[First, I apologize for the infrequency of updates here -- I'm just too busy right now to give Nice the attention they deserve, but I'll do my best to post once or twice a week with the big news, such as it is.]

This week, that news is the arrival of defensive mid Julien Sablé (presentation video above) from Lens on a three-and-a-half year contract. He’s not young (28), but he’s tough as hell, and has a great relationship with Antonetti from their time together at ASSE, where he was captain for many years. And, even more importantly, after sitting on his butt in Lens for the past 18 months, he’s excited to prove himself, and make a difference at Nice (or, it sounds like, anywhere Antonetti happens to be hanging out).

I confess that I knew nothing about Sablé until his name started appearing in rumors last month, but reading through the forums, this move is getting a really positive reaction, primarily because of what a warrior he was at ASSE. Immediately, his main role will probably be slotting into the team for Cup matches as Nice try to survive in three competitions, but it’s generally accepted that, longer term, he’ll replace the ageless Chouf, when he either hangs it up, or physically isn’t able to keep himself in the first XI anymore (next season?).

Two pretty promising pick-ups in the winter transfer window isn’t bad at all, particularly given the prices involved (Sablé’s hasn’t been revealed, but there’s no way he cost much, considering how little-used he’s been at Lens.) — full marks to Mr. Ricort, and bonus points for the misdirection about the team’s total lack of interest in Sablé.

Two day to the (Cup) derby! I’ll try to at least post the squad list when it goes up.

For those of you who speak French and/or Portuguese or just like moving pictures, here’s Adeilson’s presentation. It’s hard to conclude much from those four-and-a-half minutes, but his words are optimistic and honest — It’s not often you hear a guy in his presentation at a new club say he’d never heard of them before they came in and made him an offer — which is definitely something.

If Ricort has his way, a very real side-effect of Adeilson’s arrival could be the departure of Modeste on loan, if Antonetti “gives the green light.” It’d be great for Modeste to play every week under less pressure somewhere, and if alleged possible destination Nancy can provide him that, awesome. More than anything else, it’s always seemed like Modeste’s biggest problem is a lack of confidence; hopefully some success elsewhere will bring him back to Nice next season with a little self-belief.

And, also, in a bit of unrelated transfer talk, it’s being reported that Gace could be headed out on loan to National side Rodez. Cripes, for real? I mean, I know he’s not playing and all, but damn, that’s a long ways down for a loan — or is this sort of move more common in France than I think?

There’s allegedly football being played in the first part of this clip. I have my doubts.

Arras 1 – 3 Nice
Buts: Bellatrêche (52è) pour Arras; Ben Saada (48è), Modeste (110è), Bamogo (113è pen) pour Nice

Arras: Lambenne – De Barros, Daval, Lombard, Delépine – Bellatrêche (c), Duchateau (Diarra, 99è), Luyssen (Lamourette, 109è), Hadjal – Catelet (Bellaredj, 63è), Robail

Nice: Letizi – Apam, Hognon, Cid, Rool (c; Gace, 115è) – Jeunechamp, Traoré (Hellebuyck, 71è), Ben Saada – Quansah (Bamogo, 58è), Modeste, Mouloungui

* * *

I was going to wait to write up the Arras match until I’d watched it, but since the official site seems to have decided there’s no point in uploading something no one can see, it looks like I’m not actually going to be able to do that.

So, to sum up what everyone probably already knows, conditions where shocking (frozen pitch, crazy thick fog), so much so that that referee briefly stopped the match, and only allowed it go to on after Antonetti and Captain Cyril #1 — who was apparently just immense for the 115 minutes he was on the pitch — unleashed their legendary powers of persuasion on him. It was literally almost impossible to see what was going on throughout most of the 90 minutes, but both teams scored (so we’re told, anyway), and it wasn’t until the fog lifted in added time that Nice were able to really assert their superiority, in the form of two more goals, and secure a place in the next round.

A next round in which they will play — wait for it — Monaco. Sweet. The match will be played away, at the end of this month.

ETA: Ok, the match has been uploaded now. If I find some patience, I’ll watch it and write a more detailed response tomorrow.

* * *

In other news, you may have heard Nice have quietly snapped up a new striker. His name is Pereira de Mello Adeilson (that’s just Adeilson to us, because he’s merciful like that), he’s 23, cost €1 million from Brazilian club Ipatinga and, if you believe the French press, the club beat out at least Bayer Leverkusen for his signature; they’ve secured his services for three-and-a-half years.

