France - LNH Proligue, Round 24

ANGERS SCO HANDBALL VS ISTRES PROVENCE HANDBALL
05/04/ 2024 - 8:30 PM

When all goes ...
When everything is going well, everything is going well. In an absolutely incredible ending, Istres won at home against Billere 25-24 without any control, but mainly thanks to Vincent Gérard, their goalkeeper, who was imperial in the final minutes. He shut down the shop, as they say. Istres now secures another victory and finds themselves level on points with second-placed Pontault Combault. This time, they travel to Angers. The latter literally collapsed in Frontignan with a 44-32 defeat. The previous week, their goalkeeper had pulled off some heroics to earn his team a draw, but it was not the case in Herault, where he also struggled. However, as long as Caen loses, the Angevins maintain their 14th place, which means survival. Will they manage to recover points this time?

It won't be easy against high-caliber individuals. Although the game is not yet as polished as coach Gilles Derot hopes, it still allows them to win matches. However, the lack of fluidity prevents them from creating the gaps that would be logical. Their long-range firepower with Raphaël Kotters as right-back forces defenses to come out, allowing them to find solutions inside with the pivots. However, Geoffroy Carabasse is currently struggling, and he needs to get his head back in the game. On the other hand, it's impressive to see the physicality of Jean Philippe Takaniua, his replacement, showing great potential for the future. Still technically delicate, he needs to improve in that aspect to become a key player for his team. Nevertheless, he is doing a decent job as a substitute, especially defensively.

They face major difficulties in managing the work around the pivot defensively. The relationships are not yet clear, often leaving the pivot completely isolated in defense. Fares Ghoul, the excellent pivot of Angers who will move elsewhere next year, should be easily found and will have many opportunities as he is impactful both offensively and defensively. However, it might not be enough to make a difference. The other players will have to deal with the opponent's physical power, and the Angevin game might quickly become repetitive.
Thibault Arteaga can take advantage of his qualities in open spaces to score numerous goals and help his team surpass the 35- goal mark.
Istres is expected to come out on top with a score around 35-28, with Louis Joseph playing his duels on the exterior regularly.


BILLERE HANDBALL PAU PYRÉNÉES VS SARREBOURG MOSELLE SUD HANDBALL - 05/04/ 2024 - 8:30 PM

A finger-biter
Billere must be kicking themselves and biting their fingers. Their defeat at Istres must be giving them a headache. They were ahead with just 5 minutes to go but missed three clear-cut chances against Vincent Gérard, only to end up conceding and losing 25-24. Let's not even mention their last possession, where they wasted precious time playing in a simple numerical superiority situation and ended up completely faltering. They will have to return to the court with a strong desire to reclaim what they lost. Sarrebourg, who visits Béarn, should be careful. Despite their good performances since February, they are currently 12th with 16 points and could close the gap on Billere, who sit 8th with 19 points. It promises to be an interesting match to observe and analyze.

For us, the result will depend mainly on Sarrebourg's ability to break through Billere's strong defense or not. They vary their defensive tactics, sometimes straight, sometimes inverted, making them difficult to predict. Their defensive intentions make it challenging for opponents to find openings. Only players with excellent vision and passing ability can navigate through. Their activity on defense is commendable, and any coach would want their defense to act similarly. Therefore, Marius Randriantseheno, the Sarrebourg center-back, will have his work cut out for him. He must make the right choices after winning his duels to avoid turnovers. On the other hand, the Pau players will apply a lot of pressure to prevent Louis Despreaux from shooting in favorable conditions, which should naturally open up opportunities for Jordan Yamdjeu, who has been improving week by week. As a pivot, he can secure his position and then make runs to the wings under the second line of defense. He'll have to contend with Joris Labro, who has been very impressive lately. Billere should once again keep their opponents to less than 28 goals. On the offensive end, they will continue to capitalize on their strengths around the pivots. With the pivots performing well, the defense will be forced to focus on them, leaving space for shooters like Dorian Vallet.

Given these factors, Billere should secure a home victory. The scoreline could be around 30-27, thus solidifying their 8th place in the championship.


