Brand-new Sainté boss Claude Puel deflected the limelight onto his players after the dramatic 1-0 derby win over OL, whose president Jean-Michel Aulas said the club, now winless in seven and ranked 14th, will have to take action.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
AS Saint-Etienne 1-0 Olympique Lyonnais
Claude Puel (AS Saint-Etienne coach): "I don't think it should be about me. The players were extraordinary; they were very disciplined and they put a lot of intensity and cohesion into their game. We had a very good first half, without conceding a single opportunity. But we lacked accuracy. There are a lot of little things to take care of, but we were able to rely on a very strong mentality. We got tired towards the end but the goal, when it finally came, was a reward for our selflessness and the huge performance the players turned in despite the circumstances. However, we mustn't let this victory hide the fact that we have a lot of work to do."
Jean-Michel Aulas (Olympique Lyonnais president): "You have to take the time to think carefully. In terms of points, it's not good enough. We have to think about it and Juni [sporting director Juninho] has to tell us what he wants to do. A change of coach? You have to ask Juni. Juni is in charge of the sports department, and he'll think about it. But it's true that you can't do nothing. Juni will propose things and I will decide with my board of directors. We have a management committee meeting tomorrow evening and a board of directors meeting on Tuesday. We have to take the time to think carefully, also take into account the opinions of the players and other coaches, serenely, to make the right decisions. I have to reflect on this with the coach, and with [advisor] Gérard Houllier, before making a decision."
Sylvinho (Olympique Lyonnais coach): "It's not my place to say whether I'm still the man for the job at OL. I can repeat that yes, I am worried. I cannot explain this result. But I have to seek out the problems and fix them to help the players get back on track. That's my job."
LOSC 2-2 Nîmes Olympique
Christophe Galtier (Lille coach): "We started well in the first 15 minutes but then the individual errors set in and we kept giving the ball to Nîmes, who used it well in the transitions. We don't appreciate the point we got because we didn't play well, but 10 minutes from the end we were on course for nothing. We were very bad defensively. What I saw didn't correspond to the way we've been playing over the last 12 months."
Bernard Blaquart (Nîmes coach): "There's a mixture of everything in there, some disappointment and frustration, but also satisfaction. This is a good result. We were close to winning and close to losing. Lille put greater intensity into the second half. There was a moment when we tried to hold onto the result, something totally understandable. We weren't outclassed and played well."
Stade Rennais FC 0- 1 Stade de Reims
Julien Stéphan (Rennes coach): "We didn't start well and could have been behind at half-time. We weren't clinical enough in front of goal and we were out of luck too. Reims scored early in the second half and we actually played better after half-time but them going in front made it very difficult as they're a physical team who sit very deep. We're not scoring enough goals and we need to work on our attacking play. Ligue 1 is difficult."
David Guion (Reims coach): "We were frustrated to not be in front at half-time and needed to encourage the lads to keep pushing. The goal freed us up. After that we had a few lucky minutes as they hit the woodwork. We should have been two goals up and safe but my team is young and learning. We continue to move forward and I'm happy to be on 14 points."
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Angers
Thomas Tuchel (PSG coach): "I'm very satisfied with the result. It's a 4-0 win against a team who've scored a lot of goals this season. We lost possession too much in the first half but we controlled things better in the second. We were much more disciplined. It's never perfect but it was better. It's a good way to go into the international break. We didn't concede and some of the new players are beginning to show their personalities. We worked hard this week and played as a team. [Neymar] is getting better. It's up to him to show that he's decisive, that he'll work hard for the team. Talking is useless. He tried a lot, a lot of dribbles. He could've scored more but he's capable of extraordinary things."
Stéphane Moulin (Angers coach): "I thought it was harsh on us to be 3-0 to be 3-0 down in the first half because we came to thwart them and played to our strengths. It's a shame we didn't score in the first half. It was complicated against a Paris team who are better than at the start of the season. They're more consistent, enthusiastic, aggressive. We rode our luck but we had to score. It hurts to lose 4-0 but that's the difference between them and us. We're not the team to stop them winning the title but we need to keep clear heads. There was a real collective strength in Paris today."
Stade Brestois 29 2-0 FC Metz
Olivier Dall'Oglio (Brest coach): "Metz are competing with us for survival so it was important for us to win this game. We could've played better but it was a selfless performance from the boys with a lot of good defensive work. You have to be able to handle this kind of match. It was less spectacular than against Lyon [a 2-2 draw] but much better than we played against Monaco [a 4-1 loss]. It was important to pick up points. We can be calmer now."