According to Roger Ricort, Adeilson wasn’t even his target when he went to Brazil to scout, but he played so well that Nice turned their attention to him and totally forgot about the nameless opponent they had traveled to see. As you’d expect, there’s a lot of optimism about the guy in the Nice camp, from his size and ability — there’s a pretty sweet goal here — to his personality, and the way he carries himself (Ricort compared him to Ederson, which is high praise indeed), but obviously he’s got everything to prove.

Right now, by Adeilson’s own admission, he’s behind on fitness because he’s coming off a three-week vacation, so it’ll probably be a while before we get to see him in action.

•Squad list for Arras:

Gardiens: Letizi, Moreau
Défenseurs: Apam, Cid, Gace, Hognon, Jeunechamp, Rool
Milieux: Echouafni, Faé, Hellebuyck, Traoré
Attaquants: Bamogo, Ben Saada, Modeste, Mouloungui, Ozokwo, Quansah

Rémy, Kante, and Coulibaly all have injury problems and Adu is suspended (?!), but the rest of the absences are being rested or, in the case of Barul and Moussilou, cruelly ignored. Antonetti said earlier this week that Moreau could get the start if Letizi can’t go and, though the match is being taken seriously, it’s nevertheless thought that guys like Hognon, Cid, Traoré, Ben Saada and Modeste could all figured in the first XI.

•Though he returned to Nice not yet fully recovered from the injury he picked up last month, Rémy is due to start training again on Tuesday, and is expected to be in the squad when L1 resumes on the 10th. Woo hoo!

•Not surprisingly, Roger Ricort is denying that the club are interested in either Dindane (yes, him again) or Sablé, the former because he (still) costs too much, and the latter because, well, they just don’t want him.

•During the break, both Cyril #1 (who Google translate calls “the crustiest“) and Chouf talked to Nice-Matin about the season so far, and both of them, while pleased with the 30 points the team have amassed, pointed to the canceled Grenoble match as the thing that screwed everything up because it “broke our rhythm.” Cursed rain!

•In an interview with the official site, Antonetti also gave his take on the first half, praising the team’s ability to take points even when they don’t play their best, and being his usual, eminently reasonable self in bringing some perspective to how high Nice were flying about a month ago. (He, also, lists the cancellation of the Grenoble match as one of his regrets, along with the loss to Le Havre on the season’s opening weekend.)

•Ospina was voted Nice player of the month for December, because he is just that awesome.

Happy New Year, everybody. Hopefully next time we talk, it’ll be about advancing in the Coupe de France, and not about some sort of humiliating disaster.

•The Grenoble match will be played either a week from today or on the 17th of this month. The 10th was the league’s initial proposal, but Pierre Wantiez had a fit about Nice getting an extra day of rest, so it could be pushed back a week. (In response to the fit, Antonetti turned on the sarcasm and suggested that maybe a strike is in order, if only to ensure three full days of rest between matches. Oh, snap!)

•Out of concern for the proverbial “public safety,” the police have stepped in and forced the cancellation of the special train that was to take Nice supporters to the OM match. In light of past problems, one understands their concerns, but Nice’s security guy had a point when he suggested it’d be a lot easier for police to manage the supporters if they were all in one place, rather than arriving as they will now, via bus and car, at various times and locations.

•The official site has an interview with Chouf ahead of the match, in which he’s characteristically cautious, and also expresses some concern about the team going two weeks between games.

•Nice Premium ran a long interview with Maurice Cohen on Sunday, and even through the filter of Google translate, it’s well worth a read. Among other topics, he discusses the status of the club’s youth program, if there will be any winter signings, what’s up with Chouf’s and Letizi’s contracts, and how the defense will stand at this time next season. (He also reveals that Cyril #2 has a clause in his contract whereby it’s automatically extended if he reaches a designated number of appearances. That’s, like, flying car technology right there!)

•On the topic of signings, a couple different sources are reporting that Nice are tracking Monaco’s Camel Meriem. No idea of there’s any validity to the stories at all, though. Anyone?

•Via the OGC Nissa forums, here’s an Infosport feature on Nice from last week that includes some of the yelling at Habib! (among others) that I’m always talking about. It’s hilarious even to me, so I’m guessing people who actually understand French will enjoy it, as well.

•And, finally, I can’t find the original source, but one of the fan sites is reporting that Antonetti has officially announced the gloves are Ospina’s after Christmas. Nice. (Nahhhc, not Neece.) He also may end up playing against OM, depending on how Letizi’s feeling — the old man didn’t train at all yesterday.

