ChristopheVAFC

Personally, I don't blame my player because he's doing his best. Of course, many of our supporters expect more from him, want him to be more decisive and score more goals, because he's considered a striker. Rumours also say that he has one of the highest salaries in the club and therefore, inevitably, he has to justify it. He realised he had lost the ball on Friday and tried to make up for it and help the other players, but unfortunately our opponents scored a goal and so some of the crowd turned on him... In my opinion, he's neither the best nor the worst. The problem lies elsewhere and we really need to find a solution to our issues with confidence, efficiency and communication... Our players each have their qualities, that's undeniable, but it's difficult to understand why our players can't play at their level... That's the paradox of our team this season...

Gaetan Courtet's apology on Instagram:

Hello Friend's ! Today press: National League: "We're not actually scary," Valenciennes confronted with their shortcomings and doubts While the victory in Rouen certainly didn't make them a title contender, Valenciennes, still recovering, fell ill again on Friday with a 2-1 home defeat, their sixth loss of the season, this time against bottom-of-the-table Saint-Brieuc. The grim reality: survival is now the priority. As he was substituted (79th minute), Gaëtan Courtet was booed off the pitch at the Stade du Hainaut, embodying the frustration of a crowd weary of waiting for a turnaround that never materializes. Frustrated and furious, the captain stormed to the locker room, tearing off his jersey in a fit of anger. This didn't go unnoticed, especially by the commentators who have been harshly criticizing him on social media since Friday. He apologized on Instagram on Saturday but will be sanctioned by the club for this gesture. It's the way things are when results aren't forthcoming. Gaëtan Courtet was booed by the crowd as he left the pitch in the 79th minute. His visceral reaction did not go unnoticed. - Photo Christophe Lefebvre The club's general manager, Yoann Godin, knows this all too well, as he tries his best to "keep a cool head" and weather the storm. He doesn't intend to part ways with Stéphane Moulin now, whose distress is understandable but also raises questions. "We'll have a meeting with the coach and Mathieu (Frison, the sporting coordinator), as we do every Monday. We need to be honest with each other and try to move forward together. The important thing is that the coach is with us and believes in us." » Weaknesses As exciting as it was, the 2-1 victory in Rouen, against the league leaders, achieved with unwavering determination, didn't make Valenciennes a potential champion. Stéphane Moulin is well aware of his team's weaknesses: "effective about once every five matches," capable of eight shots on target, as on Friday, hitting the woodwork twice, and scoring only one goal, in stoppage time. The stark assessment: "We're not exactly intimidating." And defensively, things aren't much better. "The standings in this league based on a single match mean nothing. I said based on a single match. That's why there are so many erratic results compared to the league table." “Stéphane Moulin, on the eve of VAFC – Saint-Brieuc The coach knew what to expect from Saint-Brieuc, the “false bottom” team determined to save themselves at all costs at the start of the year, and who, before unsettling VA on Friday (1-2), had held Dijon (0-0) and Sochaux (1-1). “The hierarchy of this league based on a single match means nothing. I said based on a single match. That’s why there are so many erratic results compared to the standings,” he observed the day before this latest defeat, the sixth conceded at home by his team, who are also the only ones to have lost, and twice at that, against Saint-Brieuc. What does this say about this team? Stéphane Moulin remains perplexed: “I have absolutely no idea… But it’s certainly not to our credit.” “ To make matters worse, Valenciennes, now 13th, saw QRM, the first team in the relegation zone, close the gap to seven points after their 2-1 victory over Concarneau on Thursday. The order of the mission has changed: “The objective is to secure our place in the league as quickly as possible,” insists Yoann Godin. This will allow them to prepare for the future with a minimum of peace of mind.”

I really love the name of this topic. 🤣

VAMOS !!! Congratulation Saint's Friends !!!

Thanks for the link 🙏 COYS !

That's exactly right, my friend. Sometimes I feel like they want to score with the ball... Sometimes you have to take a chance and dare to create opportunities. We often have possession, but unfortunately we don't score many goals, which is frustrating because we could score at least three goals in every match, and that would make things easier for us. It does seem like they're afraid and don't dare to... Do we need a mental coach? Do we need to work even harder on our play in front of goal during training? Our players need to let loose and not be afraid to take chances.

I think that if winning a match came down to the number of scoring opportunities, we would be at the top of the table. Right now, I feel like they're afraid to score! Once again, it's been the same thing for years. Sometimes I wonder if we're victims of a curse... Yet our players have everything they need to succeed. Do they have too much to succeed? Good question...

