N3 – D8: The youth of LOSC offers a nice point to Stéphane Pichot
Postponed due to fog on November 13, the meeting between Olympique Marcquois and LOSC took place on this January evening. A particularly tough opposition that ended in a draw encouraged for Lille youth (0-0).
On an upward slope after a delicate first part of the season, especially in accounting terms, Stéphane Pichot’s group feared this meeting which pitted it against Olympique Marcquois, third in National 3, as long as it was overhauled. Without several of his executives and without his recruits, the technician moved with a particularly young workforce. An element behind which he did not hide while Lilian Baret (16) produced a more than solid performance for his first tenure at this level and this, throughout the duration of the meeting…
On a frosty end of the day, in the middle of January, the Mastiffs moved into hostile terrain with the main objective of snatching at least the point of the draw. Aligned in a five-man defense, LOSC remained solid, resisting the often stereotypical possession game of Olympique Marcquois. If the overall control of the meeting is to the credit of the locals, the men of Stéphane Pichot have sometimes managed to clash in counterattacks. However, most of the match was played in the middle, where an intense fight raged for more than 90 minutes and, the only times the Lille block gave way, Negrel stood out. In terms of pure chances, the Lille goalkeeper was never really put in danger with the exception of a returning corner that he released with a nice tap after the only thrill granted by our Mastiffs. Even during the ten minutes of additional time, the Lille defense proved unfazed as frustration mounted at high speed in the opposing camp, to such an extent that scuffles hampered the smooth running of the match (90′ and 97 ′) at the end of the game.
At the final whistle, the Mastiffs managed to snatch the point of the draw as well as a clean sheet, two elements synonymous with great promise for the rest of the season. Lille youth showed that they had guts under the eyes of Jonathan Bamba, present throughout the second act. However, Stéphane Pichot is impatient to be able to count on a full group to continue this quest for maintenance.
Stephane Pichot’s reaction
Present at our microphones at the end of the meeting, Stéphane Pichot drew a rather positive assessment of the 90 minutes recovered. Despite the difficulties encountered on paper, the objective was achieved: “We are happy to have taken a point and to continue our series (4 consecutive games without defeat, editor’s note), that was the objective. Between the players who were not qualified, two with the pros and two suspended, we had a lot of absentees. We played very young with two starters in 2006, two in 2005… The boys got together. We had come to take at least one point and we managed to do so in a somewhat closed, somewhat tactical match where we locked them in well. I think it’s deserved for all the boys. »
Aligned in a system with an unusual five-man defense even if used a few times in the past, LOSC showed unfailing solidity. However, Stéphane Pichot admits, he was forced to use this device: “I think that if the entire workforce, we do not play in this system there. It was a device adapted to the players that we had available knowing that we had very few midfielders and that we had to come and take a point. There was not much choice regarding the system and we did it without really working on it. » A game plan that can explain the final score but also the overall physiognomy of the meeting, rather dull in terms of the game: “It was a closed match, on very few occasions. On a defended lot. Opposite, it’s a mature team that often has plenty of possession at home. They accumulated us a bit but apart from a few crosses, they did not find the space to express themselves, except for long shots. We had opportunities to hurt, especially at the start of the match, but we played the transitions badly, due to a lack of technical accuracy. On the whole match, we are happy to take this point. »
Finally, opposed to a superior opponent on paper, the young people of Lille demonstrated a certain strength of character. However, the game was not won in advance while the lived combat was expected: “We had warned them. We knew it was going to be difficult here. We knew they were going to put pressure on them. I sincerely think that the referee hit a little too hard and unfairly. Then we saw that the frustration was rising on both sides which created a little tension… I’m not going to put myself in the referee’s shoes but I think there are two red cards, (slap and kick head, and very strong tackle, editor’s note). But we’re not going to dwell on that, the main thing is to have taken a point and to have been able to continue our momentum. I liked the state of mind of the boys, of not giving up even in adversity” concluded Stéphane Pichot, before reassuring us about the physical condition of his players while looking ahead to the weeks to come with a first shock at home against Croix (J14 – 04/02) then in Maubeuge (J15 – 11/02 ).
Olympique Marcquois 0 – 0 LOSC
8th day of National 3 – Stade George Niquet (6:30 p.m.)
Arbitrator : Theo Vitoux
But : /
Warnings : Baret (35′), Raghouber (60′), Lachaab (69′), Bazié (90′) and Mabanza (97′) for LOSC
LOSC : Négrel – Ramet, Ousmane, Oura Sama, Burlet, Mbamba – Baret, Raghouber – Lachaab (Breslau 73′), Messoussa (Diedhiou 73′), Bazié (Mabanza 94′)
Coach : Stephane Pichot
Olympic Marcquois : Vanherreweghe, Masson, Avines, Pau, Dignan, Verité, Mammou, Chah, Merabti, Guelsifi, Mihoubi
Coach : Frederic Council Desruisseau