The bad luck that sticks to the Caen locker room and its infirmary will have left little respite to the SM Caen. It’s with four holders less that Stade Malherbe Caen will travel to Dijon this Saturday and not the least: the three midfielders (Johann Lepenant and the captain Jessy Deminguet suspended, Caleb Zady Sery who will be operated on Monday for a double sprain) and his top scorer (Alexandre Mendy).
“When I ask the team for continuity, it’s an obligation to have good results emphasizes Stéphane Moulin. But it’s also complicated to have continuity when we are stopped by injury, by suspension… We are always stopped. As soon as there is a guy who is in great shape, it feels like it’s going to be the beginning of the end.” squeals the Caen coach.
The injury of Caleb Zady Sery against Bastia deprives him again until the end of the season of a player capable of making the difference in the offensive game. An absence that is all the harder to digest as it is added to that of Mehdi Chahiri earlier in the season against Auxerre.
As soon as there’s a guy who’s in great shape, it feels like it’s gonna be the beginning of the end
“We lose somewhat atypical players until the end of the season. We had Mehdi Chahiri, now we have Caleb Zady Séry. It’s still quite rare.”
Coach Malherbiste should be brought to reposition in the middle Djibril Diani which gave complete satisfaction in defense and probably give a place to Franklin Wadja long absent due to his knee. Steve Shamal can also hope to return to the eleven unlessIlyes Najim not be preferred to him. The profiles are different but the Caen coach wants to be positive.
We will try to ensure that there is this continuity in our way of attacking and defending
“We will ask (to substitutes) the same thing but I know that I will not have the same thing. I didn’t say that I would have worse but it will necessarily be different because the players are different and the game will inevitably not be played in the same way. In any case, we will try to ensure that there is this continuity in our way of attacking and defending. I hope that despite all this we will still make it – and that would be the good news. It would mean, whatever in quotation marks the players that make up the team, we have a way of doing things.
The mistrust of Patrice Garande
With a pt taken in the last four days and only three pts ahead of the first relegation player, Dijon does not want to give in to the idea of an easy match against a diminished Norman team.
“We must be wary of diminished teams, alert Patrice Garande, because often, when we present a very weak opponent like that, he often plays good games. This often also allows other players to express themselves continues the Dijon coach. If we prepare for the match by telling ourselves that Caen is diminished and that it will be easy, I am sure that we will have difficulties. Sometimes, when you’re down like that, matches are almost easier to prepare because in case of defeat everyone will find it normal. That’s the trap. It is to say to ourselves that we enter the field, we play, we win and that it will be done like that.
Dijon will have to do without its attacking midfielder Valentine Jacobof his defender Zargo Toure from its middle Jordan Married and his attacker Alex Dobre
The workforce of SM Caen
The midfield Anthony Goncalves, already absent against Bastia should not return until next week. The substitute goalkeeper Sullivan Pean is sick like the goalscorer Alexandre Mendy.
The only satisfaction on the infirmary side concerns the return of the attacker Benjamin Jeannotwho had to leave during the match in Nancy (1-1).
The many absences in the middle should benefit Franklin Wadja and to Prince Oniangue who had lost his starting spot in the previous match. Ilyes Najim can also apply for a place in the starting XI unless Stéphane Moulin prefers him Steve Shamal.
The eighteen players from Caen to choose from : Rémy Riou, Yannis Clementia – Yoël Armougom, Adolphe Teikeu, Ibrahim Cissé, Prince Oniangué, Ali Abdi, Hugo Vandermersch, Lamine Sy or Jonathan Rivierez – Djibril Diani, Brahim Traoré, Yoann Court, Steve Shamal, Ilyes Najim – Caleb Zady Séry, Nuno Da Costa, Andreas Hountondji, Benjamin Jeannot.