Goals R Us!
With the transfer window now closed the team can concentrate on football again, with the first game being the Semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue against Sochaux. With Jelen sitting on the bench to recover from the last games injury scare Roux took no time at all making a case as to why he should be a first team player next year finding the net in the 7th min. Roux then furthered his case by assisting Henriksen 20 mins later. With the game finishing 2-0 we will go on to the finals to face PSG for the cup!
With us making it to the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue, we had to face Ligue 2 Stade de Reims to make our way through to the next round of the French Cup. We started off well with Niang finding the net in the 13min with a nice break to show his future talents. After the half Lovren managed to pick up a red card in the 53rd min before Payet found him self a goal. Kamel Ghilas managed to find his team a deserved consolation goal.
So pleased I was headed to the quarter finals of the French cup, I almost forgot that we had to play Bordeaux. The team who was in 5th was the only team that beat me this season which made me anxious especially as their the 2nd best defense in the league. To start the game we went down to a hard struck shot from Maurice-Belay in the 12th min which showed with season why I was worried.
After dropping to 3rd in the league I looked to concentrate on the EURO cup game against AZ. Jelen who failed me last game made a menses by scoring off a break in the 4th min, followed by Hazard 22 mins later. Pejcinovic tripled the tally before the half off a corner in the 35 min. Jelen later double his tally after a scramble in the box in the 52nd min, before scoring his hat-trick 8 mins later. Former Arsenal midfielder Barazite managed to get one back for his club, but it looks like to me that they will be out of the EURO cup.
Once seeing off AZ in the first leg of the EURO cup I had an easy game back in the league against Lorient, but I didn’t expect the game to be this easy. We started the game poorly with Emeghara scoring in the 21st min but this lead was short lived with Jelen bought us back in the game before Hazard scoring 2 mins later. Jelen later double his tally showing his dominance in the 64th min on the break with a Hazard assist. In the 73rd min Payet managed get number 4 of the game when Jelen managed to find him in the box. For the final goal of the game Ait Fana produced another magical goal running down the side lines before breaking free to score number 5.
After a couple smashing games with a total of 10 goals in 2 games I was certain we would win the game at AZ. Although I was disappointed with the performance I was pleased with the result with AZ’s Altidore managed to find the net in the 9th min after Barazite finding on the break. Only 6 mins later Jelen found a ball crossed in from Ait Fana to bring the game back 1-1. 5 mins after the goal Nengomasha of AZ picked up a red card, followed by Henriksen picking up a big injury 2 mins later. The last real actions of the game I believe was a mixture for passion and frustration on both teams. I believe Vorsah was so too passionate and got an instant red, on the flip side I believe AZ frustrated with the loss, especially Araba who put in a hard tackle on Ait Fana in the 58th min who also picked up a short injury.
Once seeing off AZ in the EURO cup I had another tough game back in the Ligue 1 against Stade Rennais. Rennais started off the game well with their Moroccan striker Youssouf Hadji managing to score a smashing goal with a left footed shot that made me lose a bit of confidence for the club. After a stern talking to the players during the half time team talk Jelen took it upon himself to show the kids how to take on what the manager said and do something about it scoring a nice left footed finish from a Ait Fana assist. After Taarabt picked up an injury in the 81st min I bought on Roux who hadn’t performed well of late but he was also determined to make his point and 3 mins after coming on Payet helped him to to find a well poached goal to help us pick up 3 points and keep the chase on Lyon.
We have picked up 2 major injuries in this month with both Taarabt and Henriksen picking up long term injuries.
With the league coming to the last 14 games for the team, I believe that I will be able to win the league but it will only be won with hard work from the team. Hazard, Jelen and Taarabt(when his back) will be the key to winning these next key fixtures highlighted in blue.
With the team facing FC Twente for the next round EURO cup, a game I think we should win, I am pleased to have one foot into the next round. In the Ligue 1 I still believe that we can win the league but it will be down to winning the key fixtures.
