Two Three Pieces of Good News
By: Inara | May 5th, 2008
If any of you are keeping up with the U17 Euro Championship, France defeated Ireland 2-1 in the tournament opener, thanks to goals from Lyon players. Four of them started the match (Clement Grenier, Yannis Tafer, Enzo Reale, and Sebastien Faure), and the fifth, Alexandre Lacazette, was brought on in the second half. You can read the match report here, but essentially, Ireland were in the lead when Tafer evened the score in the middle of the second half, and Lacazette scored the winning goal in the very last seconds of injury time.
Tafer brought France back into the game.
France will be facing title holders and favorites Spain next Wednesday in what is sure to be a club scout’s fantasy. Eurosport is broadcasting all these matches, and you can watch them for free on their website. Keep in mind that this is the same tournament that France won four years ago, with players you may have heard of - Samir Nasri, Jeremy Menez, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Karim Benzema.
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Aulas, after being refused by both the FFF and the LFP, has now appealed to a higher power, the Conseil fédéral de la Fédération, who will determine whether Lyon’s request to either postpone their game with Nancy or Sedan has any merit. I don’t think it will because a club should be able to play a game every three days, but then again, Lyon have a lot of fans in high places, so you never know.
But regardless of the outcome, Lyon will NOT be fielding a reserve team against Sedan this Wednesday. Perrin has said that he will play this game with the intent to win, and even if he benches Juninho and Karim Benzema (which I doubt), he plans to use all the others. Thank goodness. Lyon haven’t been this close to winning the French Cup in years, and the last time they held the trophy was back in 1973. We really need to win it to salvage our season (assuming we win the title as well - if we don’t, the French Cup won’t mean much).
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And finally, things are looking positive for the upcoming transfer window. Aulas has said that he will fight to keep Hatem Ben Arfa, who is dragging his heels on his contract extension because of his lack of playing time. Don’t worry Hatem. Perrin will be out of a job soon, and you’ll be back to doing yours. Additionally, Loic Remy has confirmed his desire to return to Lyon. He said that he wouldn’t mind coming back this summer if one of Lyon’s other wingers left. If not, then he would prefer to be loaned at Lens for another year so that he can return in 2009 with more experience and confidence. But bottom line is that Remy wants to return.
Saving the best news for last, due to the breakdown of talks between Racing Santander and Barcelona (and Real Madrid) over the transfer of Ezequiel Garay, the bidding race is once again wide open. Valencia are very interested, but Lyon are interested more - so much more that they have lodged a €15m bid for his services. Racing are still holding out for €20m. I don’t know if Lyon can actually get Garay, but the fact that they are willing to offer so much for a defender is great news.
Category: French Cups (CdL, CdF, TdC), Hatem Ben Arfa, Jean-Michel Aulas, Player News and Rumors, Team News and Rumors, Transfers
Tags: Alain Perrin, Alexandre Lacazette, CdF, Ezequiel Garay, French Cup, French Cups (CdL, Hatem Ben Arfa, Jean-MIche Aulas, Jean-Michel Aulas, Loic Remy, Lyon, Player News and Rumors, Sedan, TdC), Team News and Rumors, Transfers, U17 European Championship, Yannis TaferSubscribe
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Comments
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YESSS TAFER and Lacazette, so awesome I was so proud to see them both score! My scouting is almost perfect just to brag a bit. Interesting that Said Mehama did not get the call, he is 18 now but I believe he would have still been eligible. None the less, come on Les Gones, do us all proud and beat Spain!
Posted from
United States
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With news of Milito being out until the end of the year, expect Barca to get back in the race for Garay. Oh and Said is ineligible as he is born before 1 Jan 91
Posted from
United States -
We don’t need Garay. We need to spend our money on:
- a LB
- a RB
- An Italian trainer who won the Champions League and the Fifa World Cup with some Italian teams. Not a loser who won the French Cup with Sochaux as a best achievement.
- a Toulalan’s clone (somebody is screaming “Makoun” in the back of the my room)…Posted from
France -
Corey, I read on the OL forum (so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems pretty reliable) that Mehama, unlike Grenier and Tafer, is on a trainee contract with Lyon or something, so he can’t just walk away like those two could have. However, he should be signing a pro contract and be part of the senior team this summer.
Your other favorite, Jeremy Pied, seems to get a lot of attention from OL, so I imagine he’ll also be signed sooner or later.
Posted from
United States -
Salieri: Lyon will sign a RB only if one of CLerc or Reveillere leaves. I can’t imagine either leaving, but someone (I think it was Evilo) who said that it is a very good possibility. If that’s the case, then I’m certain we’ll be getting a new one. I think the club has learned how foolhardy it is to not have enough full backs. As for LB, Lyon have several players they are following. I’m pretty sure they’ll get one of those.
