The Christophe Pélissier era at AJ Auxerre begins on a positive note. After an official presentation on October 26, 2022, and two years of signed contracts, the technician took the reins of training in a particular context. With the realization of the midfield Hamza Sakhi in the 7th minute against AC Ajaccio, the only goal of the match, Christophe Pélissier's AJ Auxerre put an end to a two-month series without a win.
🎥 @hamzasakhi21 confirm, we hit the target 🎯#eamAJA
(PS: thank you @fabien_defrance for the video in the stands 😍) pic.twitter.com/rKcFBPexp6
— AJ Auxerre (@AJA) October 31, 2022
An evidence
Trainer in Luzenac, Amiens, and Lorient, Christophe Pélissier has succeeded wherever he has gone. With four successful holds, the choice is obvious to management. After considering the candidacies for the succession of Jean-Marc Furlan de Sabri Lamouchi and Jocelyn Gourvennec, it is his profile that has been retained.
Christophe Pélissier sets the sights
All of the Auxerre players were involved in keeping score after Hamza Sakhi's early goal. A little too generous in their commitment elsewhere. Witness the exit of Mbaye Niang, excluded after a tackle on Mohamed Youssouf in the 56th. Fortunately, the Ajacciens were fair play. They did not want to take advantage of their numerical superiority. Four minutes later, Cédric Avinel also returned to the locker room, after kicking Da Costa. The Auxerre striker was heading towards the opposing goal, on a promising counter-attack.
A fighting spirit, but not a simple catenaccio on the side of Christophe Pélissier's AJ Auxerre. They are the ones who shot the most. The Corsicans, never dangerous, offered sterile possession. The latter made them friable, exposing them to Auxerre counterattacks. In the 88th minute, Gauthier Hein, who entered during the game for Auxerre, even almost took advantage of it with a long shot by lobbing the opposing goalkeeper, saved by the bar. Even without this goal, in the end it was the Auxerrois who won.
We all believed in the goal of the year @gauthier_huh 😲#eamAJA pic.twitter.com/kq0BgORA4M
— AJ Auxerre (@AJA) October 31, 2022
Between tradition and modernity
Rather than starting from scratch, Pélissier wants to keep the fruits of the work done by his predecessor. To this, he wants to add a touch of realism. This work of synthesis allows him to extract the talent of the formation, and especially, to seek points, essential, in this context of four descents. With Jean-Marc Furlan, the players were able to develop their technical qualities in the service of a game centered on possession. With Christophe Pélissier, AJ Auxerre will look for a more direct game and involve their attacking profiles in recovering the ball. More intensity, but above all a less idealistic game, because the important thing in the end is the three points.
Christophe Pélissier explains his state of mind: “We feel a dynamic in the club. The challenge is exciting. I am ready to go headlong with my staff. »
The technician did not come alone. Exit the staff of Jean-Marc Furlan, who will find new positions assigned by the club. He brings with him:
– Jean-Marie Stephanopoli (assistant coach, whom he met in Amiens and Lorient);
– Olivier Lagarde (goalkeeping coach who has followed him since his epic spell at Luzenac, ie 17 years of professional cooperation);
– Olivier Renard (video analysis, whom he met in Lorient);
– Denis Valor (performance director, from Toulouse).
Victory belongs to the most persistent
A work in continuity, but a very different discourse. He says it: “When you are a club like Auxerre which has just moved up to Ligue 1, you have to be very pragmatic”. His style of play is not polarized, but rather oriented towards challenging the opponent. Time is running out and the new coach knows it. No time for adaptation or more in-depth work after the break. Overalls are on. Ajaccio was the beginning of the process: the birth of AJ Auxerre according to Christophe Pélissier.
There is no rigid “method”, but reinforcement work in areas where the team is weak. This goes through the defense yard. Already against Ajaccio, new ideas appeared with the appearance of Rayan Raveloson as right defender. The latter, rather used to playing defensive midfielder, excelled in his new role.
Maintenance objective for Christophe Pélissier's AJ Auxerre
Before the winter break, Auxerre will face Troyes and Paris Saint-Germain away from home. Two big challenges for Christophe Pélissier after this first victory. With a third equally capital: to pronounce the “X” of Auxerre, as in Brussels rather than in AJAX. During the transfer window, the Auxerre management is sensitive to bringing in reinforcements to carry out this mission. Regardless of the game philosophy, the important thing for him is to leave four behind. One must keep.
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