Despite a huge domination, Strasbourg was hung by Clermont (0-0) this Sunday during the 7th day of Ligue 1. The Alsatians have seriously lacked success in the zone of truth.
Strasbourg tried everything, but did not find the fault… Despite some great opportunities, the Alsatian team was held in check by Clermont (0-0) this Sunday for the 7th day of Ligue 1. Despite an outrageous domination in the game, Julien Stephan’s troops were cruelly lacking in efficiency with two attempts on the bar. In the standings, this draw does not help RCSA, 15th, while the Auvergne club is in 7th place.
The bar disgusts Strasbourg
From the first minutes, the Alsatians were dangerous with a shot in pivot of Ajorque well captured by Diaw. Totally suffocated by the opponent’s pressing, the Auvergnats multiplied the lost balls and suffered incessant waves. In difficulty, Clermont relied on Diaw, author of a superb save on a long shot of Diarra. And even when the Clermont goalkeeper was caught, his bar helped him on a lob from Thomasson’s knee!
Like a contentious situation of Caufriez on Ajorque in the surface, Clermont resisted on a thread and Strasbourg pushed more and more to find the fault. Even in pain, Pascal Gastien’s men managed to keep their backs to the break and were also lucky on a header of Le Marchand on the bar! Clermont resists and recovers
Clermont resists and recovers
At the end of the second half, the game started again with the same scenario with a domination of Strasbourg in front of a very low block. As the minutes went by, the rhythm of the debates fell very seriously with many fouls… Then on a shot of Gameiro, Clermont was saved by Gastien on his line before a reflex of Diaw in front of Thomasson! What a miracle!
In reaction, the Auvergnats were finally dangerous, but Sels answered at close range in front of Cham and Bela! After a rescue of Wieteska in front of Gameiro, Clermont found colors in the game to avoid a siege of the cage of Diaw. Less inspired at the end of the game, Strasbourg had difficulty in exciting the debates and even finished with 10 players with the logical expulsion of Le Marchand for a second yellow card.
The note of the match: 5,5/10
Without proposing an incredible show, this match had the merit to have many opportunities. With a generally one-way game, Strasbourg multiplied the attacks, but lacked success against a very low Clermont block. With a suspense until the end of the game, the scenario was interesting.
Man of the match : Alidu Seidu (7/10)
The weeks go by and the central defender of Clermont continues to impress his world! In this role with three in the axis, the ex-winger, despite a significant size deficit against Diallo and Ajorque, was particularly solid in the duels. With his liveliness, the Clermont-Ferrand player has signed several authoritative interventions and has cut off several dangerous situations. Despite the pressure of the opponent, he was also clean in his relays.
STRASBOURG: Matz Sels (6.5): A generally quiet game for the Strasbourg goalkeeper. Thanks to the domination of his team during this game, the Belgian had simply easy interventions against a formation of Clermont inoffensive on the whole. A clean match for the Alsatian club’s keeper, author of two good interventions in front of Cham and Bela after the break.
Colin Dagba (5.5): on the right side, the fullback on loan from Paris Saint-Germain put in a serious performance. The Strasbourg player did not worry much about the defense, but tried to project himself and made some sharp runs. Despite some inaccurate crosses, he still had a positive impact on the game. Replaced in the 68th minute by Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel (not rated).
Ismael Doukoure (6) : lined up in the absence of Nyamsi, injured, the central defender was up to this game. Well helped by the domination of Strasbourg, the young talent was at his advantage in the duels with Clermont’s forwards often badly positioned. With his physical power, the former Valenciennes player has well controlled the danger Andric.
Alexander Djiku (6) : the boss of Strasbourg’s defense was, as often, solid in this game. In spite of some inaccuracies in his relaunching, the former Nantes player was especially known for his physical impact to dominate the Clermont attackers. The Alsatian was not in danger and was serene in his interventions.
Maxime Le Marchand (4) : in a left-back role, the Strasbourgeois was rather average. Defensively, the ex-Fulham player controlled the opposing attacks in his area. However, his offensive contribution was still limited with many balls lost on his way up. It is also worth mentioning his header, which ended on the bar of Diaw. At the end of the game, he was logically expelled for a second yellow card.
Habib Diarra (6) : Starting because of Prcic’s suspension, the young Strasbourg talent justified the confidence of his coach Julien Stéphan. Present in the physical impact, he was dominant against the Clermont-Ferrand midfielders by recovering several balls. To make matters worse, the Alsatian was also able to project himself with a beautiful long-range shot pushed back by Diaw. Replaced in the 86th minute by Nordine Kandil (not noted).
Jean-Eu Aholou (4.5) des : unlike his midfield partners, the Strasbourg midfielder was a small disappointment. However, the former Monegasque participated in the domination of his team with a good defensive work. However, in the direction of the game, he multiplied the inaccuracies and often wasted interesting situations by his technical waste. Replaced in the 68th minute by Ibrahima Sissoko (not noted).
