week 23 & 24 of ligue 1

ajaccio get 4 points from 2 games??!! how the hell did that happen? are we in a parallel universe? because not only did my little corsicans win a game, but they beat marseille! to be fair, marseille were having a stinker of a game but ajaccio were up for it and that's what's important. there were a lot of fans there too... maybe if they show up more often, the players will want to give them a show like this every time. the first goal was a gift of a pass from a marseille defender but all the other defenders did just as badly by not being able to get it back & lucas scores. but more importantly, they are actually playing well. then, marseille manage the equalizer right before halftime & there was always the possibility of that being it for ajaccio's luck but surprise, surprise - it only got better. lucas scores again from a perfect pass & all the players look so happy, so surprised to be back in front. even the keeper is saving shots that on any other day, would have gotten marseille back into the game. marseille's defense were shambolic - as noted when ajaccio score their 3rd from a corner. the fans, too, were wildly happy at the final whistle.
the 0-0 away from home against nancy the following week didn't take the shine off the win - especially as we continued to have luck on our side... nancy had 2 good shouts for penalties that the ref waved away. at least they had a cutie, rudlophe, with rockstar hair... but you also have to feel a little sorry for them when it was announced that 45 youth players were forced to shovel the snow off the pitch before kickoff. it really wasn't their day.
that luck continues against rennes... one of the nancy players got red carded and then their coach got so agitated by that, he got himself red carded to the stands as well. but that didn't calm him down. oh no. he proceeded to jump up and down and continue yelling & screaming at his team from the stands. he at least has one moment of happiness: when nancy manage to score the camera goes straight to a shot of him celebrating wildly in his seat. wouldn't it have been a riot to happen to have the seat next to him?
i also enjoyed the nice captain celebrating his goal (and their win) against psg... yes, he ripped off his shirt. what a good boy. no chance of a repeat as their next game was called off due to snow.
the snow meant that champions lyon also had only one game as their match against monaco was postponed. and the one game they did play was against the team of cuties also known as auxerre & it was a 1-1 draw! anytime lyon drop points, that's good news for everyone else. especially for auxerre who are one of the few teams that are fighting near the top of the table for a champions league spot. auxerre were lucky - carew scored for lyon within the first minute & it was wrongly called offside & then diarra really did make it 1-0 right before the half. but auxerre came out fighting in the 2nd half & it paid off eventually when peggy luyindula (quite possibly the best name in football today) meets a perfect pieroni cross (it must be hard to be that cute and talented) in the 89th minute. you can't say that lyon wasn't trying - when they were 1-0 up, a defender came off and fred came on (no braids but no fro either), which is typical lyon attacking football but it didn't work this time. not even the star shaved into the hair of malouda could give lyon that extra sparkle that they needed.
auxerre followed the draw up with a win at home against rennes. pieroni won a penalty & scored & we all win when a hottie is happy.
marseille's luck didn't get any better after their loss in corsica - 0-0 against sochaux at home isn't making anyone happy, hot or not. sochaux had a surprise 4-0 win against st. etienne the week before. well, not that much of a surprise when st.etienne were down to 10 men within the first half. boys: if you push another to the ground, the ref is probably going to send you off. don't look all that shocked when it happens.
bordeaux are doing their best to stay in the running for a place in europe. 2 games, 2 wins. the first was against a 10 man strasbourg (their keeper lets in the winning goal between his legs... ouch!) and the second was a 1-0 against lens. both teams had their chances & the one goal came from a penalty - scored by our victorian hero darcheville. come on, you know that name is straight from a jane austen book.
the one game that monaco played did not see bobo get a start - both he & di vaio had a severe case of bad shrimp so they missed out on the 1-1 draw against lens. i pray, one day, we will see bobo play an almost full game in his new monaco strip.... for jenny's sake. but those old italian strikers should worry - it was monaco's 18 yr old gakpe who scored - on his debut. my only other concern was for the strange lens fans in sombreos & giant sunglasses.... the winter weather has some of us dreaming....
one last mention... how could we not give our sympathy to the metz keeper who gave up an own goal against lille from a ball that bounced into the net off his ass. worst. luck. evah. too bad it wasn't the other way around - that lille keeper is a bit of a cutie.