Cartier vs Stade Reims preview - seeks 'collective strength'

Posted Friday, September 26, 2014 by PA

Metz coach Albert Cartier insists his focus will remain on the bottom half of the Ligue 1 table despite steering his side to seventh place after seven games of the new season.

Gaetan Bussman's winner at Guingamp on Wednesday night maintained the club's fine start to the season and they go into Saturday's home game with struggling Reims in search of their third win in a row.

Cartier is under no illusions about the size of his side's task this season and believes points at this stage of the season will help win a potential relegation battle.

Cartier said: "We showed (against Guingamp) what we could do with a big mind, discipline and collective strength. it is an important win which will count in the relegation battle."

Reims already look destined for a fight for survival after a 5-0 home thrashing by leaders Marseille on Tuesday night which left them third from bottom with seven points from as many games.

But Reims coach Jean Luc Vasseur has demanded his players shrug off the disappointment of losing to a vastly superior outfit in order to concentrate on a much more winnable game at the weekend.

Vasseur said: "My players were disappointed after the game but I told them not to bow their heads and focus immediately on the game against Metz.

"I may have taken a tactical risk by playing a lot of defensive midfielders and if I made a mistake that was mine. Marseille were a lot better than us and they will play at the top of the table - not us."