The Toulouse paradox worked in full force in Marseille this Thursday evening for the resumption of L1 after the World Cup: competing in the game, the Violets suffered from a lack of efficiency and ended up completely giving up mentally. The defeat is bitter: 6-1.
The hangover is terrible, and we’re not even the 1is January. On the night of Thursday to Friday, the people of Toulouse returned to the Pink City with loaded suitcases and heavy hearts, after being struck down on the Prado. Rongier, Payet, Ünder and company followed in the footsteps of Papin, Sauzée, Mozer and Vercruysse, all scorers one evening in December 1989 for OM who had already spent six at TFC. Like van den Boomen on Thursday, only Beto Marcico was able to respond (6-1).
The score is as monstrous as it is cruel in terms of statistics: 10 chances for Marseille, 6 for Toulouse, 13 shots against 10, 7 on target against 6, confirming the visual impression that Tef has often made equal play with its opponent. “Marseille had the wind in their sails and framed almost all their chances” regretted at the end of the game Philippe Montanier, who pressed the fact that “the lack of offensive efficiency” of his men had prevented them from staying in the game. . “The circumstances of the goals are also difficult: the second just before half-time (41e), the third just after (51e)…”
Decisive month of January
“The third goal is a real blow, confirms Brecht Dejaegere. You come back from the locker room with intentions, and there, it knocks you out.”
Stunned, the Garonne were, leaving Marseille unfold at the end of the match and giving the impression of having completely capitulated. “It’s very difficult in the last 10 minutes, analyzes Philippe Montanier. With the 5e goal, the team really took a hit on the head.” “At one point, you see that we let go a little, reveals Dejaegere. But that’s not normal, because the goal average is also important for us.”
The slap received at the Vélodrome, the Belgian and his teammates will have to both forget it and learn from it. Beyond the offensive inefficiency noted by staff and players, the defensive one, with six goals conceded by a defense often abandoned by its midfielders, was expensive.
Still without a win against a big car in Ligue 1, the TFC is advancing towards a decisive month of January which will see it face Ajaccio (15e) starting tomorrow, Auxerre (18e), Brest (17e) and Strasbourg (19e). “We have to stay true to our philosophy, and keep our heads straight,” urges captain Brecht Dejaegere.
The turn will be important for the team, 13e 3 points from the red zone but 4 from the Top 10, as much as for Philippe Montanier, whose relations with his president were refreshed following the layoff of his deputy Michaël Debève in December.
