Paris timorous, Paris laminated, and now Paris distraught.
The days and weeks ahead look particularly gloomy in the capital.
Stade Français has barely plunged into the deep end of the Top 14 when it is already sinking.
This Saturday, under a sun that encouraged other celebrations, the capital club sank at the Chaban-Delmas stadium against Bordeaux-Bègles (37-10).
And the concern that drives almost all layers of a team that hoped for much better does not come only from the score.
It is above all the manner, the background or rather its absence, which challenges, confirms and amplifies the mistakes already seen during the derby lost to Jean-Bouin against Racing (36-21) at the start of the season.
"It is not normal to be at this stage after two months of preparation."
No attack worthy of the name, a multitude of clumsiness, a plethora of forward, an unfailing passivity. It had to be wanted to sink against particularly messy Bordeaux, only enlightened by the explosive talent of Matthieu Jalibert. “They fed on our mistakes,” explains assistant coach Julien Arias. We return to Paris with a big dose of humility. It's more than that, in fact. After two days, the Stade Français does not know at all where it is and it is already swimming in full doubt. “Our offensive production is very poor,” adds Arias. We lose the ball after two or three playing times. We (Editor's note: the staff) are very worried and the players too. "
Doubt or even worry does not arise only from the points lost in the face of the big arms who are aiming for a place among the first six, qualifying for the final phase. The red lantern hanging on the back, the prospect of a third defeat in a row Sunday, September 19 in Toulon, and a failed start in a very close competition, are not much in the light of two performances which lend themselves to pessimism. It is as if there is no common thread, no structure, no scheme to build on. “When we see them play, we wonder what they are doing in training, plague a former Parisian player. It is not normal to be at this stage after two months of preparation, especially with a squad that has not moved much. "
We do not recognize, in fact, the team which had finished in cannonball the regular phase and had qualified for the play-offs last season. Manager Gonzalo Quesada is preparing for a few nights of migraines. "It can quickly end in crisis if all doubt sets in and defeats follow one another", continues Jean-Bouin's regular. Especially since the owner Hans-Peter Wild, already present for the derby, was still in the stands in Bordeaux, a sign that he is expecting at least some semblance of a return on investment. For now, he's going to have to settle for rather lukewarm words of apology. “At halftime, it remained positive (Editor's note: 6-0 for the UBB), underlines the Parisian winger Adrien Lapègue. We had trouble passing the ball. It's not all negative. It's only the second game, we don't have our heads at the bottom of the bucket.Looks good though.
