Francesco Farioli spoke to the media following Saturday’s 2-0 Ligue 1 loss away to Rennes.

Coach, how do explain your side’s performance against Rennes this evening? 
Tonight, we lacked something, some fire, some aggression. We lost duels and technically we weren't as good as we should have been. When you miss so many passes in a game, when the speed of your balls movement is not good enough, it's difficult to get in behind a team as well organised defensively as Rennes is. We have some regrets because with a bit more spirit, we could have come away with something. As far as I'm concerned, we dropped points tonight.

You were without three main players tonight: Todibo, Thuram Boga. It looked like those absences were strongly felt...
Obviously, because they are three key players for us. The names you mentioned include two Frqnce internationals and one of the best wingers in the league. We'll also be missing Terem Moffi to the Africa Cup of Nations now. But we mustn't feel sorry for ourselves, we have to face reality. It's up to the players who are here to pull their weight and prove that they can rise to face the challenges over the coming month, without the internationals.

OGC Nice has lost its last three away matches (Nantes, Le Havre, Rennes). Do you think something changed in that loss to Nantes? 
It's a statistic that we have to take into account, as well as the fact that we haven't managed to turn things around each time we've trailed on the scoreboard. But our approach remains the same for both home and away games. It's clear that in a stadium like this, with an atmosphere like this, the away factor can weigh heavily. We're going to have to recharge our batteries and prepare for the Coupe de France match against Bordeaux, which is a goal we want to strive for, and it's going to be another very difficult game.

Do you think you should change your game plan from time to time to try and turn things around in games? 
We study the matches on our side, and our opponents do the same. Rennes did it well tonight and they deserve all the credit for that. They played a very solid game, with the desire to win. That's what made the difference tonight. Tactically, if we're where we are today in the standings, it's thanks to our attitude and the work we put in. What we lacked tonight was the ability to execute properly. When you have 60% of possession away from home and you move the ball around too slowly, miss-control the ball and make poor decisions, you give the opposition far too great an advantage. Tonight, we lacked technical precision and pace. In the second half, with the introduction of Reda Belahyane and Tom Louchet, we were more lively and that helped tip the balance back in our favour. Now we need to rediscover our desire to work hard and with humility. 

Why did you line up with Youssouf Ndayishimiye in the centre of defence and Pablo Rosario in midfield? 
Lately, that's what we've been working on. I think it's our best set-up when both players are on the pitch. Pablo Rosario is good in tight spaces, he has confidence and that's what motivated this choice.