Jeanricner Bellegarde (6.5): An interesting game for the Strasbourg midfielder. The midfielder was technically at his best and was omnipresent at the start of the game to create differences in the opposing camp. Author of several good balls for his partners, notably on the first chance of Ajorque, he also had a nice activity in the midfield. We loved his precision in his transmissions and his free-kick which found the bar.
Adrien Thomasson (4,5) : as a playmaker, the attacking midfielder of Strasbourg delivered a mixed copy. Despite the domination of his team, the former Nantes player was not successful in his attempts to approach the goal. Like a knee lob that ended on the bar or a reflex save from Diaw, he was sometimes unfortunate in the last movement.
Habib Diallo (3,5) : with Seidu once again excellent for Clermont, the Strasbourg striker did not have an easy game. Despite a significant physical advantage, the ex-Messin was not very dangerous, losing many balls in his duels with the Clermontois. Too inaccurate, he was not a danger for Diaw. Replaced in the 77th minute by Lebo Mothiba (not noted).
Ludovic Ajorque (4) : preferred to Gameiro to back up Diallo, the Strasbourg striker started his game well with a swivel shot that was caught by Diaw. Afterwards, he tried to put pressure on the Clermont defense, but never seemed to recover physically from a contentious contact with Caufriez in the box. Diminished, he was replaced in the 45th minute by Kevin Gameiro (5.5), who was active. With his different profile, the former Parisian contributed, but was also in check with a shot saved by Gastien on his line.
CLERMONT:
Mory Diaw (6,5) : author of a good start of the season, the Clermont goalkeeper was again present in this game. Attentive to Strasbourg’s attacks, the former Parisian made some good interventions in front of Ajorque and Diarra. But he was also lucky with a lob from Thomasson’s knee and a header from Le Marchand on his bar or a save from Gastien on his line. It is worth noting his reflex, quite lucky, on a Thomasson’s rebound from close range.
Mateusz Wieteska (6,5) : just like his team, the Clermont central defender had to work hard on the defensive side. Despite the constant waves of Strasbourg, the Pole did not lose out in the duels and fought on every ball to try to push back the assaults of the Alsatian club.
Alidu Seidu (7) : read the comment above.
Maximiliano Caufriez (6) : the Belgian was sometimes at the limit, but had a good game. Despite a contentious situation against Ajorque in the box, the central defender of Clermont was valuable by his presence in the box to win many aerial duels. And he was also able to give his team a good start.
Jérémy Bela (5) : lined up in a piston role on the right, the Clermont player was essentially forced to defend in this match. And in this role, the former Lens player is clearly not at his best. Almost inoffensive with only one save by Sels in the second half, he did his best to help his partners defensively without really managing the Bellegarde problem in his area. He was replaced in the 86th minute by Elbasan Rashani (not noted).
Johan Gastien (6.5) : despite Strasbourg’s domination, Clermont’s captain did not give up in midfield. As usual, the midfielder had a good volume of play to pick up balls. Able also to break the rhythm, he was important for his team to hold the ball against the aggressive Alsatians. We must obviously highlight his save on his line after a shot from Gameiro.
Yohann Magnin (5.5) : like Gastien, the Clermont midfielder was very combative. Despite the difficulties of his team, the Auvergne native was hooked in the duels and made an interesting defensive work. On the other hand, in the use of the ball, he sometimes lacked creativity to shift his partners and launch counter-attacks.
Neto Borges (5) : in the left flank, the Clermont piston was average. Without being bad, the Brazilian did not have much influence on the game despite a few ascents at the beginning of the game. Forced to defend, he simply did the job to limit the impact of his opponents in his area.
Muhammed Cham (4) : revelation of this beginning of season, the attacking midfielder of Clermont did not manage to shine on this game. Cut off from the ball, the Austrian had difficulty in expressing his qualities and was very little dangerous when approaching the opposing cage. If his efforts were irreproachable, he was far too discreet on the offensive side, except for a duel lost to Sels. Replaced in the 72nd minute by Saîf-Eddine Khaoui (not noted).
Komnen Andric (3,5) : a difficult match for the Clermont forward. Forced to go very low on the field to touch some balls, the Serbian, followed by the Strasbourg defenders, was not at his best technically with several missed passes. And by dint of dezoning, the striker never represented a danger for Sels. Replaced in the 72nd minute by Grejohn Kyei (not noted).
Jodel Dossou (3) : preferred to Rashani for this game, the Clermont striker, associated with Andric, was a real ghost. With his profile, the Auvergnat had to take the depth to unbalance the opposing block. But too little found, he never weighed on the debates and often annoyed his coach by his passivity… Replaced in the 65th minute by Jim Allevinah (not noted). +
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