CAEN HANDBALL VS VALENCE HANDBALL
05/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

The remontada?
Caen is still second to last. It's hard to change positions when you're not playing. They will have had the opportunity to rest their bodies and prepare adequately for the reception of Valence. Valence, on the other hand, was caught off guard by Cournon at home. This is the right team to face to recover valuable points.
So, this match is of crucial importance if they wish to escape the relegation zone and surpass Angers. The Vikings have thus prepared their longships and weapons in their beautiful, newly-built sports palaces where the atmosphere will be there to support them.

The eighth man will be crucial in transcending the Caen players and giving them defensive energy. Typically far from each other, they often lose their duels and struggle with teamwork. Therefore, the young Valence half, Enzo Vignon, should have fun exploiting the spaces that the Caen defense will offer him. Unfortunately for Valence, he's somewhat the only duelist in his team, so Caen's defense will only have to read the opponents' movements to be present at the right times. They just need to impact the opposing shooters. Their weaknesses will thus be concealed, and Valence should be kept to fewer than 27 goals. Caen is also likely to struggle in attack. Indeed, Valence's defense is known for its high activity in disrupting the opposing game regularly. The Caen players will therefore find it difficult to establish continuity in their play but can rely on one of their strong relationships around the movements of Jordan Allais. This will allow them to flatten the defense. And it's at this moment that Alan Villeminot can exploit all his technical shooting quality by using his wrist in a clever way.

Therefore, it is without difficulty that Caen should emerge victorious with a scoreline around 28-26. This will be a pleasant surprise and will likely allow the Caen team to exit the relegation zone and breathe slightly before facing new challenges.


HANDBALL CLUB COURNON D’AUVERGNE VS SÉLESTAT ALSACE HANDBALL 05/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Irregular
Two teams coming off two big matches last Friday. Cournon emerged victorious on Valence's turf to create some distance from relegation. Sélestat, on the other hand, put in a stellar performance to easily defeat Massy. The scoreline of 31- 26 fully reflects their dominance. But Sélestat's biggest problem since the start of the season has been replicating their fine performances. This young team struggles to maintain consistency in their level of play. As a reminder, the previous week they drew against the antepenultimate team in the championship, namely Angers. So, what can we expect from this match?
There are many uncertainties, of course, with the absences of Hugo Pimenta and Quentin Eymann in the right-back position. Their absence disrupts the style of play they have been accustomed to since the beginning of the season. Tom Vinatier in the center may feel a bit overwhelmed and somewhat alone in the offensive impact. Once again, Marco Mengon, the young Italian back, supported his center-back in scoring. Despite not entirely winning his duels, he manages to score goals by often being in contact and freeing his arm. Playing in open space is the key for Sélestat. Let's hope they release the reins to easily overcome the opponents' defensive issues.
On the other side, the absence of Matteo Grosjean could be felt for Cournon. Having left the previous weekend on crutches, he won't bring balance to the game with his left-handed play. While having a right-hander might provide better defensive balance, it leads to a game primarily focused on duels or set-ups to create long-range shooting opportunities for Nori Benhalima. The defensive mobility around Teo Egermann should allow Cournon to control the game. We have indeed seen a good Lucas Musy in attack, but Cournon's center-back tends to do things a bit too much on his own rather than collectively.

In a tight match, Sélestat, with these subtle parameters, should emerge victorious with a scoreline around 31-28. But the difference should come about 15 minutes before the end of the match when Sélestat accelerates the game.


FRONTIGNAN THAU HANDBALL VS PONTAULT-COMBAULT HANDBALL - 05/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Bip Bip
Two of the best attacks in the championship are facing off, or rather, two of the best teams in open play. They are proponents of fast-paced play through their wings as well as transition play. The new rule regarding the central circle is fully exploited by both teams, especially Pontault Combault, with two wingers cutting to create numerical superiority on the opposite side or executing a crossover to set up their backs. Frontignan, for instance, scored 44 goals the previous weekend against Angers. Pontault Combault, on the other hand, scores more than a third of their goals in open play. It's safe to say that the key to victory will be application in defense and avoiding turnovers in attack to prevent being struck on the counter. And in this game of ball control, Frontignan is more relevant. Even if they don't find direct solutions, they take their time to attack, even if it means going until the opponent refuses to play. And currently, one attacker stands out, Frontignan's center Guenole Gaillard. With his 5 goals the previous weekend, he is also one of his team's key passers. He should lead his team to score over 34 goals.

