PSG coach Thomas Tuchel refused to "question everything after one bad result" following the loss to Rennes; Opposite number Julien Stéphan urged caution by the same token. Week 2 reactions…
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Stade Rennais FC 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Julien Stéphan (Rennes coach): "It was a great collective performance until the very end. We used our experience from the Trophée des Champions [PSG beat Rennes 2-1 in the season opener two weeks ago]. We worked a lot this week on getting the ball out from the back and looking at where we could cause them trouble. We could've scored more with a bit of luck. We can't get carried away after this win, though. I have no complaints about the goal we conceded [Edinson Cavani opened the scoring on 36 minutes]. When we take the initiative like we did we have the right to make mistakes."
Thomas Tuchel (PSG coach): "It was a difficult game but we expected it to be. We didn't have everyone available and some of the guys had only trained for two weeks. This is normal for August. We scored the first goal and controlled the match but then we made mistakes. We could have won as well. I don't think there's a psychological problem. We didn't get asked this after the Trophée des Champions or the game against Nîmes [PSG beat Nîmes 3-0 on the opening day]. Last year we won everything and there were some games we were lucky to win. As for Neymar, unless we sign someone else he won't leave. That's clear. If he stays we have a player who can help us win games. We can play better than we did today, but we were also missing [Thilo] Kehrer, [Ander] Herrera, Neymar and [Presnel] Kimpembe. We need to remain patient and confident. We can't question everything after one bad result."
AS Saint-Etienne 1-1 Stade Brestois 29
Ghislain Printant (Saint-Etienne coach): "The first feeling we have is disappointment at not winning, but I was pleased with the reaction of the team in the second half. The players were more precise and unfazed when they came back out and that allowed us to create chances. Unfortunately, it only allowed us to get an equaliser and nothing more. We dominated the first half but were wasteful. But the players are getting to know each other and how they play so will improve in the coming games."
Olivier Dall'Oglio (Brest coach): "It's a good result. We have just come up but we came to Saint-Etienne, an ambitious side, to play football. But we are also frustrated because, like last week, we conceded an avoidable goal. We are still learning, but we need to learn how to hold on to a result. Nevertheless, this remains a result that will give us confidence, even if for the moment we too easily accept giving the ball away. We need to show that we know how to do something else."
Stade de Reims 0-0 RC Strasbourg Alsace
David Guion (Reims coach): "I congratulated my players for their intentions and their determination. They played with lots of enthusiasm as they tried to break Strasbourg down. You could see what the Alsatians' intentions were very early on. They posed no danger to us and were just well organised and disciplined. We tried to get the ball wide, play with pace, and we had a few chances but only one on target. We had almost 60 percent possession and my players did try. Unfortunately the ball wouldn't go in."
Thierry Laurey (Strasbourg coach): "I am fully satisfied because we can't allow ourselves to play champagne football at the moment and take the sort of risks going forward that we would like to take. The constant repetition of matches is using up a lot of energy. We are trying first and foremost to protect our backs. If we rotate the squad it is in order to freshen things up every time. We didn't concede many chances. It wasn't a super match, it was not Chelsea v Liverpool, but we closed the game down and the boys followed my instructions. Overall we didn't get ourselves into trouble against what is a very good side."
Saturday, August 17, 2019
FC Nantes 0-0 Olympique de Marseille
Christian Gourcuff (Nantes coach): "I'm satisfied. The crowd also responded. We had momentum and it won't stop here. We didn't control the whole game but we had most of the attacking initiative. We moved the ball around well. We need to improve in the final third but that'll improve over time. This was already better than the Lille match [Nantes lost 2-0 to LOSC on the opening day]. There was an evolution. To dominate OM like this was satisfying."
André Villas-Boas (Marseille coach): "I told the guys that this was the first and last time that this happens [designated penalty taker Dmitri Payet allowed Dario Benedetto to take a 31st-minute penalty, which was subsequently missed]. We have Dim there to take penalties, we've practiced them throughout pre-season. Obviously, it's difficult to accept, it was done with a good intention. Normally Dario might put them away, but not today."
Amiens SC 1-0 LOSC
Luka Elsner (Amiens coach): "It was important to pick up points at the start of our season, in front of our home fans. Our victory wasn't down to chance, we showed some really positive things. Sometimes you have to be effective, not simply pleasing to the eye. We have to remain humble with this win but also come away with some confidence. Gaël Kakuta played well. He wanted to play. He's a special talent but also a team player."
