What’s going on ??

By: Houssem | October 27th, 2008

So. After the 2-0 victory that got us to the CAF Confederation Cup final against our countrymen CS Sfaxien – 1st leg : November 8th, 3 pm local time in Sfax – we have actually managed to lose 4 points in the league after two disappointing goalless draws against Olympique de Béja (away) and neighbours Union Sportive Monastirienne. I have watched both games and came up with one conclusion : our midfield is definitely gone. We have been more or less successful at the beginning of the season thanks to our solid defense and Balbouli’s great goalkeeping, with the occasional coup de génie from Nafkha, Opara or Bukari, or a lucky cross by Meriah. Now that the forwards are somehow out of shape, and that the LP1 coaches have figured out that blocking the wings is an efficient way to neutralize our attacks, we have become pretty harmless up front.

Both games were painful to watch. The 92nd minute penalty against Olympique de Béja could’ve made everything better, but Nafkha just had to miss the one penalty he had to score. Luckily for us, Club Africain have been held by ES Hammam-Sousse and CA Bizertin, but this year things are a bit different : Record holders Espérance have won 4 games in a row, and are leading the table after 6 games. Their 11.000 season ticket holders and the current form show this is their season, as I have mentioned in one of my first posts. In Sousse, things are getting worst as Michel Decastel and assistant coach Taoufik Zâaboub had an argument after the USMo game, certainly concerning some of the head coach’s choices. This isn’t what we want to see now.

Next Sunday we will meet against the newly promoted club of AS Kasserine. They’re currently at the bottom of the table, right with CA Bizertin, but they’re not easy to handle when they play at home. But this isn’t really the fact of the matter. Something has to be done in order to get back on the winning trail again. Midfield has to be strengthened, and why not with more young blood from the “B” team. Emeka Opara and Ahmed Mida are suspended due to a third yellow card. I believe it’s time to give Slim Jedaied, Wadii Ben Hadj Frej or Seddik Jabnoun a chance.