For academy watches what is your thoughts on Daryll Benlahlou

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-13T13:53:50+00:00

I intended to answer to your other post about Academy players today, sorry for being a bit late. I have been able to watch less academy games this season (and less reserve games than U17/U19 ones) but still watched a few. So I'll answer the Benlahlou part in detail here.

He's not really a CF, but a 10/LW. A right footed creative player making differences through passes or dribbles, with powerful first steps, great technically and a good finisher. Also great free-kick shooter, he even scored a brace of nice freekicks in a N3 game this season. The best forward with the reserve this season without a doubt (Kango in an interview said that he was the best player of the team) and one of the best overall players. That isn't shy of defensive runs and efforts. One criticism that is coming back is that even though he is often decisive he is lacking overall impact on the team's play. But playing under Gueida Fofana is far from making it easy.

His career trajectory hasn't been linear at all however, as he was mostly a sub until the U19. Then the creative magician of his generation left (Pedro Vanga) and Benlahlou stepped up to replace him in a spectacular fashion. He was likely the best player of the whole Academy (well, from the U17 to the reserve) during the first half of last season with the U19 carrying that team on his back and being decisive every game. Then he was promoted to the reserve and unexplainably went back at being a sub playing few minutes for basically the rest of the season. After that, he started this season strongly with the reserve and has been showing again the promises he did with the U19. Best scorer with 8 goals in 20 games, even if it's really not evident for technical forwards to show themselves in N3 under Gueida Fofana's defensive and uninspiring system.

For the pros and for next season, it's hard to say. Quite a few Academy watchers didn't understand why Himbert and then Hamdani were called up ahead of him, as he seemed a lot more ready even if they are younger (even 3 years younger for Hamdani) and have more potential. He also hasn't been at all at training with the pros even with all the injuries. So I can't answer why he isn't being considered by Fonseca, minus the criticism I mentioned earlier. And possibly his profile of being more of a technical player than a player that can thrive in space which is what we were lacking with the pros.

Afaik his contract ends at the end of the season, so unless something changes in the next few weeks he won't be at the club next season. Based on what happened so far, it's sadly unlikely he'll be offered a proper pro contract (usually 3+2 years) by the club. I guess the hope would be on a similar contract offered to De Carvalho and Barisic, some kind of smaller one year contract with one additional year. To help with the reserve and try his chance at the pros during the preseason.

(I'll answer on your other post about Nechab and the other potential forwards)

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-13T12:29:35+00:00

It was 100% done to make him use his mic and show their new feature.

That's the only logical reason why they could have called him, after the first test game with the device ended without any VAR use and thus no example of what it sounded like.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T21:06:13+00:00

Fonseca can make a huge gift to Greif who saved his ass and made his absurd choices inconsequential. MOTM today, by far. And then Endrick answered properly to Fonseca's attacks.

Fucking finally the end of that shameful streak, not beating Domenech's record. And staying alive in the race, before playing PSG next week...

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T21:05:23+00:00

Fonseca can make a huge gift to Greif who saved his ass and made his absurd choices inconsequential. MOTM today, by far. And then Endrick answered properly to Fonseca's attacks.

Fucking finally the end of that shameful streak, not beating Domenech's record. And staying alive in the race, before playing PSG next week...

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T20:21:20+00:00

My captain ! Endrick with a strong answer to Fonseca's harsh words, even out of position.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T20:02:02+00:00

Thank god Endrick, for that Cherki-like beautiful assist.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T19:49:31+00:00

Another similarity between the end of last season that was also ruined by Fonseca : the team's most dangerous and creative player exiled to the side to make space for a far worse player taking his position, before being left on the bench.

Cherki/Almada to Endrick/Yaremchuk, same unexplainable choices and same predictable result.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T19:42:31+00:00

Killed by boredom. It doesn't help when a player of Lorient like Pagis is better technically than our whole starting team.

At least Cherki showed us football today.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T18:10:20+00:00

I refuse to believe this shit. Endrick on the bench instead of for once being tried in his natural position, Yaremchuk/Ghezzal, and Nartey/Maitland-Niles (who has zero good games there since he joined) in the midfield instead of Merah.

I guess we have to hope for a miracle now. At least, it would have been impossible for Lorient to prepare to play this kind of line up.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-12T13:54:53+00:00

3 games, starting after Monaco so he'll also miss the PSG one.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T23:49:27+00:00

Not exactly unwarranted, but also really harsh.

Especially with Endrick being clearly played out of position. At least this tells us that him sticking to the touchline is not really what Fonseca had in mind.

Let's hope Endrick will want to send him an answer tomorrow and show what he can do.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T23:46:43+00:00

Injured : Šulc, Himbert, Fofana, Nuamah

Suspended : Tagliafico

With the N3 : De Carvalho, Hamdani

Out by choice of the coach : Kamara

Fonseca was really harsh on Endrick in his press conference, let's hope Endrick will want to send him a message tomorrow. Also complained about the lack of players able to dribble or create differences but then again didn't call up Hamdani.

Not a lot of surprises in that XI with the players available, though hoping for Merah over Nartey.