The statistics are frightening! VA must do MUCH better!!

“When you concede a goal, it feels like the sky is falling,” Loïck Landre said, reflecting on Valenciennes’ weaknesses. The Valenciennes FC center-back didn’t shy away from discussing the latest defeat suffered this Friday at the Hainaut stadium against Saint-Brieuc (1-2). Loïck, what are your feelings after a match like that? “We’re disappointed, it’s a bit like the one against Orléans. We come up against teams that are incredibly efficient, they manage to open the scoring, and then it’s always more complicated, you have to put in more effort, open yourself up… And then today (Friday), we concede a second goal, a really nice one at that, so it’s tough. It’s not what we were hoping for; we wanted to build on that momentum.” We came up against a team that played a good match, that was cohesive, that knew how to exploit our weaknesses. Conversely, is it a lack of efficiency that prevents you from winning these matches? "We missed our first half, we left too much space, I think, and unfortunately, we were in trouble too often." "It's a combination of factors; it's not just the forwards who are at fault. It's a problem in both penalty areas. It's true that offensively, things didn't go our way, whereas last weekend we scored two. We missed our first half, we left too much space, I think, and unfortunately, we were in trouble too often. They played their cards right." As soon as you went behind, you lost your way. "Often, when we concede a goal, we feel like the sky is falling, but it's not." We had a lot of hope going into the match; we wanted to take the next step, to build on that momentum. Unfortunately, we conceded that goal which was a bit of a blow, and then we conceded a second… We need to be a bit tougher mentally. The one thing is certain: we can't give up. We were able to win away from home for the first time. There are about ten matches left, and we need to keep going. Our objectives from the beginning of the season are a long way off, we have to be honest, but we have to keep working. Doesn't all this say a lot about your team's weaknesses? "Yes, that's perhaps why we're where we are in the standings. It's up to us to keep working."

National League: The pile of sand on which Valenciennes had built has collapsed... Saint-Brieuc, bottom of the National League table, once again crushed Valenciennes' hopes this Friday. Defeated again at home (1-2), Valenciennes are back to square one just a week after defeating league leaders Rouen. All the world's misery seems to have fallen on Gaëtan Courtet's shoulders. - Photo Christophe Lefebvre All the promises born from the 2-1 victory in Rouen have vanished. A week later, everything is to be rebuilt. "What matters to me is finding a team," explained Stéphane Moulin on the eve of the match. He therefore logically fielded the same eleven players who had fought to overturn the league leaders. "I was expecting a confirmation of our form, and we didn't get it." On the contrary, his team has fallen back into the ineffectiveness that has become, as is now widely acknowledged, their trademark. “In two home games, we had 31 shots on goal, 16 against Orléans, 15 tonight (Friday), for only one goal scored. We had eight shots on target, they had three, and they scored two goals. I think we hit the post three times (twice actually). That sums it all up; we can’t win games like that.” Stéphane Moulin reiterates that he’s not a miracle worker: “I don’t know what to do. We’re working on finishing, we’re working on our passing patterns…” “The coach is responsible for the results, so it’s my fault.” Beyond the statistics, there’s also the reality of a team that played well for about 20 minutes before being stabbed in the back by Briochin’s first attack (0-1, 15th minute) and then conceding a second goal (33rd minute) from another unreal shot, which, to make matters worse, came off Léo Yobé’s weaker foot. Fragile as she is, she completely collapsed until halftime. "We have halftime to regroup, we change our system, we change players, a scenario we've seen countless times before." Stéphane Moulin did what he could to try and turn things around. "We have halftime to regroup, we change our system, we change players, a scenario we've seen countless times before. We have to get back into it, I convince them it's possible because I feel we're capable of it. We're missing something to come back or take the lead because in the second half, there was an opportunity." VA finally found the breakthrough, through Alain Ipiélé, as the game entered stoppage time. Far too late. In a protective reflex for his team, Stéphane Moulin says he takes full responsibility: "The coach is responsible for the results, so it's my fault." » VALENCIENNES – SAINT-BRIEUC: 1-2 (0-2). Stade du Hainaut. 4,851 spectators. Referee: Mr. Gazon. Goals: Ipiélé (90+1) for Valenciennes; Yobé (15, 33) for Saint-Brieuc. Yellow cards: Koum (45), Landre (74) for Valenciennes; Diakahbi (45+2) for Saint-Brieuc. Valenciennes: Louchet; Niakaté (K. Diomandé, 69), Landre (Coeff, 79), Passi, Koum; Daubin (Appuah, 46), Maréchal (Boissier, 46), Rouaï; El Hadary; Courtet (captain, Ipiélé, 79), Abi. Coach: Stéphane Moulin. Saint-Brieuc: L’Hostis; Diakahbi, Rabuel (Ndiaye, 75th), Diaby, Diakaby; Yobé (cap.), Beghin, Diatta Dorival (Boudin, 64th), Zakharyan (Lopes, 83rd); Janno (Gomis Maillard, 64th), Faty (Achahbar, 83rd). Coach: Guillaume Allanou.

