Updated 23^rd December 2008

2008 DRAWS TO A CLOSE... Red Star are on holiday now until the 2nd of January, there is training ahead of a friendly against CFA2 outfit Levallois planned on the 3rd. One week later and the championship gets underway again. Meanwhile the editorial team of AllezRedStar.com wishes all our visitors wherever you may be in the world a happy Christmas (even if you don't necessarily celebrate it !) may 2009 bring peace & prosperity to everyone. Speaking of 2009, early in January AllezRedStar.com will be moving our site to a new host, Lycos have given up webhosting, so now we have the huge task of transporting all our pages, pictures, videos, databases etc to a new server. This is a humungous task, so if during the transition period something isn't quite working properly, bear with us, we're most likely in the process of the move. If it still isn't right afterwards, let us know so that we can try & put it right. Oh, and my letter to Santa.... "Dear Santa, please could you bring some goals to Red Star..." JH

Updated 22^nd December 2008

ANOTHER BORE DRAW The easiest job in the world ? Probably operating the electronic score board at Stade Bauer this season. Once again leather failed to come into contact with nylon goal net as Rd Stars' shot-shy forwards once again drew blanks. Pontivy ahd lost six out of six away games this season prior to arriving in the northern Parisian suburbs. Although Red Stars' defenders gave nothing away to Pontivys' forwards, at the other end it was the same old story of inefficiency in front of goal that cost Red Star two extra points and more importantly the chance to close the gap on leaders Viry-Châtillon. Despite an early flurry of goalscoring opportunities for Red Star at the start of the game, once Pontivy had weathered this storm the game settled into a somewhat soporific affair, punctuated only by the brilliance of both goalkeepers. Red Stars' Yoann Djidonou, perhaps the only consistent performer this season for his side, was in fine form and kept Pontivy at bay with some excellent saves. So, 2008 draws to a close, almost half way through the season that has seen Red Star score a miserable twelve goals in fifteen games, one of the worst in the division with only La Vitréenne and Pontivy having scored less. On the positive side, Red Star do have the best defence in the league, having conceded only eleven goals. However, in a sport where the basic premise of the game is to win games by scoring goals, then something is still not quite right.. CFA RESULTS Rouen - Guingamp B : 2 - 2 Le Havre B - Paris SG B : 2 - 2 Vitré - Villemomble : 1-2 Orléans - Caen B : 1-0 RED STAR FC 93 - PONTIVY : 0-0 Racing - Viry-Châtillon : 1-1 Quevilly - Quimper : 1-1 Plabennec - Rennes B : 2-0 UJA - La Vitréenne : 0-1 Francisco Donzelot, one of Red Stars' better players on Saturday

Updated 9^th December 2008

BITTER DEFEAT. Red Stars' unbeaten run came to an end at Paris Saint-Germain reserves on Sunday, going down to a one-nil defeat, which was hard on the Saint-Ouen club whom had showed determination and resolve in the second period. The first half performance was somewhat indifferent and they allowed their hosts to take the lead just before the half hour mark. Earlier Soilyho Mete had saved his side with a goalline clearance and at times Red Star looked shaky. Bit it was a different performance after the interval with Red Star showing entreprise and at times it was only a leg stuck out or a defender in the way that denied the visitors an equaliser. Had Red Star shown a bit more prowess in finishing then it could have been a different story altogether. However Red Stars' perfromance was overshadowed by yet another red card incident, this time Maxime Ongmakon responded to provocation and sparked off another pushing-and-shoving session that saw himself and a PSG player dismissed from the action. The loss of a striker proved to be costly to Red Star and in the next few games as Ongmakon serves out his suspension his absence will be noticed by a side already in pitiful shortage of goals. Baptiste Cirelli No repeat of the ugly incidents that marred the game back at the start of 2007, although in terms of security at the Camp des Loges not a lot appears to have been done, except for the presence of stewards at the game. Red Star supporters could also complain at the eight euros entry price charged on the gate. Meanwhile it appears that Red Star could be in danger of being deducted one point from their tally for this season as punishment for a can being thrown onto the pitch during a game earlier this season at Bauer. The scene on Sunday at the Camp des Loges CFA RESULTS Viry-Châtillon - Plabennec : 1-4 Villemomble - UJA : 2-1 La Vitréenne - Quevilly : 1-2 Pontivy - Rouen : 1-1 Quimper - Le Havre B : postponed Guingamp B - Racing : 0-0 PARIS SG - RED STAR FC 93 : 1-0 Caen B - Vitré : 2-1 Rennes B – Orléans : 1-2 Biggest upset of the day was the leaders Viry-Châtillon going down 4-1 at home to Plabennec; pity that Red Star failed to take advantage of this and to close the game down to four points. Rouen are in danger of losing four points after the DNCG found errors in administrative documents. The club has appealed against this decision. RED STAR RESULTS. Grim weekend all round for Red Star, brightened only by the fine 2-0 win for the under 15s at Villepinte. The under 18s lost 2-1 at home to Entente SSG and slip from the top spot in the table, whereas the under 13s, currently having an awful season continued the gloom with a 4-0 home defeat to Créteil. The under 13s reserves lost 2-0 at Villmomble.

