Liam Rosenior faces a restart in Brittany on Saturday night, with his side’s unbeaten opening to the Ligue 1 season set to be tested by a Lorient team he expects to attack without fear.
After an international break lasting almost three weeks, Rosenior has welcomed back the bulk of his squad ahead of the 20:45 kick-off at Stade du Moustoir. The English coach spoke before Friday’s training session and the team’s afternoon departure for their pre-match stay in Brittany.
There is one significant fitness concern. Nhoa Sangui will not travel for the Lorient match after picking up an injury, although Rosenior said further examinations were still needed before the club could clarify the nature of the problem.
Chancel Mbemba, however, is available again. Rosenior said the defender had come through a strong week on the training pitch and described him as a player of considerable talent.
No excuses after the international break
Rosenior dismissed the idea that the extended pause should disrupt his team’s rhythm. His side have collected three wins and two draws from their first five league fixtures, but the coach insisted the circumstances are identical across the division.
“It has been a long break, but it is the same for everyone,” Rosenior said. “There can be no excuses.”
He added that the returning internationals were in good condition, while those who remained at the training ground had prepared well during the pause.
Despite the encouraging start, Rosenior is refusing to allow early results to shape bigger targets. He was pleased with both the performances and the points return, but stressed that five matches amount to little in the context of a full campaign.
“We have started well, but there is still plenty to improve,” he said. “At the end of the season, nobody will remember the first five games.”
Versatility remains central
Rosenior also underlined the importance he places on players being capable of operating in more than one role. He said the approach was not designed to appear fashionable or revolutionary, but to improve the squad’s understanding of the game and give the team more tactical options.
The aim, he explained, is to develop players who can recognise the demands of different positions rather than remain limited to one fixed task.
Lorient expected to play with pace
Lorient arrive with a result that Rosenior has noted closely: their 1-0 victory away at Lens in early September. He believes the Breton side have shown they are willing to play their football, even on difficult away grounds.
“It will be a very hard game,” Rosenior said. “They are a good team and they are not afraid to play. We saw that at Lens. They have pace.”
For Rosenior’s unbeaten side, the task is to turn a promising August and September into a successful return under the floodlights on the Breton coast.
