Zero, Zero...

There are some teams, particularly across the Channel or beyond the Pyrenees, which never win a game without a rain of praising superlatives from the media observers. On Sunday evening, Bordeaux and Rennes managed the perfect opposite.
In a tight, foul-ridden encounter in which chances were close to non-existent for both sides, it is indeed hard to heap praise on any of the players.

Retrospectively, the « turning point » of the game may well have arrived during the first minute, when a “clumsy” (in his own words) challenge by Tongo Doumbia could easily have broken Plasil’s leg. The victim of a very severe dismissal in Lens a few months ago, the young midfielder could perfectly have been sent off for his horrendous tackle. M. Kalt decided against it, leaving the sides with eleven players each.

What could have happened if Bordeaux had played 89 minutes with eleven against ten? Could there have been more space or even - living it large - goals? Obviously, it’s impossible to say, but one could think that this deadly boring game would have suddenly sparked to life.

Instead, the public could only enjoy a few chances there and there, an incredible miss by Gouffran in front of Douchez (53’), a block on the goal-line by M’Vila on a volley by Ciani at the reception of a corner (58’), and a pair of shots by Diabaté (84’ & 88’) gave the Rennes defence something to worry about. And for the Bretons? Nothing, or nearly so (only three shots in 90 minutes!) apart for a huge chance for Dalmat, when the Rennes midfielder saw the ball bouncing on the crossbar and headed towards the empty goal, only to be denied in extremis by Ciani (76’).

Frédéric Antonetti will be satisfied with the draw, the best result his players could hope for at the end of such a game. Against Valenciennes next week-end, and in front of the Rennes fans, the same sort of performance should not be repeated however…

Game Facts

GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX 0 - 0 STADE RENNAIS FC

Ligue 1, Game Week 17
Sunday, December 13th 2010, 21:00

Stade Jacques-Chaban-Delmas
Attendance : 19 991 spectators

Referee : Philippe Kalt

Yellow Cards : Doumbia (1’) and Mangane (30’) for Rennes

- Girondins de Bordeaux : C. Carrasso - S. Sané, Ciani, Fernando, Trémoulinas – Diarra (cap), Ben Khalfallah, Wendel (Jussiê, 80’), Plasil - Modeste (Maazou, 66’), Gouffran (Diabaté, 72’).

Manager : Jean Tigana

- Stade rennais FC : Douchez - Fanni, Kana-Biyik, Mangane (cap), Souprayen - M’Vila, Dalmat, Doumbia (Mandjeck, 87’) - Danzé, Montaño, Kembo (Camara, 53’).

Managerr : Frédéric Antonetti.