ETA: The train to Marseille has been un-canceled.

Job arrived at Nice last August and played in just nine matches, starting three times and making six appearances as a sub, including a trio of appearances that lasted less than five minutes total. It’s been known from the start of training this summer that he wanted to leave since he had no future at Nice; hopefully this move will be good for him (assuming Al Kharaitiyat actually exists).

And, in incidental Cyril news, #1 is riding a Nice scooter at ogcnice.tv for some reason (anyone who speaks French and watches that clip, please explain what’s going on), and #2 is suspended for the Lyon match.

ETA: Thanks to Jeremy, we now know that Al Kharaitiyat not only exist, but also have recently been promoted to the top division in Qatar. Now if they’d just settle up that hosting bill …

Nice 2-0 Valenciennes
Buts: Bamogo (52è), Rémy (85è) pour Nice
Expulsion: Tiéné (31è) à Valenciennes

Nice: Letizi – Diakité, Apam, Kanté (Cid, 84è), Jeunechamp – Echouafni (c), Faé, Hellebuyck – Traoré (Ben Saada, 26è), Rémy, Bamogo (Modeste, 76è)

Valenciennes: Penneteau – Ducourtioux, Bisevac, Rafael (c), Tiéné – Saez, Sanchez, Mater (M. Traoré, 46è), Danic (Bangoura, 60è) – Audel, Pujol (Sebo, 80è)

[Post-match interviews here.]

* * *

Everyone acknowledges that Valenciennes were poor, even before they went down to 10 men, but that doesn’t do anything to take the shine off the three points, or the spot near the top of the table. Alright, so there was a missed PK and some wasteful attacks, but the team are playing with urgency and confidence, and getting points in spite of their own screw ups.

As always, Antonetti’s keeping his wits about him and refusing to get overly excited, but Captain Chouf and Bamogo — who finally got his goal — were thrilled with both the result and the nine points from a possible 12 in the month. No matter the quality of the opponents, this August has been a great launching pad for the trip to Lyon after the international break — no one could have asked for anything more than to be within a point of the top going into that match. (A match which it’s actually going to be possible to see, for once. Huzzah!)

In terms of individual performances, Hellebuyck recovered from a couple quiet weeks to be the unanimous MOTM — he hit the post twice and was a lively presence in the midfield. Ben Saada made his return from injury (coming on for an injured Traoré, which is no good at all) and was impressive, as well — he assisted on Bamogo’s goal and is once again being optimistically seen as the eventual replacement for Ederson in the middle of the pitch. And, finally, Letizi wasn’t scary, Apam made his return from the Olympics and was his usual, rock-like self, and Rémy, despite missing a PK, was one again good.

As players trickle back in, the team really seems to be coming together. If all goes well they’ll get the last piece (Cyril #1) back for Week 5, and can make a good accounting of themselves in Lyon.

* * *

In other news:

•Yahia is heading to Lens today for a year-long loan with the option to buy; quite understandably, he’d rather go to Lens and help them return to L1 than sit on the bench week-in and week-out in Nice. Hopefully this won’t come to bite Nice in the ass if there are injury problems, and Cid or Gace is forced into the back.

•Baky is a hero in Marseille. *sniffle*

•The video section of the official website is getting all fancy, with schedules and everything. Coming up this week are an interview with Chouf, the usual behind-the-scenes look at last weekend’s match, and a visit to training.

[Photo by LSN]

Sorry for the semi-absence this week, I’ve been traveling and have only now settled in once place (for a while), so there sadly won’t be a proper preview for the Le Havre match. Instead, I can offer you some links, will that do? What if I pledge real previews in the future? Excellent.

•Both Coulibaly and Apam started and played all 90 minutes in their Olympic matches yesterday. Ivory Coast ran Argentina raged but lost 2-1 on a late goal, while Nigeria drew 0-0 with the Dutch.

•Fooball365.fr released a preseason poll of football journalists today, all of whom were asked to pick the top three and bottom three, and explain their choices. Three of them picked Nice to go down for obvious, ZOMG SO MANY PEOPLE ARE GONE! reasons. Hopefully we’ll look back on this and laugh.

•Official numbers — no one’s taken over Baky’s shirt, but Traore’s been assigned Ederson’s #10, Fae’s got Balmont’s #14, Ospina’s got the #1 shirt, and poor, unloved Matt Moussilou will get nothing and like it!

