In their last ten direct confrontations, Paris FC have won only once against Niort for 4 draws and 5 defeats.
Once again, the Parisians therefore tripped over the carpet against their pet peeve on Saturday (2-1).
This first defeat of the season puts the finger on all the shortcomings from which this team still suffers, far from a candidate for Ligue 1.
In front, the lack of connection between Pierre-Yves Hamel, who has not scored since December 2020 and who is cursed (his strike in the 17th saved on the line) becomes problematic.
The entry of Warren Caddy, who had not yet played this season, brought more fluidity to the attacking movements.
The lack of serenity at the foot of goalkeeper Ivan Filipovic, which had already been felt, this time cost a goal.
Put in difficulty on a pass from Maxime Bernauer, he missed his recovery and offered a decisive pass to the Tunisian international Zemzemi for the 2nd Niort goal.
Paris FC is in 11th place, its worst start since the 2019-2020 season.
It was an annoyed Thierry Laurey who appeared at a press conference.
Are you feeling bitter after this game?
THIERRY LAUREY.
Bitter no, but annoyed.
We had control of the game, the match and the opportunities.
At some point, you have to know how to put them at the bottom.
Our goalkeeper had no intervention to do.
We can only blame ourselves.
Niort didn't steal anything.
They took what was given to them.
But we can hardly accept that we can be sorely lacking in intensity as in the first period and then sorely lacking in lucidity in the second period in a match which was technically mastered.
Your team shot 18 times, crossed more than 40 times...
Yes but how many crosses have we made on Conte who is their best leading player?
Sometimes, you have to have the intelligence to tell yourself, we're going to shift and it will go better.
That is borderline annoying.
At one point, we panicked and did anything.
During the week, you make them a video to show the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent.
Niort's weaknesses were identified.
On this match, they were verified but we did not know how to take advantage of them.
Me, I want to have boys who are professional enough to pay attention when they are alerted to an opponent's strength and to know how to drive the point home on a weakness that has been identified.
It's not more complicated than that.
We have the impression that you had defended better in numerical inferiority at Sochaux and Guingamp than against Niort?
Yes.
Defensively, we were much better during the two previous trips.
There, we did a little anything.
When you give the ball to the opponent in the six meters, there is a chance that it will be on target in the end.
“We are not where we wanted to be”
Five points in four games.
Accounting, the balance sheet is not good…
We knew that with three trips out of four, our start to the season was complicated.
We therefore did not expect to score 12 out of 12. But it is obvious that we are not where we wanted to be.
It's a disappointment.
We have five points, we are in the middle of the table, so we only have what we deserve.
The departure was important.
But sometimes that doesn't mean much.
Last year, we had 10 points after 4 games and 13 after five games.
We were in front but we finished 4th.
There may be fluctuations.
Despite everything, is there already an emergency for Paris FC?
We are only on the 4th day.
We know that what we have shown since the start of the season is not enough.
If this game can wake everyone up, so much the better… We will have to do more.
We will face Caen, which is first and has just achieved a big result (4-1 against Guingamp).
This game should boost us.
What will you be talking about this week?
Above all, we must keep our calm, our serenity and our lucidity.
We will try to set things up as they should be.
Go to the essential, as requested.
Which was not the case in Niort.