Handball

LNH Proligue, Round 17

Lao Stand

Feb 7, 2024 • 9 min read

BILLÈRE HANDBALL PAU PYRÉNÉES VS GRAND BESANÇON DOUBS HANDBALL
08/02/24 CET 19:30

Billère rides the wave
Two in-form teams are facing off. Billère, who are on a streak of 5 consecutive wins, are up against Besançon, who are coming off a strong performance against Pontault-Combault. Their 33-28 victory at home was significant. What about this match now? Logic would suggest a victory for Billère, but logic is rarely respected in the Proligue.

Sebastien Danesi, the Besançon player, was named the left-back of the matchday. He will have a tough task against the mobile defense of Billère. Indeed, their strength around their leader Alexandre Aguilar is to bring a lot of activity, either on the right to

impact or in support and reverse to cut off any shifts. And as expected, they managed to disrupt the Nancy team's continuity, even though it's not the toughest task in this championship. But they will need to replicate that against this Besançon team. We thought they played from a distance and lacked depth. That has changed as they have transformed this idea with a lot of shots from range. Whether it's by Sébastien or Lucas Jametal. However, we can see Daniel Deherme's men neutralizing the Besançon game in its length.

As for the Pau attack, their innovations around a lot of movement in crosses to densify the opponent in the center bring a lot of solutions on the wings. And they have scored a lot of goals in this area. However, this is where Dmitrii Kholmov, the opposing goalkeeper, is most effective. So it's not certain that Billère will score as much as in their previous outings. Just be wary of Besançon's defensive engagement, which was not penalized last weekend but could be this time. Billère should therefore spend a lot of time in numerical superiority. And the play around the block by Valentin Doudeau will thus bring solutions on the right side of their attack.

We therefore expect a tight match with around 28 goals, and a final victory for Billère with a very slight margin.

CAEN HANDBALL VS NANCY HANDBALL
11/02/24 CET 14:00

When Caen will be changing
A new coach, three new players, and yet nothing has changed for the moment. The same sanction falls. A 26-21 defeat in Sarrebourg. This match allowed us to see a confident team against a team lacking confidence. Caen seems to be going around in circles, lacking decisiveness and missing easy shots at key moments. They face Nancy this Sunday, a team struggling in attack, scoring only 23 goals against Billère.

And yet, they have high-quality players. But they can't seem to make it work. There's too little mastery of movements and a clear lack of altruism and willingness to play for each other. The balls are often buried, leading to a very choppy game. Yérime Sylla hasn't found the recipe to bring his players into harmony. He's now regularly testing the game with three right-handed players. Titouan Afanou-Gatine now serves only as an exclusive defender. The central weaknesses of Caen's defense could allow Baptiste Clay to shine in his duels. Similarly, Rohnan Conte Prat could rediscover his qualities and be the top scorer of the match.

On the other side, it's more of the same, with a struggling attack. With only 21 goals scored against Sarrebourg, Caen remains by far the weakest attack in the championship. Their game is stereotyped, with runs towards the center but often revolving around without danger or depth. The spacing is non-existent, meaning they never go for the external interval. This densifies and helps opposing defenses control the Caen backs. Only isolations for Emilien Deschamps-Huard bring some impact but without continuity. The ball is rarely moved after the duels. And Nancy's compact and dense defense is unlikely to help.

Only fast play should make the difference. It's difficult to give a prediction, but we see a Nancy victory with few goals. Both attacks are expected to score around 24 goals.

HANDBALL CLUB COURNON D’AUVERGNE VS JS CHERBOURGEOISE MANCHE HB
09/02/24 CET 19:30

Climbing the Auvergne volcanoes
A single man in Cherbourg could climb these mountains. That man is Nicolas Bono. What a stellar performance he once again managed to deliver against Tremblay. His 6 goals and numerous decisive passes make him one of the best playmakers in the championship. And the same style of defense confronts him again with Cournon. The same style, but slightly less technical and mobile than Tremblay. So, how far can he go and can he lead his team to victory single-handedly against a team from Auvergne coming off a strong win against Massy?