Updated 2^nd December 2008

BETTER ! Red Star responded to their critics in the best possible way on Saturday at Bauer when they hit visitors for three in a much-improved performance. Man of the match Big Franck Matingou found the net twice, the second a lovely half-volley after the Quimper keeper boxed the ball into his path. Inspirational captain Soilyho Mete continued his unlikely run of scoring at a key phase of the game, a lovely (and brave) diving header. Quimper were not helped by their leading striker and most dangerous player Yoann Arquin limping out of the action just before the break. Despite this handicap they come out stronger for the second half and Red Star appear threatened for the first time into the game until the captain lead by example and doubled Red Stars' lead. With leaders Viry-Châtillon only drawing, Red Star close the gap a little on the leaders. Watch out for Rouen, though, on the way up as well. Red Stars' next game is at the Camp des Loges against Paris Saint-Germains' reserves, and it is hoped that there will be no repeat of the incidents in 2007 that saw PSGs' notorious hooligan firm attack Red Star supporters, injuring several in the process. Red Star have now gone three games without conceding a goal, the last time this happened was during the horror show at Quevilly. Along with Vitré Red Star have the best defence in the league, but up front fifty percent of the goals scored have come in two games, and these two games are the only time that Red Star have found the net more than once in a game. Coach Ciccolini was forced to swap thngs around for this game, due to suspensions and injury. Three forwards, Negreche, Djeradi and Ongmakon ably supported by Zahiri and Matingou with Baptiste Cirelli operating as a kind of midfield "sweeper-upper" just behind. Sébastien Bertand came in at full-back for the suspended Luc Ekwalla-Essaka. A big hand for Franck, former pro player with SC Bastia in the first division, whom has been through a rough spell lately after leaving the Corsican club. Out of football for two years, Franck was called up by his former boss to join Red Star. Franck jumped at the chance, and has showed real determination to find his past form, losing nearly 18kg since the start of the season. He was impressve in the UJA game and now with the two goals (he never managed to score in the top two divisions !) his confidence is returning together with his form. Franck Matingou Soilyho Mete after scoring the important second goal YACINE AYAD Sent off in the debacle against UJA, Red Stars' midfielder has been suspended for four matches. As well as this, Yacine must train with the clubs' youngsters and explain why his actions are not exactly the best example to set to aspiring footballers. An appropriate punishment. CFA RESULTS RED STAR FC 93 - QUIMPER : 3-0 Orléans - Viry-Châtillon : 2-2 Racing – Pontivy : 1-0 Vitré - Rennes B : 4-1 Plabennec - Guingamp B : 4-3 Rouen - Paris SG B : 3-1 Quevilly - UJA : 0-1 Le Havre B - La Vitréenne : 2-2 Caen B – Villemomble : 2-0 OTHER RED STAR SCORES Watched by Red Star president Patrice Haddad, Red Stars' under 18s won their game in hand against Drancy 3-1. The under 13s however bowed out of the Coupe de Paris, going down 2-0 at Moissy Cramayel. Disappointment too in the 93 Cup for the benajamins, losing on penalties to Villepinte after the game ended 2-2. Penalties were in favour of Red Stars' seniors' XI in their cup game against Cosmo FC. Score after normal time 0-0. Meanwhile AllezRedStar.coms' man biked the short distance to Herblay to watch Red Stars' ladies in their game against Herblay reserves, top of the league. The previous week Herblays' girls had run riot, thumping Vigny 26-1, but third-placed Red Star were a different story altogether. 2-1 down at the pause on a freezing cold evening, Red Star came out fighting and deservedly drew level through a well-taken counter-attack goal. The joy was short-lived however as Herblay won the game with a sweet twenty-yards strike that gave the courageous Red Star goalkeeper no chance. AllezRedStar.com try to cover all aspects of the club, not just the first XI. This is the first time that your correspondant has covered a ladies' football match, and it has to be said the standard was very good. Two evenly matched teams, it had to take a special goal to separate the two teams. On a freezing cold night, a plastic pitch hardly added up to the recipes of an enthralling encounter, but bravo to both teams for an enjoyable spectacle. Some crunching tackles as well, to dispell and negative preconceptions of womens' football. See the photos of the game (dreadful floodlighting again, worse than Bauer, not lending itself well to nocturnal sports photography !) :

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