Here are the thoughts of Francesco Farioli following Le Gym's 1-1 draw with LOSC in their L1 opener.

How would you analyse this match?

It was a match with different moments, with several parts within the same match. In the first half we had three chances to finish the game after Gaëtan's goal, or at least to make it 2-0. Then, knowing the opponent we were playing against and their dribbling skills, we had to back off a bit. We defended a few metres deeper but with great organisation, a great spirit of sacrifice, and remained as a team. We're disappointed not to have won at home because with two minutes to go, we really didn't need much more to win.
 

What did you like about your team this evening and, on the contrary, what did you like less and what needs to be improved?

I really liked the way we worked without the ball. In my opinion, we were able to vary the attacking press well, especially in the second half, when we found the right distances. We defended with a lot of order in our half when it was time to defend deeper. We created 3 or 4 counter-attacking situations where we knew we could get the ball back and create a goal-scoring opportunity. Aside from that, we need to improve our possession, get the ball into our opponents' half a bit more, which Lille do very well. We also need to be less vertical in our build-up and be 'bosses of the ball' when we're in our opponents' half.

Was it deliberate to play so deep? 
The fact that we defended so deep at times wasn't because we wanted to, but because of Lille's ability to push us back. They're a team that moves a lot and rotates a lot through the middle and down the flanks. We felt a bit tired, especially in the first half, when we had to pull one of our two central players back to break the line and create one-on-one situations. We were much better in the second half in the way we came out and were brave. In our preparation for the match, we had envisaged two parts: one was man-to-man all over the pitch, which we generally did in a very positive way, with courage and desire, as we had done during all the pre-season matches. Then, when the time came to defend a little deeper, we defended in an orderly fashion, conceding very few chances to a team that is used to creating many more.

Why did you make the three changes around the hour mark at the same time?

I'd go so far as to say four, because Atal was also changed at half-time. Two of the substitutions were linked to the yellow cards that Atal and Laborde received. I didn't want to take the risk of playing with 10 men. Then there was the need to bring in some fresh energy. It's the first match of the season and it's very hot, so we needed to be physically fresh.

What did you think of Marcin Bulka's performance and why did you make him your number 1?
I think the answer lies in his performance today. He made a huge contribution, both defensively and offensively, in terms of chances and character. He showed great courage with the ball, great courage in covering space, 3 or 4 aerial situations... He made an extraordinary contribution. I must thank Marcin for his performance. I wish him all the best and I'm sure he'll continue to help us as much as he did today.

---