A Promising Season Ahead for CSS
After a sluggish start to the season and uneven team management, CSS finishes the first half in fourth place, showing promise for the future.
A Hard-Fought Victory
As expected, the Sfaxiens put their heart into the game and showed great determination to return from Sousse with all three points. This marks their third consecutive win, following victories against OB and ASM. The mission was accomplished after a match that was not particularly impressive, but demonstrated that Dahmen's teammates have gained tactical maturity, with a realistic and effective, albeit not spectacular, style of football.
A New Approach
It took coach Mohamed Kouki some time to convince the "Black and White" fans that beautiful football does not always lead to success, and that developing cohesion in a compact, disciplined, and mentally strong group is key to achieving good performances. After 15 matches, with ups and downs, positive and disappointing results, Mohamed Kouki can boast of having stabilized his choices and finally built a team that may not be exciting, but wins.
Ali Maâloul: The Leader CSS Needed
For the coaching staff's game plan to work, they needed an undisputed leader with authority on the field, who commands respect and esteem from the entire team. Ali Maâloul was hired to fill this crucial role.
Since regaining his form and securing his place as a key player, the face of CSS has changed. Despite playing as a left-back, Ali Maâloul directs, controls, and dominates the game, making him the team's engine. With repeated accelerations, constant penetration down the flank, assists to attackers in good positions, and perfect crosses into the box, Ali Maâloul does it all, inspiring confidence in his teammates.
The progress of an attacker like Iyed Belwafi since Ali Maâloul took charge of the team's offensive operations is a testament to the latter's impact. To give Ali Maâloul the freedom to operate and make him a game-changer in the second half of the field, a solid defensive foundation was necessary.
A Well-Structured Team
With Aymen Dahmen in goal and a tight defensive trio of Habchia, Mondeko, and Baccar, the 3-5-2 formation is the best option to liberate the two full-backs and position them high up the field, allowing them to muscle up in midfield and provide numerical superiority in attack. After Baccar's penalty opened the scoring before the half-hour mark, ESS struggled to find weaknesses in the Sfaxien setup to get back into the game.
Solid at the back, excellent in quick transitions, and effective in exploiting open spaces, CSS only needs to strengthen its squad with finishers who can capitalize on attacking opportunities. Emmanuel Ogbole and Onana have not demonstrated this ability, making the lifting of the recruitment ban a priority, despite its exorbitant cost, to bring CSS back to the forefront.
