Comments on: Lyon Continue Turning Fans Into Internet Zombies

By: John

John — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:37:01 +0000

Ush: I just meant that that’s what people thought and were saying about Grosso. Obviously, they were wrong.

By: Ush

Ush — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:13:18 +0000

John : Wouldn’t agree there, Grosso had just been an instrumental part of Italy winning the world cup and Italy have looked far better when he has come on in the qualifiers so far.

By: John

John — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:18:22 +0000

Ronan: Just because Lyon shows interest in a player or puts in a bid, doesn’t mean that the player is actuallyh interested or even considering joining the team. I imagine that agents sometimes feign interest in lesser clubs to increase the bidding. Also, Tiago needed playing time, as soon as he got an offer from a bigger club, he was gone. And Grosso was thought to be washed-up and came to the “elephant graveyard” for many older, talented players who are at the end of their careers e.g., Makalele.

By: Ronald

Ronald — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:30:24 +0000

apparently the article is being taken down, lmao

Goal.com – where consistent reporting happens

By: Inara

Inara — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:57:47 +0000

Also, I think his interviews are being taken slightly out of context. I don’t think he’s saying “I’m going to leave this summer, see ya” but that he’s eventually going to leave and Lyon need to prepare for it.

I do think Lyon can hold onto him for another year if they wanted to, unless a truly absurd bid comes in – and I’m talking about absurd.

By: Inara

Inara — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:48:38 +0000

I also think Benz is too young to leave. But I think we have to accept it as inevitability. It was just a question of when.

If we’re very lucky, we can persuade him to stay for an extra year so that he leaves in 2010. It’d be better if he stayed until the World Cup.

By: Ush

Ush — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:28:34 +0000

We have attracted the likes of Grosso. Was just gonna say but Ronan pretty much made my point!

By: Ronan "The Don" Napier

Ronan "The Don" Napier — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:19:02 +0000

I think Lyon are capable of bringing in European talents(e.g-Tiago and Grosso)however many times I have read articles about Lyon being interested in a quality player but there interest isnt very strong and subsequently they miss out. Look at Mancini he wanted to come to Lyon and it was a deal which was more than possible to be done with Roma but for the right price,however unfortunately because I think Mancini is great, Lyon didnt really try that hard in the end to get him. Look at Garay,Heinze,Adriano,crespo,Cruz,Oddo,Camoranesi and Trezeguet all deals which could and in JMA heart should have been done. Also when I look in the past at sales of players like Essien,Diarra and Abidal,we recieved a massive transfer fee however the money we got was barely spent on a replacement,so with the Benzema sale I fear this will happen again well sell him and then not spend the money wisely. There are quality players out there for us but OL just arent willing to put the effort in to sign them and unfortunately the ligue 1 Idea cannot really work now because at the minute I dont see any top class players there,look at Porto 2004 thats who lyon have to base them selves around.

By: John

John — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:56:13 +0000

UA: Yes, your argument seems logical, but look at the money OL has spent so far on the offensive side of the ball, and our second highest scorer- tied with Juninho- is a defensive midfeilder Jean Makoun! The money from Benz’s sale will be very welcome to rectruit more players and balance the squad, but like WILL pointed-out, Benz makes-up 45% of the offense. This offensive anemia has to be cured or OL will be in big trouble once Benzema is gone.

By: John

John — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:48:42 +0000

Ush: Then why is it that we haven’t been able to attract those players thus far? We’ve been playing in the CL for years but still, they don’t come. I just don’t see it happening until we stop becoming a selling club. Maybe with the revenues from the new stadium and growth of the OL brand in several years. But something has to be done about the tax system: L1 needs to join the “Neoliberal order” of global football; do some “IMF-style” structural adjustments. But yeah, Keita…what can you say. I was never excited about his pick-up, being that you aleady had Govou, who you can’t get rid of no matter what- not that I would want to, I love Sid-and a young talent like Remy waiting in the wings who we had to get rid of and would have eased the disaster that Benzema’s departure will create next year. I really hope Puel gets Keita to fulfill his price tag, but I think Keita’s greatest contribution so far has been to “light-a-fire” under Govou’s bottom and make him a better player, due to fear of losing his spot.