« Grit our teeth and hang on to our fifth place »

- 100th for Lemoine :
Entered one hour into the game against Bordeaux to replace Alexander Tettey, Fabien Lemoine has played his 100th Ligue 1 game on Saturday evening. Launched in professional football by Guy Lacombe for a Coupe de France round of 64 game against Martigues (0-3) on January 6th 2008, the man from Fougères debuted in Ligue 1 a week later against Olympique de Marseille, in front of the Canal+ cameras.
Lemoine had been introduced as a first team starter, a status he wouldn’t lose in the latter stages of the 2007-2008 season (18 starts for 18 Ligue 1 games), neither in 2008-2009 (37/38) or in 2009-2010 (28/31), this time under Antonetti’s management. In total, the midfielder has started in 87 of his 100 games, with only his kidney operation changing the deal over the 2010-2011 season.

- Soundbites :
In the dugout, Frédéric Antonetti isn’t used to remain silent. The Rennes manager is a favourite of the broadcasters, for visual as well as sound reasons. Targets of the Corsican manager this Saturday? The Rennes forwards John Verhoek and Razak Boukari. “It goes too fast for him”, he repeated about the first named, before shouting at the second several time with the words «Razak show you’re there !».

- Boye under the threat :
Booked by Wilfried Bien, John Boye will have to behave until the term of the season. Indeed, the Ghanaian had already received a yellow card last week in Monaco, and is now under the threat of a suspension on the third cautioning. He isn’t alone, since Jérôme Leroy and Stéphane Dalmat also remain under the threat for 2 and 4 games respectively. As for Souprayen, he will have to be careful until the end of the season because of the suspended one-match ban sentence he has received.

- Double 0-0 :
Rennes and Bordeaux weren’t much more inspired than on the first leg. As in the Stade Chaban Delmas, the game between the teams ended on a 0-0 score line on Saturday evening. The first leg, played in front of the Canal + cameras, had been awarded the worst mark ever given by the subscribers of the channel for a Ligue 1 game.
Since the beginning of the season, this is the only “double 0-0” managed by the Stade Rennais, but the scenario could be repeated against Saint-Étienne.

- Attacking poverty :
It is the fourth time this season, that Rennes play two consecutive games without scoring a goal. However, it is the first time at home in 2010-2011, that Rennes tries so few shots on goal: only four throughout the game, as noted by the statisticians from Opta Sports.

- Dark times :
With another draw against Bordeaux, Stade Rennes have played their seventh Ligue 1 game without a success (4 defeats, 3 draws). It takes a return to the end of last season to find the trace of a similar negative run for the Bretons. Rennes had then failed to win any of their last eight games of the 2009-2010 season (4 defeats, 4 draws). A draw against Valenciennes next Sunday, and this poor run will be perfectly equalled…

- Nearly the worst… :
Consequence of Rennes’ current bad run : with three points taken in seven games, Stade Rennes is the Ligue 1 team that took the least points over this period of time, equal only to Arles-Avignon. Only “consolation” to the “Rouge et Noir”: On this seven game weeks standing, the last position remains with Arles-Avignon… on the goal difference (-10 against - 6)

- Goalless draws :
As a symbol of Stade Rennes’ defensive solidity and attacking poverty, this was the seventh 0-0 for Antonetti’s men this season. Much more than in 2009-2010 (3), but as many as in 2008-2009 under Guy Lacombe’s management, or as in 2002-2003. Rennes is actually close to equal their highest number of 0-0 over one season in the last ten years, managed in 2006-2007 (8), but remain far from their record since they returned to the top flight at the end of the 1993-1994 season: a total of ten goalless draws in 1995-1996.

- Antonetti wants to hang on to the fifth place :
Frédéric Antonetti first analysed the game against the numerous absences in his squad. “It was a very closed game. In the first half, we had a few good opportunities but we couldn’t profit of them. At the moment, we really do what we can with what we have. Especially in attack. I believe the lads gave their best to break the cycle of defeats. We draw, which isn’t that bad considering the squad I have at the moment”, the Rennes manager commented, who underlined the “physical and mental weariness” of his players. “Everybody can have a hard time. Next week, two suspended players will return, it’s a good beginning”, Antonetti rejoiced. “We will have to grit our teeth and hang on to our fifth place…”

Post game comments : Ouest-France.fr and Stade Rennais’ official website.