The joy of the players of TFC, winners of Bordeaux in Ligue 1 March 21, 2015 at the Stadium in Toulouse.
Joy TFC players, winners of Bordeaux in Ligue 1 March 21, 2015 at the Stadium Toulouse. – P. Pavani / AFP

Nicolas Stival

There has been a psychological blow to TFC. After the ousting of Alain Casanova Monday, the team now coached by Dominique Arribagé dominated Bordeaux Saturday (2-1), who won the first three of the Garonne derbies this season. With eight games left, the 18th in Ligue 1 remains in the red zone but gleans a point on the first non-relegation zone, Lorient, distant two lengths.

“It’s harder than be player Arribagé breath, former defender of Toulouse and Rennes. I spent an incredible energy, perhaps because it was my first. The team was amazing, with impeccable state of mind. “

Just like center-back Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, very solid behind and author of the second goal of Violets, that of issue (61), two weeks after a cataclysmic performance against Marseille (1-6) … “Coach Casa (Casanova) did a good job but Dominique Arribagé has brought fresh blood and it feels good, judge the former Rennes. We made a game of men. “

JAKB was the strong suit of a rearguard extremely feverish first period, mainly because of its two ghosts, the guardian and defender Ali Ahamada Steeve Yago, remounted by Arribagé, who had also tenured young Yann Bodiger (20 years) in the middle. “I yearned for more control,” recognize the new technician. The latter relies on the international break of fifteen days to address these mistakes and refine its unique 4-4-2 diamond.

“We showed a lot of self-denial and it will strengthen us for the end of season, “insists his side the Pantxi Sirieix environment, while the TFC, who had opened the scoring by Ben Yedder, great Saturday (18th), has reacted after the Gironde equalization Rolan (28th).

The veteran purple cloakroom (34) claims to have experienced “the most complicated week, from far, far away” his long career Toulouse, begun in 2004. “My first thought goes to Alain Casanova and his deputies, the Basque loose. I’m sure they are happy with our first victory. Dominique Arribagé gave us a lot of confidence. It took breaking habits, recover in a new tactical instructions. Now we have two weeks to prepare for the trip to Metz, where it will still win. “

The way towards keeping TFC remains bumpy. But hope has returned, and it’s already huge.