The Valenciennes Post
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
Nobody could get near Mamadou Camara
Successful dribbles: 24. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad27 Aug 2029
Tempers go at Valenciennes
Thilo Kehrer was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
Farès Bahlouli in the eights
A performance of 8.65 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad27 Aug 2029
No hiding place for Justin Lacombe
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Justin Lacombe, and the manager let it.
Match25 Aug 2029
Valenciennes share the spoils with AC Ajaccio
A 1‑1 draw with AC Ajaccio leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.
Squad27 Aug 2029
Farès Bahlouli finally opens his account
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Valenciennes have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Market27 Aug 2029
Andrés Salazar brings the grey hairs Valenciennes lacked
At 35, he has seen every situation this season can produce, twice. The legs will be managed; the head is the purchase.
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
Rento Takaoka leaves them behind him
Shots: 10. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
Squad27 Aug 2029
A season on the outside for Andrés Salazar
He trains hard, says the right things and goes home to an empty flat. Nobody at Valenciennes has done anything wrong, which is exactly what makes it so difficult to fix.
In brief
- Market Ivan Havrushko joins Valenciennes on a free
- Market Samir Belloumou leaves for nothing
- Market Nicolas Roger leaves for nothing