DFCO host Annecy on Friday (8pm) for the 7th matchday of Ligue 2 while dealing with a significant injury list. Dijon's coach Baptiste Ridira is counting on his team's mental strength to counter a stable and intense opponent.
A decimated defence
Aka, Barka, Meynadier, Obongo, Benyahya and Rombogouera will all miss the match. Meynadier, who sustained a knee injury this week, has an unknown recovery timeline. Aka remains sidelined for another two weeks. This series of absences forces Ridira to rethink his starting lineup.
The Annecy portrait
The DFCO coach provided a precise analysis of the opposition. "Annecy presses high and hard, they are one of the teams that runs the most in the championship, especially at high intensity," he analysed. He highlighted their clear tactical project in a 4-3-3, their stability, and their ability to win the ball high up the pitch to transition quickly. He also noted their threat and vulnerability from set-pieces.
Building on mentality
For Ridira, the key lies in replicating the mental qualities shown recently. "We did not collapse at 2-2, that is not insignificant. Like at Montpellier. We must be able to capitalise on this mental strength," he said. Player Tyris Dong echoed this, stating that "the match against Laval allowed us to gain confidence. It's a relief and we must continue. This season, we are playing quality matches."
The stated objective is clear. "The objective is to challenge all teams, like Annecy," concluded Baptiste Ridira. To achieve this, his team must "have the ball and manage the tempo of the match without making mistakes, like against Boulogne". Annecy travel sitting 5th in the table with 10 points from 6 games. Their recent form is mixed (LWDLW), with a 2-1 defeat at Guingamp last week where Thibault Rambaud opened the scoring. The Savoyard club's next fixture is at home against 13th-placed Dijon on September 18th.
The original report is at Le Bien Public
