Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

[OhhhRickieLambert]

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Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

Paris FC was founded in 1969 and later merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain. The current Paris FC exists as a result of the two clubs being involved in a bitter split with Paris FC keeping its place and professional status in the First Division whilst PSG was relegated to the Third Division.

Paris FC played their home games at the Parc des Princes for the next two years until they were relegated to the Second Division as PSG were promoted to the First Division taking their home ground. Since then Paris FC has struggled to establish itself, having spent the majority of it's existence playing in the amateur divisions whilst PSG went on to establish a solid foundation culminating in a takeover from Qatari businessman Nasser Al-Khelaifi and with it unparalleled domestic success.

Understandably there was some bitterness and jealously amongst Paris FC fans at the thought of 'what if?'

What if we had been taken over?

What if we were still playing at the Parc des Princes?

What if we were the most powerful and successful team in not only Paris but France?

Paris FC fans hold some pride in the fact that they are still a pure football club not tainted with the foreign money of the club a couple miles down the Boulevards de Marechaux.

After the taste and ultimate failure in Ligue 2 last season the club and it's fans are itching to get back there and begin the path to challenging PSG for supremacy of not only Paris but France and eventually Europe.

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[OhhhRickieLambert]

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Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

Pre Season 2016/2017

Now that the ink has dried on my twelve month contract and the chats with President Pierre Ferracci and Assistant Manager Fabien Valeri over it was time to get a closer look at the club I had decided to move out of the shadows of the Parc des Princes.

Club
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Playing in the blue and white in front of a maximum of 20,000 people is a good platform in which to build this club from. As you can see the last four or five years there has been a steady improvement on results culminating in our promotion to Ligue 2 last season.
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Although disappointing to get relegated after only one season, it means we have the basis of a good squad to hopefully challenge to go straight back up.

Facilities
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As I mentioned earlier a 20,000 all seater stadium in south Paris in good condition puts us in good stead along with decent training and youth facilities for this level. I will be making a point of improving our youth recruitment once the money becomes available.

Trophy Cabinet
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Few honours to write home about for a club approaching its 50th anniversary. Hopefully we'll be able to add a few more over the coming years.

Media Prediction
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Second favourites for the title this season after our relegation from Ligue 2. With the top two earning automatic promotion and a third going into a playoff our chances are pretty good of going up.
Having never paid any great attention to French Lower League football for a number of years it was surprising to see teams like Chateauroux and Sedan who have fairly recent history in Ligue 1 down here with us.

Tactics
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A fairly standard 4-1-2-2-1 formation with two inside forwards will be how we will start this season. We were short of depth in a few positions including centre midfield where I dipped into the market to improve but more on that later. My width comes from my fullbacks so it's important they have those attacking qualities which I'm hopeful they have.
I'm a little bit concerned about our depth up front but without any worthwhile targets within our price range I'm left with no choice but to put my faith in the existing options

Key Players
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Our starting centre forward, this young, pacey Guinean striker will have our early hopes pinned well and truly on his shoulders. He's on pretty high wages compared to most at the club so it will be imperative he performs because the clubs financial position wont allow us to continue to pay a player who isn't earning their keep.

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Jean-Baptiste is a hard working, determined defensive midfielder who will have a lot of work breaking up opposition attacks and shielding our back four allowing our other more attacking players to do the job of scoring goals. Before I took over he had very little competition but I've added some depth meaning a drop in performances wont be tolerated.

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Finally our veteran centre back Jean-Jacques Pierre who aside from having the most French name ever will be charged with keeping our defensive line intact. The Haitian international may not have long left in his career but hopefully he can use it to see us promoted.

Promising Youngsters
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Our brightest light in an otherwise poor academy he will hopefully be allowed to get some game time to fulfill his undoubted promise.

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Although he's 20, in the first team squad and our number two striker he's as close to a promising youngster as we have and one to watch for the future to see if he can overcome his dreadfully low determination and become a key player in our title run.

Transfers
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All players with the quality to make it into our starting lineup, I'm very pleased with our business this window, in particular Matthias Lepiller who I have singled out below.

