It’s up to the forwards!
Second in the standings, Stade Rennes could temporarily take the lead in the league this Saturday. But to beat Lens and stay at the top, according to Frédéric Antonetti, the Rouge et Noir need to improve their attack.
Best defence in Ligue 1, second best team at home and second in Ligue 1, Stade Rennes have built an impressive base after 24 match days. With Lille playing against Lyon on Sunday, the “Rouge et Noir” could even become league leaders on Saturday evening.
Despite this, Frédéric Antonetti isn’t eager in releasing the pressure on his squad. Even though on Saturday, the Bretons will be hosts to RC Lens, 19th in the league. A team taken over by Laszlo Bölöni a few weeks ago and that has failed to win on the road since August and a match at Arles-Avignon. In front of the media, the Breton manager announced a “difficult match”. “I expect to see a very aggressive squad, playing very deep and rushing forward very quickly.”
"Play with precision"
How can Rennes win the three points? “We need to be efficient, to be rigorous, not to make mistakes and play with precision. Where we really need to improve is in creating more chances, he analyses. And to manage it, we need to waste fewer opportunities against reinforced defences.”
Stade Rennais has managed six consecutive victories in Ligue 1 at the Route de Lorient however. In 2009-2010, the team’s best performance was a string of three consecutive home wins. “We have got points but we need to focus on our game and know what we can improve”, the Breton coach insists.
Become “decisive players”
Frédéric Antonetti also pointed the important role his forwards have to play. At this moment, the most unfavourable statistic in Rennes is their llow attacking output (28 goals in 24 matchs, the 11th attack in Ligue 1). Against Lens, Jirès Kembo is a major doubt and Yacine Brahimi will be out. But to continue the series of victories and compensate for the lack of experience, “It takes the emergence of a Brahimi, a Kembo, a Montaño, a Verhoek and a Boukari who are capable to step up and become decisive players".
For Frédéric Antonetti, it would then be time to review his objectives (initially the European Cup) or not. “You see the value of a team at the end of winter, on March 21st, so we have to wait for another four weeks"
Nicolas Auffray - Le Mensuel de Rennes
- Photo : www.rennes.lemensuel.com