Vincent Hognon (Metz coach): "I'm disappointed with the result. We were 2-0 down at half-time, but Brest only got into our box twice. My goalkeeper [Alexandre Oukidja] barely had a save to make! We had possession, made transitions and put crosses in, but we weren't good enough. We weren't good enough in either box. We have to be much quicker and keep progressing, otherwise we'll all be in trouble. Football is all about efficiency. It's very frustrating."
Dijon FCO 1-0 RC Strasbourg Alsace
Stéphane Jobard (Dijon coach): "I was expecting a difficult match against a team that defends well. However, we had the chance to break the deadlock quickly, almost on our first attack. We had to be a bit more patient in the second half but I would've liked us to have converted more chances. That said, we move forward. The players worked hard and put together some nice moves. The group's listening and it was important for us to pick up our first home win."
Thierry Laurey (Strasbourg coach): "I think we could've made the difference in the first half because if any team had to score, it was Strasbourg. But it is Dijon who managed to score, almost on their only real chance. We lacked some technique and ambition going forward. We weren't at our best and Dijon, who defended well in the second half, made it difficult. I'm disappointed. We could've had a better result."
Montpellier Hérault SC 3-1 AS Monaco
Michel Der Zakarian (Montpellier coach): "The run stops. It was 29 years since we won at home to Monaco! We had a big game, against a good team who are in good shape. We gave them hardly any chances. We controlled their set pieces where they're very dangerous. We were better coming forward after the first quarter of an hour. They were vulnerable in behind and we took advantage. We had a good first half and managed the game well in the second. Overall we defended very well and were alert for crosses."
Leonardo Jardim (Monaco coach): "I'm disappointed because we played without any intensity or rigour in the first half. We had control of the ball but didn't do anything with it. We weren't aggressive enough either, we failed to put them under pressure. It's difficult when you can't keep it together against good teams. We let Montpellier play. Our goalkeeper [Benjamin Lecomte] made two or three saves and we only had one shot. We lacked the team spirit and intensity that all teams in Ligue 1 need. It's very intense in this league."
FC Nantes 0-0 OGC Nice
Christian Gourcuff (Nantes): "The league is a long way from over this season but it's better to have 19 points after nine games. It gives us confidence. There was clear progression in this game but we can't get carried away. We controlled the game from A to Z which is very satisfying and the scoring so late created a release of emotion. A draw wouldn't have been unfair. We're solid at the back and if [Andrei] Girotto keeps playing like this he might end up getting called up by Brazil. This game is also the one in which we've created the most chances this season. The goal was beautiful. The fans would like to see more goals but everything in its own time."
Patrick Vieira (Nice coach): "We missed the most important thing in football: aggression, in attack and defence. From there it's difficult to be dangerous. Nantes didn't steal their victory. They had more desire and were more determined. We were timid and afraid to take risks and that's frustrating. We lost a lot of duels and second balls. We have to press on. This is a young group with a big margin for improvement. We played with the handbrake on, we were afraid to let go, we made a lot of back passes. It gave Nantes more confidence."
Toulouse FC 1-3 Girondins de Bordeaux
Alain Casanova (Toulouse coach): "This match hurt us. Bordeaux scored very quickly. It was a catastrophic start to the game. Bordeaux were better than us in the first half. Their third goal ended our hopes. We lack confidence and have to raise the bar. The upcoming fixtures are difficult but we have to have a better mindset to take points."
Paulo Sousa (Bordeaux coach): "There's no such thing as the perfect game but we had a very good first half and took advantage. We were confident and managed the game well. There were still times when Toulouse believed they could come back. We gave them space and the chance to counter-attack, but our defence were calm and we stayed in control of the match. I think we were too quiet at times. Being fourth gives the team confidence. Nicolas de Préville was dangerous the whole time. If he keeps making good decisions he'll attain a very high level."
Friday, October 4, 2019
Amiens SC 3-1 Olympique de Marseille
Luka Elsner (Amiens coach): "I'm happy for the players as they fought like iions for every ball and were rewarded. It's good to savour the win but we're not going to get carried away. It's not an end in itself and it's only Week 9. It was one of our most complete matches in terms of our engagement, our rigour and our discipline. We're starting to have several arms at our disposal and to use them well."
André Villas-Boas (Marseille coach): "It's a heavy defeat. We gave everything in the second half after giving away a rather naïve penalty at the end of the first half. After three draws, this was tough for us. I'm not going to worry too much about their third goal as we were pushing hard to get back to 2-2. I'm responsible for the defeat and I must find greater balance between attack and defence in order to win games. The suspensions are our fault and we missed the creativity of Payet today for the final pass."