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Having spent most of his career abroad it was great to be able to bring him back to France albeit 200km from his birthplace of Le Havre. An incredible player for this level he will go straight into our starting XI on the left wing and the supporters will be expecting great things from him.

Competitions
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Above are the competitions we'll be playing in this season and along with it the expectations of the board. Considering we're already in the first round of the Coupe de la Ligue and we've been made second favourites for promotion I'm confident of meeting the boards expectations ensuring a successful season in south Paris.

There's nothing left to do but get on with the matches!


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[OhhhRickieLambert]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

August 2016
Here it is, the time of year football supporters up and down the country look forward to. The time before a ball is kicked and their hopes and dreams of winning trophies is still intact. For most these dreams will be extinguished fairly quickly. Will Paris FC be among them? Time to get down to business....

Fixtures
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Championnat National
Matchday One
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A bit of a shaky start in the league defensively as we concede a late goal to drop points at home. Good to see on loan AS Monaco winger Corentin Tirard get off the mark on his debut but work will need to be done to tighten up at the back.

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Coupe de la Ligue First Round
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An incredible victory so early on against an established Ligue 2 team as two more new signings got the goals today. Matthias Lepiller got his first two goals for the club after his summer move.

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Championnat National
Matchday Two
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Lepiller at the double again as we get our first win of the league season despite a late Consolat fightback.

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Championnat National
Matchday Three
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Despite Popoola's red card early in the second half we still managed to grab two goals on the break to make it back to back away wins.

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Coupe de la Ligue Second Round
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We're on the wrong side of a thriller as we throw away a 3-1 half time lead against ten men to lose the opportunity to claim two Ligue 2 scalps and bow out at the second round.

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Championnat National
Matchday Four
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More dropped points at home as we're again unable to hold onto a slender lead despite another Lepiller goal.

Player of the Month
Matthias Lepiller
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Five goals this month for our left winger marks an incredible beginning to his Paris FC career.

League Table/Player Stats
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Two points off the pace after the first month due to our dropped home games. On a positive note Lepiller has made his way into the top three on the goalscorers charts while attacking midfielder Idriss Ech-Chergui has put in some highly consistent performances.
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[OhhhRickieLambert]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

September 2016
A topsy-turvy month in the league as our good form away from home continues while we can't seem to find an answer at home. Matthias Lepiller keeps his good run of scoring going but our defenders are struggling to put any kind of form together.

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Fixtures
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Championnat National
Matchday Five
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Another good victory away from home despite Frederic Bong's early sending off thanks to two needless yellow cards. Lepiller got us off to the perfect start and we finished them off before conceding a penalty to prevent a much needed clean sheet.

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Championnat National
Matchday Six
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Another case where we're unable to hold onto a solitary goal lead at home as we drop points against a team predicted to finish in the lower half of the table. I'm still unable to get a grip on who our first choice centre back pairing is as there's no consistency in performances from any of them.

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Championnat National
Matchday Seven
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We suffer our first defeat of the league campaign, albeit a lot earlier in the season than I'd hoped. Once again our defence is a shambles, conceding easy opportunities for the opposition to punish us with. This time they attacked our right hand side and Romuald Marie couldn't handle it.

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Championnat National
Matchday Eight
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More dropped points at home conceding a lead within the last twenty minutes. It's becoming evident that although we're conceding late equalisers, we aren't putting games to bed earlier with the amount of chances we have. Striker Aboubacar Camara is especially guilty of this wasting a lot of efforts. It's becoming evident to me that our season in the Championnat National is not going to be as easy as I'd expected.

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Championnat National
Matchday Nine
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A very welcome return to winning ways with two very early goals enough to see us over the line. I made a change up top giving the big powerful Burundi international Jonathan Nanizayamo his first start and he immediately repaid my faith with a goal after 18 seconds to set a club and league record.

Player of the Month
Matthias Lepiller
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New signing Lepiller continues to impress after his summer move getting another three goals in an average month for us.