Christophe Galtier (LOSC coach): "We tried various different things but it didn't come off. Amiens were very playful and alert and they played really well in the first 20 minutes. Positives for us? Even when it was 10 against 11 [LOSC had Boubakary Soumaré sent off after 39 minutes] we tried to play and win."
Girondins de Bordeaux 1-1 Montpellier Hérault SC
Paulo Sousa (Bordeaux coach): "All matches are difficult to win. I really liked our attitude, our individual and collective play. It gives me more motivation than ever to continue with these players. We tried everything to win this game. I enjoyed seeing my team create chances like in the second half. We had four, five or six very clear chances. We need players who can take the initiative. Tonight, it was two points dropped because I think we were the better team."
Michel Der Zakarian (Montpellier coach): "We had a very good first half and we should've scored more. We were physically strong enough to press them very high up the pitch, we didn't let them play the ball out from the back. We could've hurt them even more than we did. We should have sat back after taking the lead. It's my fault - I was too greedy."
FC Metz 3-0 AS Monaco
Vincent Hognon (Metz coach): "We're very happy with the result. We started the game well which is what I wanted. We were dangerous when we had the ball and we were rewarded for how well we played. There was no secret, it's simply how the match went. We know there will be difficult moments but we'll pick up points. Repeating performances like this will help us win more games and reach the points haul we're aiming for. We need to remember that the match against Angers next weekend will be even more difficult."
Leonardo Jardim (Monaco coach): "It's a difficult start. We worked hard for six weeks getting the team into shape and today we had other players who we had to integrate. Our goal is to work together and overcome these difficulties. If you lose two or three games it becomes a negative cycle but we'll try to become competitive quickly. [Radamel] Falcao had problems and wasn't medically fit to play today. [Wissam] Ben Yedder probably wouldn't have started but been blooded bit by bit, but that's how it goes sometimes."
Nîmes Olympique 1-2 OGC Nice
Bernard Blaquart (Nîmes coach): "Just like after the Paris game [Nîmes were beaten 3-0 by the champions on the opening day], I'm neither reassured nor particularly worried by this defeat. It's never good to start a season with two losses but Nice were well drilled and we can't judge our season on the first two matches. We'll have to rethink things against Monaco [next Sunday]."
Patrick Vieira (Nice coach): "After Racine Coly's red card [the Senegalese left-back was sent off after 51 minutes] we had to show character and solidarity. We leave Nîmes with three points and that's fine. We were rewarded for our hard work. Tonight, my group was exceptional. We showed real quality in our game. We were brave when we went a man down and that's part of the strength of this group."
Toulouse FC 1-0 Dijon FCO
Alain Casanova (Toulouse coach): "Our first half was poor compared to how we wanted to play. We were too wait-and-see. It's also my fault. I think we should've taken Dijon on with much more intensity. We had better attacking intent in the second half and scored with a well-worked team goal. We never let our level drop, we absolutely wanted all three points, and on the whole, I think the win was deserved. There was some interesting things but we still have to work hard."
Stéphane Jobard (Dijon coach): "Zero points from two games is complicated, but I have reasons to be satisfied. I think we're simply missing capitalising on our best moments with goals. The first goal was going to be important here, and Toulouse got it. It changed the game. I'm optimistic because I think we approached the game with the right spirit. It was an entertaining match but we paid dearly for our mistakes."
Friday, August 16, 2019
Olympique Lyonnais 6-0 Angers SCO
Sylvinho (Lyon coach): "The result is very good against a team that had beaten Bordeaux. But I'm happier with my players than the result. It's a performance that shows the team is under construction. The attitude was good. There was the idea of carrying the supporters with us. We played really well today, but we're still a work in progress, I must insist on that. We still need more games to be able to be sure of more things. It's never an easy thing to change players' attitudes. It's quite surprising to have had such a change in such a short space of time, but the road is long. It's true that with just a little work, we have had some answers. My ideas have been understood, but there is really room for improvement."
Stéphane Moulin (Angers coach): "Since the middle of the week, I knew it was going to be tough. We got a little weaker during the week. It wouldn't have changed everything, but we felt that as a real loss. There was a lot of emotion on Wednesday morning, it's not good news for us. That's no excuse, but what a difference between this week and last week. Lyon were the ones mostly responsible for what happened, but we were really weakened. We made too many individual mistakes, and Lyon took advantage. I had said that we mustn't make it easy for them. If we're caught out by our opponents' quality, I understand that, but if we offer them goals, that's not like us."