Therefore, we believe that Frontignan could cause an upset and emerge victorious against the second-placed team in the championship. However, it's important to ensure that the increasingly frequent rumors don't impact the Hérault team's game. There are indeed reports of significant financial trouble and players already seeking new projects for next year. A financial downturn could be confirmed in the coming weeks. However, these are just rumors that could affect our prediction. It's difficult to commit fully when our future is uncertain. Nevertheless, they have always been accustomed to showing their character, and that shouldn't change this Friday night.


MASSY ESSONNE HB VS NANCY HANDBALL
05/05/2024 - 8:30 PM

Winning the game
Budget doesn't necessarily determine the quality of the game. Despite Nancy having a budget 2 to 3 times higher than Massy, their game is not necessarily more interesting. It's a sterile game based on individual performances. In contrast, Massy fights with their own weapons and offers a very enjoyable movement-based game to watch and certainly to play. Success comes through collective mastery rather than individual finishing. That's why Massy and Nancy are at the same level in the championship with 17 points each. The winner of the evening will take sole possession of the ninth place.
For us, we appreciate collective play where scoring is well distributed. There's no need for stars, but a fierce determination to play for one's teammate and to make each other shine. We reiterate that the strength lies in the group, the collective, not the individual. However, of course, the better the individual, the more relevant the collective game will be. Individual development should lead to collective success. We still remember the words of Grace Zaadi on Stade 2.
Massy's goal distribution should be comprehensive. Thibault Chevalier may be the figurehead, but he is well supported by players like Hugo Jullian and others. Against a defense that both defends and attacks, the extra pass is necessary. Two sequences of strong moments and the solution becomes even clearer. It's up to Massy to create a continuity of strong moments as they know how to do, but not just exploit the first solution that opens up to them. They should understand that the extra pass will always lead to an even clearer and more obvious solution.
It is in this collective register that we see Massy emerging victorious with a score around 28 to 25. Certainly, Rohnan Conte Prat will still be the top scorer of the match, but he will be isolated to allow his team to win. Long live the collective!


TREMBLAY-EN-FRANCE HANDBALL VS GRAND BESANÇON DOUBS HANDBALL - 04/04/2024 - 8:30 PM

Stage 2: decompression
Tremblay must have celebrated their non-mathematical promotion once again. But their resounding victory against the runners-up, 32-20, significantly paves the way for their promotion. Let's say it's now 99% certain. However, there's a need to be cautious about the natural and logical decompression once the objectives are achieved. Besançon, who secured a splendid victory against Cherbourg, arrives at Tremblay with a little something to play for. If the commitment is lacking, anything can happen.
The backcourt dueling game of the Besançon players could therefore open up with the outstanding Lucas Jametal leading the charge. He's the first to engage and put his head in the intervals every weekend. He's undeniably drawn to the goal. However, the Tremblay defense will mainly open up opportunities for long-range shots from Martin Petiot and Luka Brkljacic. Both, in their own style, can score from a distance. One with his height and the other with his wrist technique. They are expected to be the top scorers of the evening and allow Besançon to surpass 30 goals.
Certainly, there may be a guilty relaxation expected, but the individual and collective quality of the group gives them the desire to play handball. Offensively, they will do the job because they enjoy playing well and take immense pleasure in it. They also give a lot when the game is fluid and danger comes from all directions.
So, defensively, Tremblay may engage less physically and allow their opponents to score a lot. But their offensive qualities will provide entertainment for their fans and allow them to play in a relaxed manner, with one goal in mind: to secure the Proligue title during the final four. However, that is still far away. For now, they should enjoy themselves and provide enjoyment to others. This will make handball a winner. Tremblay should therefore win with a score around 36-33. One step closer to mathematical confirmation.