League Table/Player Stats
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Our mixed month in the league didn't cost us to dearly, gaining a couple of places and only falling a further point behind top spot. It looks as if its going to be a tight season with teams constantly taking points off each other so if we can get some consistency and shore up our weaknesses down back and up front we could take this league by the throat.
Good to see Lepiller at the top of the goalscoring charts and centre back Herve Lybohy defying the trend of our defenders playing consistently poor to top the average ratings for the league.
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[HugoCaldeira1234]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

September 2016
A topsy-turvy month in the league as our good form away from home continues while we can't seem to find an answer at home. Matthias Lepiller keeps his good run of scoring going but our defenders are struggling to put any kind of form together.

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Fixtures
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Championnat National
Matchday Five
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Another good victory away from home despite Frederic Bong's early sending off thanks to two needless yellow cards. Lepiller got us off to the perfect start and we finished them off before conceding a penalty to prevent a much needed clean sheet.

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Championnat National
Matchday Six
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Another case where we're unable to hold onto a solitary goal lead at home as we drop points against a team predicted to finish in the lower half of the table. I'm still unable to get a grip on who our first choice centre back pairing is as there's no consistency in performances from any of them.

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Championnat National
Matchday Seven
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We suffer our first defeat of the league campaign, albeit a lot earlier in the season than I'd hoped. Once again our defence is a shambles, conceding easy opportunities for the opposition to punish us with. This time they attacked our right hand side and Romuald Marie couldn't handle it.

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Championnat National
Matchday Eight
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More dropped points at home conceding a lead within the last twenty minutes. It's becoming evident that although we're conceding late equalisers, we aren't putting games to bed earlier with the amount of chances we have. Striker Aboubacar Camara is especially guilty of this wasting a lot of efforts. It's becoming evident to me that our season in the Championnat National is not going to be as easy as I'd expected.

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Championnat National
Matchday Nine
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A very welcome return to winning ways with two very early goals enough to see us over the line. I made a change up top giving the big powerful Burundi international Jonathan Nanizayamo his first start and he immediately repaid my faith with a goal after 18 seconds to set a club and league record.

Player of the Month
Matthias Lepiller
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New signing Lepiller continues to impress after his summer move getting another three goals in an average month for us.

League Table/Player Stats
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Our mixed month in the league didn't cost us to dearly, gaining a couple of places and only falling a further point behind top spot. It looks as if its going to be a tight season with teams constantly taking points off each other so if we can get some consistency and shore up our weaknesses down back and up front we could take this league by the throat.
Good to see Lepiller at the top of the goalscoring charts and centre back Herve Lybohy defying the trend of our defenders playing consistently poor to top the average ratings for the league.
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[AldoKemp-1]

You must be doing something right to get this hero to click on your story and quote it with nothing else said XDXDXD

 

[OhhhRickieLambert]

You must be doing something right to get this hero to click on your story and quote it with nothing else said XDXDXD

I didnt think it was an especially good month XDXDXD

 

[OhhhRickieLambert]

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Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

October 2016
The month starts off like the previous with mixed results before a small glimmer of hope beckons towards the end. Our Coupe de France campaign begins and I make what i hope to be an important defensive signing.

Fixtures
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06/10/16​

Championnat National
Matchday Ten
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Another game where we throw away a lead in the second half, this one was due to debutant Maka Mary getting a straight red card making it our second centre back sending off so far this season. We couldn't capitalize on our many second half chances or lion's share of possession which is becoming an all too familiar story.

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09/10/16
Coupe de France
Fifth Round
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A good win against lower league opposition as it took substitute Ech-Chergui's late double to really seal the game and our passage to the next round.

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15/10/16
Championnat National
Matchday Eleven
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We were no match for Jackson Mendes and CA Bastia's counter attacking football as our 60% possession meant very little as nobody had a good game. Getting any sort of consistency out of our lads is becoming a frustrating task.

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20/10/16
Championnat National
Matchday Twelve
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Incredibly this was our first home league win of the season and it all came about after a formation change making us more attacking by removing the defensive midfielder and putting him as an Enganche. The man I put there was Ech-Chergui who justified my change by making an immediate impact with two goals in the first half.

