Danzé, the logical goalscorer

-  Brahimi punished ?

In this eight game week, and for the first time this season, Yacine Brahimi remained on the substitute bench. Until then, the young midfielder had always either started or taken part in all previous games. Is this the consequence of his game in Guingamp, where he proved guilty of an excess of individualism? After the elimination, Frédéric Antonetti had announced there who be a before and an after Guingamp. Only entered at the 89th minute against Nice, Brahimi is maybe paying for his below-par performance.

- No bookings :

Before the game, the Stade Rennais was entitled to dread an avalanche of suspensions for the next game week, in Lens. Mandjeck is already certain to be banned, but no less than six players could have joined him if receiving another yellow card (see previously). Fortunately, no Rennes player was cautioned by Mr. Buquet. Discipline will remain necessary however, as all six players remain under the threat during the next game in Pas-de-Calais.

- Leroy, third assist :

By taking the free-kick that allowed Kader Mangane to score with his header, Jérôme Leroy delivered his third assist of the season against Toulouse. The first two had been given during the game in Nancy (Game Week 2). This total allows him to reach the third position in the assists table, behind Sochaux’ Marvin Martin and Anthony Mounier (4 assists), alongside former team-mate Jimmy Briand.

- Celebrities in the stand :

As planned, several players that write or used to write the Stade Rennais history were sitting in the stadium. Fabien Lemoine was there for the first time since his injury, Jimmy Briand came along to watch his former team-mates, and Mickaël Pagis, who currently prepares his coach diploma with the Reserve team. All three were joined for the second half by Étienne Didot, injured at the beginning of the game.

Another «people» was present at the Stade de la Route de Lorient : Journalist and former TF1 News presenter Patrick Poivre-d’Arvor (Photo, thanks to winterake).

- Danzé only scores in Brittany :

Romain Danzé scored his eighth goal for Rennes (the sixth in Ligue 1), with a particularity: He only ever scores in his birth region, Brittany. Seven of his goals were scored at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, the eighth was scored last season at the Stade du Moustoir, Lorient.

Another specifity of the right full-back : All but two of his goals were scored in the first half. No surprise therefore, to see him open the score in the first half this Sunday.

- Valverde doesn’t like the Route de Lorient:

One goalkeeper may start taking a dislike for the games played in Rennes, Toulouse’s Matthieu Valverde. Last season, he had too opportunities to play at the Stade de la Route de Lorient: With Boulogne sur Mer first, then with Toulouse after he was transferred in December 2009.

In two and a half games (he only played one half during the 2009-2010 Rennes-Toulouse), the goalkeeper conceded no less than 8 goals!

- Montaño, still inefficient in Rennes:

With three goals in four games away, Victor Hugo Montaño is still looking for his first goal at the Route de Lorient.

Alone at the front of the attack, the Colombian had nearly no opportunity to open his goalscoring record at home, except for his powerful shot that skimmed the goals’ top corner, one hour in the game.

What they said...

- Frédéric Antonetti : «I’m not satisfied. The action on the first goal is fantastic, but we only produce one during the game, whereas we should have ten of these. Toulouse caused us a lot of trouble at midfield. At the end of the day, we managed a good counter-attacking game» (lequipe.fr).

- Alain Casanova (Toulouse Manager) : «To be trailing at half-time is harsh, maybe even unfair when I see the way my team played. But we came across a really realistic Rennes team. On their first chance, they did the hardest. […] We lacked precision. There were too many lost balls. And Rennes has got more maturity, experience or even talent on some positions” (tfc.info).

- Yann M’Vila : « We faced a very good Toulouse team, who managed a big game. But we were more clinical than them, good for us. Being first? It’s been a while, that’s for sure, but it is good, we were solid from the beginning to the end. We have a pretty complete team, and we should go on like this. Even though this goal we conceded spoilt the party a little bit” (football365.fr)

- Daniel Congré (Toulouse defender) : «The content wasn’t bad, but we weren’t realist enough both in attack and in defence. We didn’t play badly, but this is the top level. It is a big disappointment. Now we need to look ahead, and not jeopardise our great early season” (tfc.info).