so here goes with my first monthly update.
AS Saint Etienne 4 - 2 OGC Nice Ilan(17, 26) Pascal Feindouno(pen 32, pen 45 before the game, the fans were questioning my ability as manager of their team, and so i was desperate to prove them wrong.
With some small tactical changes and a couple of changes in the starting line up, i found myself 3 - 0 up inside 32 minutes and I was pleased with the start.
Nice came back into it before half time, and scored 2 goals in a minute, but a penalty with the last kick of the firt half meant i went in with a two goal cusion. And thats how it stayed.
I was pleased with the start, and heres hoping i can keep up the winning ways with a visit to RC Lens.
RC Lens 2 - 1 AS Saint Etienne Loic Perrin(26) I went down to 10 men inside the first 13 minutes, a cynical challenge from my centre half saw him go for a very early bath. Despite this, i managed to take the lead through a very well worked goal, and held this lead into the break.
After an encouraging team talk, i eventually watched my team concede 2 goals and there was nothing they could really do about it as the extra man really began to show.
I'm not particularly bothered by the result as i did play the game with 10 men, however, we will have to pick ourselves up quickly for the visit of AS Nancy-Lorraine.
AS Saint Etienne 0 - 1 AS Nancy-Lorraine A very even first half saw us walk into the dressing room at half time with the score reading 0 - 0.
a deserved goal for nancy in the 77th minute resigned me to defeat, and my good start to the season is quickly fizzling away to nothing, which wont be good for team morale.
Next up, a visit to Le Mans 72 UC
Le Mans 72 UC 1 - 0 AS Saint Etienne a visit to the current table toppers proved difficult for my team. We lost a quick goal in the 14th minute, and tried to keep it tight for the remainder of the first half, and succeeding.
I got my players into the dressing room at half time and encouraged them to go out and take the game to the opposition.
The score remained the same throughout the second half, however my team did play better.
3 defeats in a row now, and i'm starting to feel that my lack of previous experience is affecting the way my players respect me, and ultimately, the way they perform on the park.
Stade Rennais FC 3 - 2 AS Saint Etienne Ilan(22, 84) After being on top for much of the first half, 2 goals in the last 5 minutes of the half for Rennais saw me walk into the dressing room 2 - 1 behind.
A more even second half saw Rennais go 3 - 1 up, before i pegged them back with only 6 minutes to go, only to have a goal wrongly disallowed for offside in the 94th minute.
so yet another defeat, 4th in a row, saw me slip into the relegation places, with a home game against FC Sochaux.
The Coupe de la Ligue 3rd round draw handed me an away tie against Ligue 2 side FC Libourne Saint-Seurin.
AS Saint Etienne 3 - 3 FC Socheux Loic Perrin(39), Ilan(65, 73) went 2 - 0 down early doors in this game and i thought this was going to be another disaster game. However my team pulled 1 back before half time and we went in 2 - 1 down.
Back out after the break and i went 3 - 1 down, and at that point i resigned my fate to another defeat, however, good character showed and we pulled it back to 3 - 3. and that is how the game finished.
So at the end of the month i'm sitting just outside the relegation places in 17th place with 4 points from a possible 18.
I hope that next month can provide better results and i can start to cllmb the league rather quickly.
