Paris is perhaps the most productive city for player development in the world. But could you beat one of the richest, most global clubs in football using only players from the City of Lights? Martin Vert has been set that challenge.
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It’s looking increasingly likely that Red Star will make a return to the top flight for the first time in almost half a century. We have a gap to Reims in third, we are right behind Troyes ready to capitalise on any slips they might have, and in Yahia Fofana we have the kind of goalkeeper that makes you feel like you only need one goal. Which is fortunate, as that’s mostly all we can manage.
Patrice and David are delighted. I am three years ahead of their schedule to consolidate our place in Ligue 2; secure promotion and I’ll have upended all of their carefully laid plans, as that wasn’t anywhere of the schedule. Steve is also hanging around, faking happiness whenever they are in the room. There’s no way he can force me out after this season. He turns down yet another attempt to find a Senior Affiliate though. I’ve never seen such a small amount of power go to someone’s head, but there you go.
First up is Auxerre. For a side that harbours hopes of a return to Ligue 1, a second successive season in mid-table must be disappointing. But they do have talent, not least in Ahmed Elmohamady, who spent a decade in the Premier League – I would never have guessed that. They will be well clear of the relegation battle, but a couple more results will guarantee it. We need to keep performing to stay on Troyes’ coattails, and stay ahead of Reims.
It’s yet another superb defensive performance. Auxerre drive forward throughout the game and try to make chances, but between Sparagna and Homawoo they barely get a sniff of goal. The one time Fofana is called into action, he does what’s asked of him, our Mr. Dependable. We create more, but our finishing is always a problem. Fortunately, when Cadiou curls a cross in from deep, Massouema gambles and gets into the box to nod home, and that’s all we need.
Unlike Auxerre, Grenoble are actually in the relegation dogfight. They sit just two places outside the relegation zone, and while they don’t have as much quality as our last opponents, they will presumably have more fight. Cadiou picked up a knock in training, so he’s on the bench and trusty old Cheikh Ndoye will take his place.
By our standards, it’s a tsunami of goals, but it doesn’t all go our own way. Grenoble waste a glorious opportunity in the opening moments when Fofana makes a great save after the defence all seem to pop off to make a cup of tea, or whatever the French version of that is. But a lovely passing move on 15 ends with a Jason Tre cross and a Hacene Benali header for 1-0. For about an hour it looks like another solid single-goal victory, but when I bring Cadiou on he lifts us, initially driving down the right and firing in a low cross for Tattevin for his seventh of the season – such is our defensive structure that he’s our top scorer – and then Cadiou gets one himself, curling in from the edge of the area after a Benali cut back. Quite an enjoyable afternoon, all things considered.
Pau are not a good football team. They are 13 points from safety, they have the second worst defence in the division, and they have won only one of their last 14 games. Cadiou is fully fit, so he comes in for Ndoye, but other than that we are unchanged. The real question of everyone’s lips is whether Arnaud Tattevin will hit double-figures this season…
It’s a vintage Red Star performance. By which I mean we score one goal and Yahia Fofana is in another of his “nothing getting past me today” moods. Pau have a great chance in the first half that he is equal to, but that’s about all the excitement of the first half. In the second I bring Kevin Mbala on to support Tattevin, and it’s him that provides the breakthrough. Kevin Fortune picks up the ball deep and just launches it crossfield for Benali. The Algerian brings it down, beats his man and fires across goal, where Mbala turns it home. Fofana makes a couple of late saves, but it’s a 100% March record.
The last business of March is a youth intake. Sebastien Robert is our Head of Youth Development, and his main job is as a PE teacher at the local school, but he seems to think we’ve had an “excellent” intake. Plenty of Parisians, and some promising non-Parisians who I can sell. Our most promising prospect is Harry Daury, a defence-minded fullback who, if he develops as we hope, could make us even more solid than we currently are. Also among the recruits is Alexandre Corchia, who claims to be 15 but looks like that 47-year-old we all know. The one who got a dodgy dye-job after his wife left him, and constantly has a roll up hanging out of the corner of his mouth. Still, we’ll see how he gets on.
Reims drew a couple of games over the course of the month, allowing us to build up a 13 point lead. With eight games to go. You know, I think we’re actually going to do it.
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