Stade Malherbe Caen: August + September 2011

We will start off the season by summing up shortly of what has happened so far during the summer. Verkhovtsev, Dady, Monzon among others were sold, In favour for Pedro Leon, Diego Alves, Milevskyi etc. A new improved and broader troop that will have a better chance of lasting the whole season, included european games. The lack of prowess in some areas is made up of having a working tactic and essential players in the fundamental roles — GK, DC’s, Playmaker, Targetman and Goalscorer. My most important players is probably Sambou Yatabaré. He has some wonderful physical abilities for a Right winger/AMC. This makes it possible to apply him as a target man on a wing to make us get more power upfront while playing Milevskyi as a deep-lying striker och even trequartista, moving about the channels and not having to work with his back against the goal all the time. There is a number of options to apply if the game isn’t really going our way and that’s a relief as before I was really trouble by playing against certain opposing tactics..like the 4-5-1 set up.

Looking at the games that will be played these two months we can see that we have a few difficult matches coming up in the month of September: Marseille, Bayern, Bordeaux and Ajax. Thankfully we’ll have a month of hopefully build up some good morale and winning momentum.

First up was my arch-enemy OSG Nice.. I’ve always found them difficult to beat.

SMC — Nice   1-1  (Russotto)

James Rodriguez got injured early on so I had to switch it around playing Yatabaré in his position and letting Russotto move into the right wing position. That move paid off in the 80th minute when the italian cut inside the fullback and placed a daisy cutter in the far left corner. This goal levelled the scoreline after Nice had opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through Kikin Fonseca. A draw was a fair result and we will through to work out the kinks in our tactical approach.

Grenoble — SMC  3 — 3 (Figueroa, Milevskyi, Rakitskyi)

Not a match I’m very satisfied with. Grenoble threatened us quite a bit and truly deserved their somewhat lucky late winner. It’s never amusing to lose point at the absolute last second but they wee in fact the better team out there on the pitch.

Havre — SMC 0-2 (Pedro Leon, Figueroa)

Finally Pedro Leon showed some of his worth. He hasn’t really been slotting in perfectly as I guess he’s having some trouble not being allowed to play in the same place every game. I’m sure he’ll find his footing sooner or later. Figueroa finished of the game as he usually does, ending the scorline with a 2-0 result against newcomers Havre. Finally a 3-pointer our way.

Monaco — SMC 0 — 0

A game we had the most of and should’ve won. There’s always game like these when you can’t seem to find the right flow. Then again Monaco isn’t an easy team to play against ang getting a draw away from home is a fine result.

Marseille — SMC  0 — 1 (Yatabaré)

Another fine result and things seems to be going rather well. At least we haven’t had any losses and with a new team that’s rather impressive. Yatabaré got to be the match winner in a tight game.

Caen’s first CL game is at hand. The German giants approach from the east.

SMC — Bayern Munich  3 — 2 (Rodriguez x 2, Yatabaré)

Look at that final score! After 2-0 at the half time break I never thought it’d be possible to turn around. Olic and Robben had given Bayern a solid lead and the were looking good in their offensive department. We had some chances but couldn’t capitalize. I encouraged the team and set the mentality to attacking togheter with some minor changes overall and in player instructions. Diakhité replaced an Injured Rakitskyi and young Heeren came on for Verratti who hadn’t impressed. Rodriguez who had not been that prolific this far really took control in the central of the pitch and opened the scoring for our part with a blazing long shot, assisted by Yatabaré. Then Yatabaré was fouled on the edge of the penalty area by Lahm and we got it! Rodrgiuez stepped upand converted it cooly. We were level and had everything! Okaka had come on for Pedro LEon on the left wing and he was integral in grabbing the winner. Yatabaré won the ball in midfield and passed to Milevskyi who in turn moved upfield with the ball and close to there penalty box he released it to Okaka. The on-loan forward dribbled inside the box and found Yatabaré who came in with force, faking one shot, going past a sliding defender and putting a cheeky finish underneath Rensing. A fantastic achievement and I couldn’t be happier.

SMC — Sedan 0 — 0

A game we totally controlled and should’ve won, but I can’t really be upset after that European game.

SMC — Bordeaux  1 — 0 (Figueroa)

A good win and It feel like we’re playing more confidently now. We really use the talent we have and threathen their goal just the way I want. Maybe it doesn’t show in the number of clear chances but some of these games we will really explode and win by 4 or 5 goals. Figueroa scored another one. He’s not my regular striker but is proving to be more lethal than Milevskyi, who’s more a component of the tactic, and makes his use in being a corner-stone to the build ups of attacks. So I’m having trouble in deciding who’s going to start.

Nancy — SMC  2 — 3 (Rodriguez, Pedro Leon, Figueroa)

A Game that could’ve gone either way, and maybe it was our winning momentum that gave us another last gasp-winner. Nancy deployed a very attacking approach and it hit us hard. I suspect that the lack of quality in our fullbacks allowed them to break through more than they should be. Nancy is also a team that usually go out guns blazing with little tactical wit but much enthusiasm.

Second CL-game was against dutch top team Ajax.

Ajax — SMC 1 — 1 (Okaka)

I’ve never met a team that deployed a tight 4-3-2-1 formation and I was a bit puzzled with what they could do to us and our wide approach. I was right to be a bit scared as they had no trouble breaking through our backline with intensive running and clever passing. After their first goal through Postiga I had to counter with something. I started looking for overlaps and played to our strengths in hope for gaining control and pressing them back a bit. It paid of towards the end as Okaka got played in by Boka from the left wing and fired in a quick shot at the first post and it managed its way past Stekelenburg in goal.

That’s all for now. I’m happy with the way we play and we have a much better defensive record compared to last season. Diego Alves has been a great relief to have at the back and Rakistkyi is proving to be a very solid partner with Kryvtsov. Rodriguez is a fantastic playmaker and has the best average rating in the squad followed by Yatabaré and Kryvtsov. He does have trouble with his fitness as his stamina is always down to 60-65 in the latter part of the games and usually needs to be subbed.

Cheers,

Majk