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23/10/16
Coupe de France
Sixth Round
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Another good confidence building win in the cup to progress to the next round and keep our target of reaching the tenth round on track. It was good to see Camara get a couple of goals as he was earmarked as one of our key players at the start of the season and hasn't lived up to those billings as of yet.

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29/10/16
Championnat National
Matchday Thirteen
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Our best win of the season so far against a team challenging us for the promotion places. Our new formation is doing us wonders so far as we are finally taking advantage of the amount of possession and chances we are creating.

Player of the Month
Idriss Ech-Chergui
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Five goals this month for the Enganche who is thriving off the back of our new formation. Before this I was finding it difficult to find a place for him in my starting XI and with his wages being so high, his age and our increasingly perilous financially situation I was looking at offloading him. Not anymore.

League Table/Player Stats
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Still in second spot albeit a further point adrift of Dunkerque who have had a great start to the season capitalising on the evenness of the competition.

Transfers
Allasane Diaby
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With our defence leaking goals and their inability to string together two consistent performances I thought it was time to bring in reinforcements in the shape of physical centre back Allasane Diaby. With pace and strength in vast amounts I'm hoping he will be the answer to our defensive problem of finding a partner for Herve Lybohy.
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[Shedender]

It's always nice to see Paris FC careers in an attempt to overtake their "big brother" and this should be no difference, of course it's going to be a tough 'un, especially whenever you get to Ligue 2 (and beyond) trying to become an established team. KIU OhhhRickieLambert.

 

[OhhhRickieLambert]

It's always nice to see Paris FC careers in an attempt to overtake their "big brother" and this should be no difference, of course it's going to be a tough 'un, especially whenever you get to Ligue 2 (and beyond) trying to become an established team. KIU OhhhRickieLambert.

You're right, I think I'm going to have a tough time of it once I get to Ligue 2 especially if it isn't at the end of next season judging by the speed at which we are losing money. I'm going to have no choice but to offload a lot of players who are out of contract to try and slash the wage bill as we will not be able to survive financially if we keep up the way we are going.

On the flip side of that if we do get promoted most of the squad that has got us there won't be around next season for the the same financial constraints.

 

[OhhhRickieLambert]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

November 2016
Only four games this month, a welcome return after last months crammed fixture list. This allowed us to play our best XI consistently and the results started to show.

Fixtures
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Championnat National
Matchday Fourteen
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Ech-Chergui loving life as an Enganche with a hat-trick taking his tally to six goals in four games since moving there.

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12/11/16​

Coupe de France​

Seventh Round
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Another lower league opposition is brushed by the wayside as Jonathan Nanizayamo stakes his claim to become our first choice striker with a double. Aboubacar Camara hasn't been performing as expected in that role so maybe it's time to put my faith in another. Nanizayamo hasn't hurt his chances with this performance.

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Championnat National
Matchday Fifteen
View attachment 115360Our away form this season has been outstanding and this game was no exception as Sedan were put to the sword with the goals coming from all over the field. Man of the match Romuald Marie got a goal here to continue his fine work at right back so far this season. Unfortunately Matthias Lepiller suffered a bad ankle sprain in the early stages of this one, ruling him out for five weeks.

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The press seem happy with my attacking intent since I took over, averaging almost 2.5 goals a game. Now that the squad is adapting to my new attacking formation I expect this to continue and hopefully improve.

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Championnat National
Matchday SixteenView attachment 115351A hard fought win at home as the match came alive in the final 20 minutes. Mathieu Robail missed a penalty just after the hour which would have made it more comfortable but as it is we take our winning streak to seven.

Player of the Month
Idriss Ech-Chergui
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Not a difficult one to call this month after his hat-trick and continued good performances in his new position.

