Ligue 2: Auxerre - Le Havre

 

We have largely left Le Havre alone this season, apart from taking a few "overs" which have worked out well. I spent much of last season bigging them up and they finished well, but not well enough, missing promotion not just on goal difference, but by goals scored ! They were made favourites this season, started well, but have nosedived recently, failing to win in seven league and cup games. Ahead of their first defeat of the season, at home to Troyes, I spoke about their solid start, last season, their offensive abilities, but did give a warning about them defensively ...........
 

They have finally made the solid start to the season they have been waiting several campiagns for and it really is all about top two for them and in addition to their seven points, they also scored five goals inside 17 minutes (!) away to Reims, who were playing top flight football three months ago, in the cup and that highlights their goalscoring potential when they cut loose.They let a lead slip in a draw at Gazelec last week and I cannot believe that they will be looking for anything other than all three points, but they did concede three in two games (league and cup) last week and we "know" that Troyes ( see opening day notes above) just do not have it in them to come here with a negative mindset .
 

HAC must be terribly disappointed with the way things have played out since, especially after such a promising start, the pressure has to be mounting on head coach Bob Bradley (pictured when he was trying out his pyramid formation !) and this feels like draw a line in the sand time. They need to turn things around before the international break and this and the home game with Sochaux next week, might well be the two most important games they will play before Christmas, they are "only" six points off the top of the table, but cannot afford to let that grow, with this season all about top 2 for them.
 

I have been waiting for a "performance" and we saw one in the 1-1 draw with (then) leaders Brest on Tuesday, when HAC looked much the better side, really took the game to the visitors should have been two up, before falling behind, but did not let heads drop, equalised, felt they had an attempt which "crossed the goal line", but was not given and battled until the end, being denied a winner by three unbelievable saves and they spoke afterwards of getting great confidence from the 90 minutes. Duhamel and Gimbert are still scoring goals and are as potent as any pairing at this level, several of the senior players spoke honestly this week about the bad run, but that they all still "believed" and I saw plenty to like in midweek and think they remain one of the better Ligue 2 teams. Defensive midfielder Jean-Pascal Fontaine returns after missing two games today, Le Havre are unbeaten in five on the road when he starts, conceding just three goals, that sequence includes a 3-1 win here at the end of last season and they have allowed just four goals in eight road outings when Fontaine plays and he gives them a far more solid look. Hosts have failed to score in their last five league starts and look the perfect opposition for Le Havre at this time.