Yesterday, I didn't recognize my team, which had fought with strength and courage in Rouen. I expected this type of match and this result because I know my team well and they have been making the same mistakes for several years, long before the arrival of Sport Republic. Our team is capable of beating the clubs at the top of the table but also of losing to weaker opponents. Yesterday, we had 15 scoring opportunities, hit the crossbar once and the post once, and scored one goal at the very end of the game, compared to three shots for Saint Brieuc, which resulted in two goals... This lack of efficiency is costing us dearly, and I really don't understand why we can't seem to get it right. We have a talent for scaring ourselves, and once again, this will be the case until the end of the season...

The match has just ended at the Stade du Hainaut. A 2-1 defeat against the bottom team in the league... VA reduced the deficit in the 91st minute. We've lost more points foolishly tonight, what a shame... Allez VA !

Half-time here at the Stade du Hainaut. Well, we're losing 2-0 to Stade Briochin at the break. It's been a tough match so far. I told you so this morning. Capable of playing great games against the big teams and capable of losing against the smaller teams... Will we see a comeback in the second half? Allez VA !

VAFC: "I realized that at this level, you have to be very professional," Alexi Koum's realization Alexi Koum, 20, has grasped what playing top-level football demands in terms of professionalism and effort. This self-reflection has allowed the full-back, on loan to Valenciennes from Olympique de Marseille, to gain a significant advantage over Abdelwahed Wahib on the left flank. Barely 20 years old, but already a seasoned pro. Alexi Koum was asked about his objectives with OM, where he will return this summer, while on loan to Valenciennes. The left-back offered a quick answer: "Right now, I'm really focused on finishing the season strong with Valenciennes." "The starting positions keep piling up for the youngster from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges (Val-de-Marne), who hasn't left Valenciennes' starting eleven since a 4-1 defeat in Dijon, a loss that hardly bodes well for the future. "I'm like doubting Thomas, I only believe what I see," explains Stéphane Moulin about him. "From the moment a lad shows he's committed and gets ahead of his direct competitor…," the coach has objectively no reason not to call him up. It's the very definition of "healthy competition, and I'm open to that." While Abdelwahed Wahib is paying the price at the start of this year, Alexi Koum isn't taking his slight advantage for granted. "Nothing is set in stone, nothing is fixed in our team. It's up to me to keep playing well, keep working hard." Because Abdel is here too. We're two in the same position and we both want to play. But I think we push each other to improve." "Not the behavior of a professional player" Between the player he was in September and the one he has become, it's like night and day. "He realized he couldn't achieve anything worthwhile without hard work, dedication, discipline, focus, and concentration," notes Stéphane Moulin, who had wondered if it was even worth continuing with him "because he didn't have the behavior of a professional player." He didn't give up on him, even if it meant being tough on him. "And there are two ways to look at it: either the player thinks, 'The coach doesn't like me, it's not my fault,' or he takes what he's told to heart." "We've witnessed a rather radical change, as surprising as it may seem, but it's to his credit." “Stéphane Moulin, on Alexi Koum Alexi Koum admits: “To be honest, I wasn’t necessarily giving my best.” Stéphane Moulin pinpoints the turning point to mid-October: “We witnessed a rather radical change, as surprising as it may seem, but he deserves credit for it.” The player isn’t sure if it was a turning point. The discussions he had with the coach and sporting coordinator, Mathieu Frison, eventually took root in his mind. “It made me want to do more”: a lot of gym work, individualized sessions, “there’s also nutrition, sleep, that kind of thing; once I started, I didn’t stop.” Alexi Koum is on a roll. VALENCIENNES – SAINT-BRIEUC, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Stade du Hainaut. Live on BFM TV and FFFtv.