Tops
Never bothered by poor opposing pressure, Jean-Clair Todibo touched 188 balls during Nice’s victory in Metz (0-1) on Saturday. New record for a player in a match in Ligue 1 (Opta figure). Imperial in duels, clean with the ball, the French international, not called up by Didier Deschamps for the upcoming break, achieved everything this Saturday afternoon. His complementarity with the veteran Dante is a guarantee of solidity for Nice, the best defense in the elite with only four goals conceded in eight days. With a Todibo at this level, Francesco Farioli can sleep peacefully.
The Nice left side put the Metz defense to torture, especially during the first act. After several threats, Jérémy Boga initiated the action with Hicham Boudaoui’s opener, served perfectly by Melvin Bard a quarter of an hour into the game. Very solid defensively, the former OL full-back never stopped offering a solution to his Ivorian partner, cutting into his bullets. Both players slowed down slightly at the end of the match but fulfilled their contract.
The only undefeated team in Ligue 1 with Stade Rennais, which hosts PSG on Sunday, OGC Nice continues its start to the season without a false note. Provisionally leader of the elite, the Gym showed the face of a team full of confidence and sure of its strength. A good omen for the future which will see Farioli’s players challenge OM, in two weeks, at the Allianz Riviera. A shock which could confirm the new status of the Riviera club, a real pain point at the start of the season.
Flops
Starting at the forefront of the Metz attack, the Colombian striker had to contend with Todibo and Dante for 90 minutes and almost didn’t exist. Despite a few distant attempts (28th, 39th), he missed his performance even if it must be said that his teammates did not help him. In the duels, the player on loan from Hull City suffered the law of Nice’s defense until his exit in favor of Elisor (78th), also too discreet to make the difference.
Despite his contribution to the Nice goal as the penultimate passer, Képhren Thuram stood out for his technical waste and his weak defensive impact in the first period. Warned in the 20th minute, the French midfielder apparently frustrated his coach who did not hesitate to bang his fist on the table. The French international was replaced at half-time by Morgan Sanson, a change as a sanction for the one who did not seem physically affected.
In doubt after two consecutive defeats, the Garnets showed a pale face in front of their public, suffering the events from the first to the last second. Despite the small difference of one goal, László Bölöni’s players never got the game going and finished with three small shots on target. As the red zone approaches dangerously, Metz will have to show more offensively to hope to restart the machine and offer more spectacle to its supporters who have responded.