If Cherbourg wants a chance, everything must revolve around speed. Speed in open spaces but also in structured attacks. With quick player movements to disrupt the system set up by Marjan Kolev. Around Nicolas Bono, the wingers will have their say on fast breaks. But we especially see a strong performance possible from Andry Goujon in this match. His explosiveness and dueling skills can be effective against a team lacking mobility. And as we mentioned, it's much needed against these two towering defenders who guard like volcanoes. If you go straight at them, you risk triggering an eruption and getting burned. It's better to play wide. Therefore, we see Cherbourg capable of scoring consistently against this team.

But they will need a solid defense if they wish to win. The key point of the match lies there for us. In Cherbourg's ability to reduce the impact of Cournon's attack in order to find solutions in open spaces. If they can do that, the match should easily turn in their favor. But for that, they'll need to apply a lot of pressure and teamwork to push back big players like Laurent Lagier Pitre, who is always effective in the Proligue. Then tighten the ranks against all opposing duels. Will Thomas Loppy and his defense succeed in this double process?

We believe they will. Therefore, we anticipate a surprise with Cherbourg's victory against Caen in a match that will revolve around 30 goals. We choose speed over strength.

FRONTIGNAN THAU HANDBALL VS MASSY ESSONNE HB
09/02/24 CET 19:30

The n°3 attack
As expected, we witnessed the limitations of Frontignan after their 26-25 defeat to Sélestat. The latter managed to reduce the impact of the top scorer on the opposing side, Nathy Camara. Indeed, he failed to score in the last matchday. This, combined with the pressure applied on the backcourt players, forced Frontignan to find other solutions, notably with their pivot Adria Leon. They must now be eager to restart a winning streak with the home game against Massy. The atmosphere should once again be very lively at Ferrari; aside from the unusual warmth of this February month, there is above all the local fervor towards this club, which is beautiful to see. There is no doubt that the players will once again be pushed and supported as they deserve.

This should allow them to rediscover their fast-paced game. Indeed, the fast breaks of Maxime Isnard and Nathy Camara, the two Frontignan wingers, should complement their transition game. Their fast breaks with two pivots should widen the spaces in the central axis of the Massy defense. Antoine Gros and Pierre Halimi, the two central defenders, should find themselves in difficulty against the assaults of Ayhan Alexandre or Romain Tesio. In his particular style, the latter manages to bring a lot of commitment and obtain many penalties with his slightly disjointed body. The difference should therefore be made in the verticality of the Frontignan game. After being challenged by the speed and duels of Hugo Pimenta in Sélestat, this time it's Florent Suretet, the right back of Massy, who charges forward. With quite similar qualities, he will come to confront the technical weaknesses in the center of the Héraultais defense. However, this should still not be enough, given the heart and energy deployed at home by the exclusive defender Anthony Laurens. Many interruptions in play are expected due to his neutralizations. Massy's game should therefore lack continuity to be effective.

Therefore, we expect a victory for Frontignan Thau Handball by a margin of 5 goals, with an attack approaching 33 goals.

ISTRES PROVENCE HANDBALL VS SÉLESTAT ALSACE HANDBALL
09/02/24 CET 19:00

Whose elevator?
With Villeurbanne having declared bankruptcy, Istres kicks off the competition this Friday. It's not easy to get back into the rhythm of official matches. On the other hand, Sélestat won in a crucial match against Frontignan. We expect a high- quality match between two teams aiming to bounce back and return directly to the Starligue.

Toke Schroder Bjelke, the sharpshooter, may remind Sélestat of his skills. Although he has struggled to fit into Istres' playing style and showcase his shooting ability, we know all about his scoring qualities. This Danish player has shooting power that can

beat any goalkeeper. It's up to his teammates to set him up so he can unleash his full potential.
This match also allows us to see two high-quality players: Tom Vinatier, Sélestat's center-back, and Matt Lafleur, Istres' left-back. These two players have had unconventional career paths, not going through the usual federal circuit. They weren't detected initially, but they now demonstrate their full potential. Annecy CSAV Handball should be proud to have trained and developed two players of this caliber. It seems that Cédric Paty's eye (former CSAV manager) for finding hidden gems is not overrated. What strength of character these two men display. It's remarkable how Matt Lafleur, who battled cancer in November 2022, remains so effective after this ordeal. Handball should no longer scare him; it should be a pleasure for him to step onto the court every Friday. And we hope to see him this weekend putting Teo Egermann, Sélestat's central defender, through the wringer with his one-on-one skills and commitment.

