Status Report: January

So - Mapou is off to Nouveau Chateau, and Rene Girard will apparently not have his contract extended after this summer. LouLou says MHSC's captain and centre back is 'not irreplaceable' and the important thing is to get some cash in; the manager disagrees. With decent reason.

From the squad:

Goalkeepers - Jourdren, Pionnier, Ligali and Valette - all in one piece. Pionnier doing well when stepping in for Jourdren, Ligali didn't do badly in the two matches when he had to cover when both the usual starters were injured. OK.

Defence:
Rightback - Bocaly is injured, and Jeunechamp's banned for the foreseeable for that unfortunate approach to post-match conversation in the mixed zone. Usual cover is Mapou (off), Congre (now needed in the centre on a fulltime basis) and Stambouli (injured). So that leaves 21-year-old Mathieu Deplagne to hold the fort - he's played well in his five games, but he's the only one.

Centre - Congre and Hilton, with El-Kaoutari currently off at the CAN and usual cover Stambouli (again) injured. Hilton is 35 and has already missed several matches through injury.

Leftback - Bedimo. El-Kaoutari when back from the CAN.

Unconfirmed youth - this is where things will start getting tricky, if Girard has to bring in untried players in forced moves rather than the gradual and tactical deployment he has used in the past. Teddy Mezague and Vincent Di Stefano (CFA squad) will no doubt get some games, presumably with their elders moving position to accommodate them as necessary.

Midfield:
Defensive - Pitau and Dabo. Saihi, Estrada, Marveaux and Stambouli all injured.

Central - Cabella. Belhanda is away at the CAN, and looks likely to be sold on.

Attack:
Wingers - Mounier, Camara, Utaka (whose mooted move might be off as the club involved was Al-Gharafa, who've just picked up walking booking and advisory haircut poster Djibril Cisse on loan). Ait-Fana is injured. Tinhan's been loaned to Arles-Avignon.

Strikers - Charbonnier, Herrera.

Unconfirmed youth - Jonas Martin (2 matches - looks like a winger?), Guillame LeGras, Adrien Coulomb in midfield, Abdoul Karim Sylla in attack, Alexandre Cropanese (CFA2 squad) also.

Thus - in the backline, defensive and central midfield, there are good starters, but currently no cover in any position without somebody either making a debut, or playing out of position. There is some cover in attack but not a lot of it.

If anyone else gets injured or sold, this could get yet more problematic.

(opens bag of Maltesers with a sigh)