The smiles were a little mixed after the draw against Rodez (1-1), when President Pierre Ferracci presented a trophy to Vincent Demarconnay, who on Saturday broke the record for matches (271st) played in the Paris jersey.
But the equalizer of Tunisian Ali Abdi at the last minute nevertheless avoided even greater disillusion at Paris FC.
Irresistible before the last international break (8 wins in 10 games), praised by its opponents and observers, the Parisian team is no longer moving forward.
The former leader who was believed to have gone for a single rider (8 points ahead of the 3rd after the 10th day) has only taken 3 points out of 15 in the last 5 games.
Grenoble and Troyes - who are both one game late, have now passed him.
Decimated in the offensive field (suspension of Lopez and Guilavogui, injuries to Caddy and Nomenjanahary, absence of Pitroipa) Paris FC nevertheless showed incredible clumsiness in a match that looked like a defense attack (74% possession, 23 shots, 37 centers) against a team from Rodez grouped together and often rigging.
"They tried to save time, they were falling like flies, it looked like they needed word-of-mouth, ironically René Girard who followed the meeting from the stands because of a suspension.
It's unfortunate that the referee doesn't favor teams that want to play.
"
💬 "I am disappointed because we had to win this match but I found a good state of mind"
📽 René Girard spoke after the draw against Rodez (1-1). # PFCRAF pic.twitter.com / kObAk1ktQr
- Paris FC (@ParisFC) December 13, 2020
But the Parisian coach also wanted to retain the reaction of his players.
“Faced with this kind of team, the worst thing that could happen to us was to concede an entry goal like that in the 3rd minute.
But compared to some matches, we were able to react by trying to find solutions.
We have at least found a little that grinta that we had lost.
"
"When we see what we miss, we say to ourselves that it is not possible ..."
But like in Troyes (2-1) last week, Paris FC wasted a lot, missing situations that seemed inevitable.
“This season, we won games with fewer chances than against Troyes and Rodez,” says captain Cyril Mandouki.
But we managed to materialize.
There, when we see what we miss, we say to ourselves that it is not possible ... Me, the first in Troyes against the goalkeeper.
We are really less well and it can be felt in the head.
"
Symbol of this loss of confidence, the performance of Gaëtan Laura.
Revelation of the start of the season, the Parisian TGV missed two huge opportunities on Saturday and never recovered, wandering the field like a ghost, often with its head down.
To his credit, he is physically impaired.
But given the shortage among offensive players, Girard was forced to start him.
“It's not easy for him at the moment, admits his coach.
He has pain in his adductors.
One day he can train, the next he can't.
You can feel it on his races, his pain slows him down.
We will make a decision at the truce on the care he will need.
"
In the meantime, Paris FC will have to try to negotiate the matches of Clermont and Guingamp.
“Honestly, we would have signed to be 3rd at the break at one point behind the leader,” said Mandouki.
That's why we have to stay united because we still have two big games ahead.
"
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René Girard, who noted with satisfaction the rise of Marvin Gakpa and the affirmation of Ali Abdi, believes that this bad period will participate in "learning" of his team.
“When you attack a season where everything is successful, you also have to expect difficult times,” he concludes.
In football, as in life, everything can be learned.
We had tasted the pleasure and now we are in the rough.
We are learning what it is to be in front, to be followed by all the teams and not to receive any gift from anyone.
But now we have to move on to step three.
What we are experiencing must be a plus, not a barrier.
It should be fun to be in the lead.
What is presented to us is magnificent, I do not see why it should paralyze us… ”
