Business as usual on a lazy Sunday afternoon

By: Nikhil Apte | November 18th, 2012

Olympique Lyonnais vs. Stade de Reims,

Stade Municipal de Gerland, Week 13 – 2012/13, Ligue 1,

Embarrassment! A high flying big spending Ibrahimovich-less PSG fell flat on its face with a home defeat against a battling Rennes side that was a goal keeper and Makoun down. The result – a difference of just one point in the top 6 spots (at various numbers of games completed). To add to the flavour, the top 10 places in the league filling up within just 5 points between them. A potential provisional lead at the top of the table awaits Captain Licha and his merry-men.

A largely unknown quantity

Manager Remi Garde mentioned over the weekend that he does secretly have an ambition to get the league title back to Lyon, but modestly covered up by saying he would be happy to finish in the top three, or at least to qualify for European competition. Undoubtedly, these words relaxed Reims assistant coach Olivier Guegan, who responded by saying that his team would have no pressure and would be satisfied by putting a good performance up. Gutsy talk for a team revisiting Stade Gerland for the first time since 1978!

Stade Reims, to its credit, has driven top teams up the wall, losing by only a single goal against Marseille, PSG and Rennes, while drawing away to Toulouse and Saint-Etienne. Needless to say, (and I’m still saying this), goals may be few and far between today at the Gerland.

Well, not if the tremendous offensive OL has put up this season has anything to say about it.

gomis-et-gourcuff-lyon-10804873ddacb_2038

A string of commendable performances

Bafetimbi Gomis looks more and more like the promising player of 2008 that he was. A winner in the France v Italy midweek game was his first goal for the French national team since 2008 as well. For Lyon, he has netted nine times in all competitions thus far, including 5 goals in Ligue 1. In scoring the twenty goals that Lyon has already, a lot of the credit has to go to the midfield that is running like a turbo charged Lamborghini. Superman Steed already has four assists to his name, and whatever we have seen of the return of Gourcuff is encouraging. Lisandro and Lacazette are in top form on the wings too, making it an all round pick-up-the-slack-for-injured-players campaign on part of the first XI. Licha is set to make his 99^th Ligue 1 appearance today, while it will be Briand’s 250^th game in the French first division if he’s afforded some playing time. OL has the best Home record this season to defend, with 5 wins and 1 defeat in six matches. This match is important, for it gives Remi Garde a chance to get Stade Gerland a reputation of being a fortress once again. A win will give Lyon the provisional top spot, until Marseille has its opportunity later in the evening against a robust Bordeaux team. If OL gains a lead early in the game against Reims, the coaching staff may look to substitute the regulars to rest them for the midweek Europa League contest in Prague on Thursday.

Team Lineups

Lyon : Vercoutre – Reveillere, Bisevac, Umtiti, Dabo – Gonalons, Malbranque – Lacazette, Gourcuff, Lisandro – Gomis

Reims : Agassa – Mandi, Tacalfred, Weber, Souare – Krychowiak, Ca, Devaux, Toudic – Fortes, Rigonato

Some Related Lyon Posts:

Category: Ligue 1

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pierrot

benzia, ghezzal, ferri, all starting at prague today, along with now regular 1st teamers umtiti and grenier, with OL already through. sparta's not barca, but they're a good side, with a great home record. wonder what those kids will be able to do? hope they're excited for the european experience, and play with a lot of passion and energy.
sdzsdz

thats it, we're first :-)
Megame

Feels good, huh?
Russ

What a signing Steed Malbranque has been!!! He's been absolutely brilliant. His work rate and his ability to provide that link between the midfield and the attack has been refreshing. He is full of ideas and invention, and I love the fact that Garde has given him the opportunity to roam around and let his footballing brain operate. A huge issue with this OL side the past few years has been our lack of invention and our static nature to our attacking formations. I couldn't have been more wrong about Steed as well. Who didn't think he was past it? When I read the news we signed him I was surprised the man was still in football. Great to see Steed reinventing himself late in his career. He has been OL's player of the year thus far, for me anyway
pierrot

missed the whole match. nice result, and sounds like a well played match for OL.

i said, over the gloomy fire-sale summer, there's still enough talent in this team that there's no reason our goals shouldn't be winning L 1, and winning the europa league. stand by that!!!