eight league matches (2-1 at home against Bastia on January 15, 21st game L2). Nervous on the pitch (nine red cards in the league, seven in the last ten matches in all competitions), the second worst attack in the league (18 goals scored) and the worst defense (45 pawns conceded, including 20 in the first 30 minutes) has suffered quite a bit lately: 4-0 in Toulouse (20th match L2) and above all 6-1 in Valenciennes (22nd match L2), with a “punishment” training programmed by the new coach Albert Cartier at 2 a.m. return from the North. And the context is more than burning with the revolt of the supporters towards the management. But Auxerre coach Jean-Marc Furlan remains wary of an opponent who has nothing to lose: “Nancy has a very good coach and a very good attacking potential, even if they are in the hard. Contrary to what you may think, the players are not afraid of playing the first, but of playing a badly ranked player. C is where you can get the most out of it.” A way like any other to stay on your guard. But it will still finally be necessary to let go of the horses!