Jean-Louis Gasset : "Everyone feels important"

Is this a new benchmark game?

No, I won’t go that far. We had a very, very good start. After, it was a bit more difficult because Toulouse changed their formation. We performed a bit worse, but we defended well. We had to try to score quickly. That’s what we did.

You now have a 6-match undefeated streak.

Yes, with 5 victories. During the last three matches, we didn’t let in any goals. That’s good. But when there’s a penalty kick, we have an extraordinary goalie. We could have doubted ourselves if Toulouse had returned today (Sunday). Ruffier played a great game.

What makes you strong?

At every game, we change the composition of the team. The team, the mindset, makes it so that we don’t see if we’re missing major players. Everyone feels important. That’s how we’re going to go the distance. Of course, you need a minimum of Football skills. Today (Sunday), we suffered physically and we didn’t dominate our adversary as much as usual. We have to do better when we have the option to counterattack.

Your choices, like that of the having Pierre-Yves Polomat start the game, have worked once again.
That’s the response that I expect from someone that I helped. I’m a bit more patient with the youths. “Polo” has worked. He has benefited, benefited in quotations, from the injury of Gabriel Silva and from the suspension of Timothée Kolodziejczak. But, he has the arsenal to play in several formations. On the game sheet, we only had four defenders from the professional team.

How are you tackling the last month of the competition?

We’re going to continue to play. We did what we decided to do: attack very hard, have presence in front of the net and pass from the wings. I like when my players understand what I want to put in place. I’m lucky that they’re smart. Robert Beric? Our initial idea was to dominate, to hold the ball and to attack. And when there’s a center kick, I know that he’s there.

Was it thrilling to watch the final of the Gambardella cup ?

We watched it with the entire team. Six starting players at the Stade de France train regularly with us, without counting William Saliba who I couldn’t let go given our lack of defenders. It’s very good for the club, which hasn’t won this trophy for a long time. Normally, a victory is this competition provides good professional players in the future.