•A recent official site interview with Letizi, who praises Ospina and tries to temper his habitual positivity with a bit of caution about the season ahead. Good man.

•Totally unsurprising squad list for tomorrow. I’ve read that Hognan definitely will not play, but since he’s on the team sheet it looks like there’s at least a little optimism he could be fit by game time. Fingers crossed, everyone.

•New Antonetti interview, in which he cautions against taking preseason results to heart, laments the financial situation that makes that elusive New Attacker difficult to land, and shows some love for his 4-3-3.

•On the topic of the new attacker, Nice are still after Dindane, apparently, and talks are either underway with Lens or they’ve broken down after Nice’s offer was rejected. As usual, the truth is anyone’s guess, but at the very least it sounds like they’re still trying to find someone. Even someone with only one good leg.

If anyone somehow manages to watch the match tomorrow, please share your impressions in the comments. Assuming God doesn’t come down in person (in deity) and demand a stream, I won’t see it beyond highlights until the official site gets it uploaded (which usually takes a couple days), so the full match report won’t come until then.

Could someone please explain what’s going on with Cedric Kanté? Last week, he was complaining about how the club weren’t interested in extending his contract beyond its current 2009 end because of all the central defenders in the team. Now, though, it turns out they’ve offered him a two-year extension, and he turned it down. He also refused to go to to ASSE earlier this summer (allegedly) because he wasn’t their first choice (he is not a “fallback solution”), hints at interest in him from PSG, and then hastens to add that he is not unhappy at Nice. Well, hell, I should hope not — I think he played more matches than anyone in the team last season, so it’s hard to understand where all this is coming from. Anyone? Is it just that he wants to make more money, and knows he’d have to move to do that? Or is he an egomaniac who wants the armband and a statue outside the new ground? I’ve love to hear what everyone thinks and/or knows, cos I’m almost entirely ignorant about his history.

Away from Kanté, there’s been a lot of talk about Rémy in the press lately, since he played at Lyon and is about to start his first season EVAR as a first-team regular. In interviews, he comes across as very focused and entirely realistic about the amount of pressure he’s under, and how high the expectations for him are in Nice; it’s nice (haha) to see a young player willingly taking on challenges rather than laughing and pretending they’re not there. And he’s a realist in other ways, too — among the reason he came to Nice were a)the weather, and b)the fact that, out of all his suitors, Nice “responded most to [his] demands.” Gotta love the honesty, right?

Also:

•The team trained at the Ray in front of supporters yesterday. There are pictures, and the official site insists that Yahia scored twice on bicycle kicks, but I’m not sure I believe it.

•Latest rumored transfer target: Bobô (the Brazilian at Besiktas, not the Italian one at Atlanta, or the guy who plays at Celtic) — Foot Mercato claim Nice are interested but haven’t made an offer.

Eric Mouloungui is officially Niçoise, to the tune of €2 million and a four-year contract. He’s still a youngster — only 24 — but has to this point never lived up to his potential in Ligue 1, having scored six goals for Strasbourg in over 60 matches during their time at the top level. When they were in Ligue 2 two years ago, on the other hand, he was a comparative goal machine, tallying 11 in 30 matches. But! According to the ever-optimistic Roger Ricort, who held forth today on Nice’s summer buys, he’s also “a talent apart,” who can “win a match alone.” Cross your fingers.

Racing fans seem to have some concerns about his attitude — there have been rumors of partying — and his inability to stay healthy; seeing as how he’s currently carrying an injury and will probably miss the start of the season, the latter is certainly a valid concern. That said, though, he’s apparently got Baky-esque speed and has shown flashes of genius with the ball at his feet, so it’s probably best to hope for a breakout season, particularly since there are suggestions he’s going to be the final buy of the summer. (Piquionne seems to no longer be a going concern — he’s reportedly closer than ever to joining Lyon. Plus, he costs about €7 million, which could well be more than Nice are willing to pay for a second injured striker.)

Bad leg aside, Mouloungui says he’s excited to join Nice, but then he would, wouldn’t he? J will be pleased to hear that the weather was a big part of the reason for his move — who cares about playing in a crappy, old ground when you’re living in a place that puts you in a “good mood when [you] open the window?” Additionally, he admits he’s got work to do on being more lethal in front of goal, so we know he’s got some brains, which is something.

Not only is Mouloungui (allegedly) the last new signing, but Matt Moussilou is on trial with Grenoble, so there’s a good chance Nice won’t be able to count on his goals, ei- oh, wait.

Rémy just better stay healthy.