A complicated past week with elimination from the Coupe de la Ligue, the defeat against Lyon, and the injuries of Didier Digard and Mathieu Bodmer. With the trip to Evian, the bottom team, this Saturday evening, OGC Nice has the opportunity to start a new series, but they will face an opponent they have never beaten away from home.
The famous mid-table of Ligue 1, OGC Nice is right in the middle with this 11th place. After 13 matches, the record is decent, but nothing more: 5 wins, 2 draws, and 5 losses. “A cyclical team,” as Claude Puel likes to say. But OGC Nice, without its slip-ups against Montpellier (1-1) and Bastia (0-1), could have aimed for better. On the injury front, it has filled up again over the past 10 days with Didier Digard’s calf injury, Mathieu Bodmer’s broken rib, and a sore back for Grégoire Puel, in addition to Hult and Traoré.
Despite the defeat against Lyon (1-3) last Saturday, Claude Puel’s men showed quality and an upper-table face. The negative scenario (injuries to 2 players + cramps) forced the coach to revise his plans. The returns of Dario Cvitanich and Albert should give the team a second wind. In defense, Souleymane Diawara should replace Mathieu Bodmer position for position, with the only uncertainty being who will take the right side of the Nice attack: Plea? Bosetti? Eysseric? The answer will come around 7 PM this Saturday when Claude Puel reveals his lineup.
“We are playing better compared to last season, but the problem of this irregularity remains. To aim higher in the standings, we need to make efforts and give our maximum,” said Nampalys Mendy at the press briefing this Thursday.
In Savoy, the daily life is complicated for Evian-Thonon-Gaillard. Bottom of Ligue 1, the pinks are coming off three consecutive losses (Monaco, Nantes, Montpellier) after having chained three consecutive wins (Lens, Lorient, Metz). The man to watch will undoubtedly be Daniel Wass. The “Swiss Army Knife” (defender, midfielder, attacker), coming from Denmark, is having a very good first part of the season with 4 goals and one assist.
“It’s always special at Evian, a really not easy trip. They have been capable of winning 3 times in a row, it won’t be enough to be just well concentrated. In this match, we will have to show our physical and mental resources,” explained Claude Puel at the press conference.
The last time the Eagles encountered the bottom of Ligue 1 was at Guingamp with the result we know. Repeat performance?
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