Rennes general manager Pierre Dreossi claimed the Ligue 1 side might have made a better start to the season without their best two defenders.

He blamed the collapse of transfer talks involving Anthony Reveillere and Nicolas Escude as the cause of disruption in the club.

But Dreossi believes there will be an upturn in the club's results with the two sure to stay until January at least.

Rennes were in negotiations with Lyon to let them take Reveillere on loan and Escude admitted he was interested when Manchester United approached him, but both deals remained incomplete as the transfer window shut on Saturday night.

The Breton side hit rock bottom on Saturday as they lost 3-1 to Bastia, their fourth defeat in five matches.

"The situation is serious," Dreossi said in L'Equipe.

"We knew that we would not experience an easy start to the season but we were not expecting to be so bad."

The expected deal to take Reveillere to last season's champions on a campaign-long loan failed to happen, as did United's move for Escude after they offered just half - thought to be around £2.5million - of what Rennes were asking.

"I have always thought that everything would get better after August 31 (end of transfer season), as everyone knows we have had to cope with many transfer problems recently," Dreossi.

"We now realise the influence this had had on the group. But this is not the only thing, it would be too easy to say that.

"But now at least we are going to be able to work with a more stable group."

He added: "We have to show more strictness and desire before we start taking off at last.

"We have to show more collective spirit and get ready to suffer otherwise it will never change."

The general manager's opinion was shared by captain Dominique Arribage who painted a bleak picture of the club's status.

He added: "We have to become aware that we can only play for survival, we cannot hope for anything else."

But despite the critical situation Dreossi insists coach Philippe Bergeroo's future is not threatened.

"Bergeroo is not in a 'hot' seat, we are not thinking about it," he said.

"We are going to do everything we can to make things work."