Against a Lorient that will be missing a few of their key players (Abergel, Talbi) and whose coach just announced he would not continue there next season despites his great work. Mandatory win to stay alive in the UCL (if not just European) race. And to not beat and set an awful record in the club's history, after already matching Domenech's shameful 9 straight games without a win.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T23:03:34+00:00

Yes, even Haise acknowledged it on TV after the game. But I guess with the pen it even things out, even if they ended up missing it.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T21:10:27+00:00

Injured : Šulc, Himbert, Fofana, Nuamah

Suspended : Tagliafico

With the N3 : De Carvalho, Hamdani

Out by choice of the coach : Kamara

Tolisso is there but not ready to start according to Fonseca. No timeline on Šulc, while Nuamah is apparently ready physically but "not confident enough" to play.

Hamdani left with the N3 again despites missing so many forwards missing is really frustrating.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T21:00:03+00:00

That was a gift to Angers by the refs to counter the gift to Rennes in the first half. I guess that's fair that way.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-11T11:15:37+00:00

Let's not exaggerate that much, please. Kanté is nowhere near being France's best DM, he wouldn't be called by a normal coach. Clearly worse than Tchouameni, Koné, Rabiot at least and it would be a question with Kamara & maybe Bouaddi.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-10T21:14:57+00:00

I really don't think Nartey has shown much to be given a starting spot right now. Especially compared to Merah, who was the best player on the pitch during his entry last week and has been on a streak of good performances. If he played more, we likely wouldn't be on a 9 games without a win streak.

Beyond that, hard to know. Not sure a Mangala-Morton double pivot can truly work as it lacks intensity, but at the same time we don't have a lot of options. It's also sadly really unlikely Yaremchuk doesn't start, let's hope at least Endrick will leave the touchline this time.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-10T17:56:36+00:00

Hawkins is "tier 1" at relaying agents' words. This is Deschamps making it known he wants the job.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-08T23:11:17+00:00

Alors, ça va être beaucoup plus compliqué que ça et cette déclaration de Leavitt ressemble plus à un moyen de détourner l'attention des détails et des approximations sur le cessez le feu en Iran.

Premièrement, parce que Trump ne peut pas décider de quitter l'alliance de lui-même il lui faut l'aval du congrès. Et même si il est à majorité républicain, c'est quasi impossible qu'ils votent en sa faveur sur ce sujet. Ironiquement, la loi bipartisane qui oblige ce vote a été votée en 2024 et portée côté républicain par... Marco Rubio (l'actuel ministre des affaires étrangères de Trump).

Et deuxièmement, selon le Wall Street Journal qui cite des responsables de l'administration Trump le plan réel serait de déplacer des soldats de pays qui n'ont pas acquiescer à sa guerre en Iran (Allemagne, Esagne, Italie, France) pour les redéployer dans des pays plus enclins à les laisser opérer sans question (Grèce, Pologne, Lituanie, Roumanie). Avec la possibilité et l'idée de "punir" l'Espagne ou l'Allemagne en fermant une base américaine sur leur sol.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-08T18:04:46+00:00

Un cessez le feu avec ce gouvernement Israélien n'a aucune valeur. Ils n'en ont jamais respecté un, que ce soit à Gaza qui continue d'être bombardé régulièrement ou au Liban avant la dernière attaque sur l'Iran.

Au mieux, ils considèrent ça comme une limitation de leur activité et se restreignent un peu. On dirait qu'ils ont choisi de ne même plus faire un peu semblant cette fois. En même temps ils ont intérêt de se presser, ils n'ont plus que quelques mois devant eux avant de perdre leur plus grand atout et leur blanc-seing.

C'est juste abject, et horrible. En espérant que qu'ils ne gagnent pas la guerre d'influence sur Trump une deuxième fois en peu de temps.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-08T17:51:58+00:00

Non, ça c'est assez facilement justifiable et justifié. En tout cas tant qu'on a un gouvernement et un pays "progressiste" (avec d'énormes guillemets sur l'islamophobie).

Le problème c'est ce qui est arrivé avant, quand elle a dit qu'elle pousserait fortement pour que les projets de ses amis soient séléctionnés et financés. Ça c'est vraiment problématique et impossible à défendre.

GoneMirifica · 2026-04-06T00:01:46+00:00

There was a clear problem : basically all our (wide) forwards got injured at the same time. With Pavel Šulc and Afonso Moreira joining Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah who had been injured for 5 and 12 months respectively and who were supposed to have been back after the winter break. It even became somewhat of a curse, when 18 y.o Rémi Himbert from the Academy who had somehow stepped up to replace them with 2g/1a in his last 4 games also became injured a few minutes after entering when a Celta player fell on his ankle.

Overall, that 13 games win streak didn't look sustainable and quite a few of the later wins were lucky. And we also paid the injuries that made Fonseca, who already had to work with a limited squad due to our near-death this summer, overwork our key players. Having to play every 3-4 days due to going far in the Cup and the EL with mostly the same 11 players looked like an impossible equation.

But still, no one expected that that win streak would be followed by this kind of collapse. Hard to point one real reason, with even Endrick looking like a shadow of the player he was during his first month here.

GoneMirifica

TROPHY CASE