However, if Istres wants to win, they'll need to tighten their defense to limit the impact of Hugo Pimenta, who scored 11 goals in the last matchday. They'll need to force him into making mistakes and let their goalkeeper Xoan Ledo do his job against the wingers.
So, it's not easy to predict, but we still see an Istres victory, albeit in a tough match. It's expected to be a game with around 29 goals scored.

PONTAULT-COMBAULT HANDBALL VS ANGERS SCO HANDBALL
09/02/24 CET 19:30

Negative momentum set to end
The break unfortunately wasn't enough to break their negative momentum and streak of losses. But this Friday night, one of the teams should return to the positive side. Angers, who led the entire match against Valence, were overtaken at the end. What a cruel scenario when every point counts immensely for survival. And Pontault-Combault, who still have room for the playoffs, spent 60 minutes feeling frustrated. They absolutely did not control their emotions. Handling external distractions like refereeing decisions is still not on the agenda. While they were certainly poorly officiated, such situations should not occur. To maintain their level in this division, they need to know how to win these kinds of tough matches. And there are many in the Proligue because every team is capable of defeating each other. Only consistency makes the difference in this league. So now, it's time for this showdown.

Pontault showed one of their weaknesses last weekend: shooting through the defense. They were mostly pierced by this technique. Surely, it surprises them, and they cannot react in time. Unfortunately for Angers, apart from Filip Vucelic, they don't have a player capable of shooting in this manner. Pontault should thus return to their standards, bringing all of Angers' central play and impacting or neutralizing the opponent's game. Only Fares Ghoul, through hard work and depth, can find some easy solutions. Angers is therefore at risk of experiencing offensive difficulties. Can the defense make the difference? The new defense proposed by Issam Tej's men in a 1-5 formation could create problems for many teams. But against Pontault-Combault, this might open up spaces for Génèse Bouity. And for 30 minutes, he will face Swan Lemarié, the weak defensive left-back from Angers. Perhaps the choice will only be made when the attack-defense transition is possible.

Therefore, we expect Pontault-Combault to win, but in a closely contested match by fewer than 4 goals.

TREMBLAY-EN-FRANCE HANDBALL VS SARREBOURG MOSELLE SUD HANDBALL
09/02/24 CET 19:30

A long, quiet river?
Despite a challenging match, Tremblay once again emerged victorious on Cherbourg's turf with a score of 28-26. They continue their steady progress. Today, they face a surprising team with 5 wins in their last 6 matches, including victories against Istres and Frontignan. We can talk about a remarkable comeback, as they were last in mid-November and are now 9th with 12 points. Arnaud Calbry has clearly found the recipe for success. An undeniable ingredient in this recipe is the arrival of Frédéric Beauregard, who stabilizes the Sarrebourg defense and manages the mood swings of his teammates. Before his arrival, any weakness during the match spelled disaster for them. They would fall behind by such a margin that they lacked the means to come back. This is the clear evolution in Sarrebourg's game. But will it be enough against Tremblay-en-France, aiming for the Proligue championship title?

The shooting quality of Sarrebourg can be effective against the low defense of the Tremblay central block. Louis Despreaux could find great success as he only needs to control the relationship with the goalkeeper. He won't be hindered in his central runs, and his playmakers can set him up. Clement Esparon, the substitute left-back, can also showcase his shoulder strength. He must develop his power without being too predictable for Cyril Dumoulin, a former goalkeeper of the French national team. However, a good offense will not be enough.

Sarrebourg must also succeed in slowing down the offensive quality of Chérif Amani's men. When one is not efficient, the other steps up. Currently, Nicolas Claire is reminiscent of his successful years with Nantes, which earned him a spot in the French national team. His arm is always a threat, and he can shoot or surprise the goalkeeper with his wrist quality at any moment, or make a decisive pass. He should once again be influential on Thursday and outsmart the Sarrebourg defense.

Therefore, while we expect Sarrebourg to be successful offensively, they are likely to concede many goals. We anticipate a Tremblay victory with more than 35 goals scored, with Sarrebourg also exceeding 30 goals.

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