League Table/Player Stats
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An undefeated month was all it took to put us top of the table by a solitary point. It shows how close this league really is as everyone has the ability to beat anyone on their day and undefeated months like this will go a long way to helping us achieve our goals.
Idriss Ech-Chergui is the real star of this league so far with eight goals, four man of the matches and an average rating of 7.59, a category that we are dominating at this stage.
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[OhhhRickieLambert]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

December 2016
Usually in the UK we're gearing up for a packed festive season schedule but over here in France it's a nice relaxing one game a week. With these results I could get used to this....

Fixtures
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03/12/16
Coupe de France
Eighth Round
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The draw for the Coupe de France has been kind to us again as a few players get a chance to impress in another cup victory. Allasane Diaby took home the man of the match here today in what has been an impressive start to his Paris FC career.

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09/12/16
Championnat National
Matchday Seventeen
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One of those coach killer games against lowly opposition where the football gods aren't on your side no matter what you do. First Rodrigue Bongongui gives away a penalty for shirt pulling from a free kick only for the referee to give a very dubious second ten minutes later against Herve Lybohy when he was alleged to have tripped their striker only for replays to show it was a clear dive. Regardless of those two decisions we didn't take advantage of greater possession or shots and as a result I am doubting the ability of Aboubacar Camara to play as a striker in this formation.

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17/12/16
Championnat National
Matchday Eighteen
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This game marked the beginning of the second half of the season and it continued how it started with another two goals and a win against Consolat Marseille. We didn't have to rely on a recently quiet Lepiller as we did last time with Missi Mezu and the redeployed on the right wing Camara netting here. Judging by his 8.30 rating and man of the match award he might be enjoying life out wide.

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31/12/16
Coupe de France
Ninth Round
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We finish the month in the same way that we started it, with a cup win on New Years Eve to help kick start our new year celebration for both fans and players alike. With two weeks off after this game I allowed the players to let their hair down in the hope they would come back revitalised ready to continue our charge towards the title.

Player of the Month
Corentin Tirard
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Although he only got the one goal this month, the on loan winger was inspirational in assisting a few and putting in some consistent performances - even in our 2-0 loss where he was one of our better players.

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Our stay at the top was short-lived after our 2-0 loss to tenth place SA Spinalien. The league is so close that you have to go all the way down to 17th place before you see a gap of more than two points between teams. Unheard of.
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[OhhhRickieLambert]

Paris FC: In the Shadow of a Giant

January 2017
Our relaxing festive season continues with another four games this month while the transfer window opens again allowing us to further strengthen for our title push.

Fixtures
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13/01/17
Championnat National
Matchday Nineteen
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We looked like a team that'd had a couple of weeks off as we squandered chance after chance before coming alive in the last fifteen minutes. I thought once we got the first equaliser we would go on and get the winner as all the momentum was on our side.

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20/01/17
Championnat National
Matchday Twenty
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A hard fought away victory that was founded on a strong defensive performance which have been few and far between this season but in recent times have shown an improvement.

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28/01/17
Championnat National
Matchday Twenty One
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New loan signing Younes Kaabouni scores a double in his second game since signing from Bordeaux. It's starting to feel like we're kicking up another gear with our results and the way we are adjusting to our more attacking style of play.

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31/01/17​

Coupe de France
Tenth Round
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The draw for the Coupe de France continues to be favourable as we get lower league opposition once again and easily dispatch of them, much in the same way we have up until now. This victory takes us past our pre-season target of making the tenth round. All we need to do is get promotion to meet all of the boards expectations for the year.

Player of the Month
Younes Kaabouni

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An incredible performance against US Boulogne was enough for Kaabouni to earn the player of the month award for January. The attacking midfielder was bought in to provide depth for the Enganche role as Ech-Chergui's performances had dropped off of late but took full advantage of his opportunity and is now our first choice there.

League Table/Player Stats
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Our solitary loss this month was enough to drop further adrift of USL Dunkerque as they continue to impress.

Transfers
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As you can see quite a few players in and out this month. I decided to release a whole bunch of players from their contracts early as they were all on ludicrous wages in relation to their ability. This freed up room in our wage budget which allowed me to bring in a few youngsters who I'm hoping will develop into future first team players or at least allow us to make a profit off of them.
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