Have Rennes gone too far with their relentless player turnover? Players like Eduardo Camavinga, Jérémy Doku, and Ousmane Dembélé have all thrived at Roazhon Park, a club renowned for nurturing and selling young talents while reinvesting the proceeds. In recent years, Rennes have consistently featured in European competitions, having not missed a season since 2017-18—until this one. With substantial funds from player sales and regular European football, one might have expected recent hefty investments in their squad—Enzo Le Fée, Amine Gouiri, and Arnaud Kalimuendo each costing over €20m, a significant sum for any club outside of Paris Saint-Germain—to sustain this momentum. However, over the past two seasons, this has not been the case. Rennes finished 10th last year, despite scoring more goals than all but two teams (PSG and Monaco). This season looks even more bleak. Currently in 13th place, just a point above the relegation zone, Rennes suffered a 4-0 thrashing by Auxerre on Sunday, leaving them winless on the road this season. This is far from the ambitions of a team aiming to return to Europe immediately. Sunday's result left manager Julien Stéphan frustrated but resolute, stating: “I have the energy to continue, to fight, to do everything I can to make this team progress. Do I feel threatened in my position? It's not up to me to answer that.” While injuries have contributed to the lack of cohesion this season, the blame for the team's struggles lies squarely with Stéphan and the club's hierarchy. Stéphan, who had previously guided the team to a historic Coupe de France win in 2019, resigned in 2021 after a poor run of form. His subsequent stint at Strasbourg was no more successful, and his return to Rennes last season, following Bruno Génésio's more successful tenure, has seen the team slide further down the table. Lacking a defensive identity, Stéphan has resorted to his usual tactics of constantly changing systems and deploying attack-heavy line-ups. His return was widely criticized in France, seen not only as undeserved but also as a reflection of dysfunction behind the scenes. Club chairman François Pinault appeared to be exerting influence over then-sporting director Florian Maurice, signaling a growing rift that may also be reflected in the club's disjointed signing strategy. Rennes have brought in a host of talented players this summer, but questions remain about the coherence of their approach. Other French clubs, such as Strasbourg, Monaco, and Paris Saint-Germain, have also prioritized youth in their summer transfers, as has Rennes. Rennes have also signed Glen Kamara, 29, and Hans Hateboer, 30, both experienced European footballers but seemingly without a clear role in the team or the project. This lack of clarity highlights Stéphan's inability to maximize a poorly constructed squad. Additionally, most of his previous teams had proven performers, such as Benjamin Bourigeaud, Benjamin André, and Martin Terrier at Rennes, or Habib Diallo and Ludovic Ajorque at Strasbourg. The current Rennes squad, however, lacks experience, with most players either very young, new to Ligue 1, or both—hardly a recipe for success. The lack of experience and the high turnover of players—roughly 10 in each direction this summer—has made it difficult for many to adapt quickly to key roles in an unsettled team. The failure to stabilize systems and personnel must be attributed to Stéphan. While he has been dealt a challenging hand, his time to turn things around is running out. If Rennes fail to defeat Toulouse this weekend, his second stint in charge could come to an abrupt end. Meanwhile, Monaco, despite a strong start to the season, are struggling. Despite performing well in the Champions League, they have managed just one point in their last three league matches, with a mounting injury crisis limiting Adi Hütter's options. Once top of the table, they have now slipped to third and will hope the upcoming international break allows them to regroup. Marseille, on the other hand, impressed against a much-changed Nantes side on Sunday, with certain players responding well to the team's 3-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain the previous week. Adrien Rabiot, Neal Maupay, and Mason Greenwood all looked sharp in their 2-1 victory, moving above Monaco. Finally, Nice deserve mention. Franck Haise's team may not be playing with the same intensity as during his time at RC Lens, but with injuries limiting his attacking options, he has adapted accordingly. It took some time, but Nice are now unbeaten in Ligue 1 since mid-September and have climbed to fifth place, demonstrating the positive impact of Haise's flexibility.

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