You know, L’Equipe had this article the other day that Lyon were back to following Lippi. Not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, he would be really respected by his players (unlike Perrin), and you get the feeling that he won’t take shit from them. Plus I think Aulas wouldn’t mind paying him a high salary either. So wages aren’t a barrier.
But I don’t think he’d be very interested in the Lyon job. First, he said that he didn’t want to go to a place where he would have to learn a new language (essentially, he wants to stay in Italy), and he will have Milan, Juventus, and Inter after his services this summer since all three of those clubs look like they’ll be losing their manager. And he might not be interested in France - the big three leagues are a lot more glamorous.
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United States -
Salieri - ” - a Toulalan’s clone (somebody is screaming ‘Makoun’ in the back of the my room)…”
Im not in the back of your room ?!
Posted from
United States -
Inara- I was aware that he didnt sign a pro-contract yet, and after seeing Damien Plessis go to Liverpool, Lyon may want to be a little quicker in securing its talent to pro-contracts. Tafer, Grenier and Fortier have them, and I am sure Lacazette will soon have one. Mathieu Salamnad is not getting as much attention from the French federation, but he is a promising left winger.
Pied I think is a better prospect then Karaaboue, but then again both look good. I dont expect to see either in the first team next year, maybe loans to Ligue 2 or National. Other players I want to highlight in the reserves since Salieri mentioned summer purchases.
While I realize that the CL is the ultimate goal, and that seasoned campaigners may need to be brought in, I still feel that in the long term the way to go is development through the youth team. So while I feel a perfect fit for the left back spot would be Jeremy Mathieu, seeing as how Tolouse is in a rough spot. I also like Vincent Muratori of Monaco and Maxwell of Inter Milan. Muratori is still young but has potential while Mathieu and Maxwell.
As for the right back spot, one of Clerc or Revs has to leave, so if one did I wouldnt like to see someone brought in, I think Lyon has plenty of youth depth there. Loic Abenzoar, of Martinque decent, is solid but lacks attacking purpose. And Lamine Gassama, a Sengalese player, has alot of attacking purpose to him. So give one of them a shot in the first team next year, before buying someone for a huge chunk of change.
Posted from
United States -
Lyon need left full back as quickly as possible. But who in France is good left back? Solding Belhadj, who now shines in Lens, is big, maybe costly, mistake. He maybe is’t soo good, but he is talented and he deserve a chance. Grosso is good, but he not shine. He do lot of mistakes, major mistakes. When he mistake, Lyon lose a match. Lyon must tr to buy Marcelo form Real M. He didn’t have lot of chances in Real, but he is good player, and he can play on both sides, right and left. About game against Sedan, Lyon should give chance to Ben Arfa, Delgado and Mournier. Lyon need this victory for morale before Nancy. Allez Lyonnais WE GONE BE CHAMPIONS WE WILL WIN DOUBLE CROWN THIS SEASON!!!!!!!!!
Posted from
Croatia -
Lyon-Sedan Starting line ups :
Hartock
Clerc Squillaci Boumsong Grosso
Crosas Kallstrom Bodmer
Mounier Fred Ben ArfaBen Arfa must starts, Mounier also. Crosas show lot’s potential, Kallstrom can replace Toulalan ( just for one match ) Bodmer show how he is strong and talented. Fred must starts because he didn’t score 400 minutes, that will be five games - against Marseille, Rennes, Strasbourg, Caen and Nice, also he did’t score against Metz in Cup. So that will be 490 minutes. He must bring his confidence back. We can take on Sedan. Last season they couse to as lot’s of porblems. Two games, two wins, but only two goals were in their net. Wendesday is moment to defeat Sedan with hege margin, let’s say some 4-5 goals in their net will be good, for both attackers and morale, like I said before. About coach. We need some energetick coach, who will be confidnet in succes, and who only knows for wins and titles. Perrin is good, but not good enough for Lyon. He maybe can lead Sochaux, but Lyon isn’t Sochaux. Lyon can’t be happy with ponit against Rennes and Nice, teams who are avarege in ligue. And defeat at Velodrome is not good. Last season we churshed them 1-4. Marseille is hot at home, but Lyon must won big games. So we must win both games, gainst Sedan and, of course, against Nancy. Allez Lyonnais
Posted from
Croatia -
Inara : Yes, I was the one saying RVR would leave.
In fact, I was so right (:D) that France Football said he was in touch with spanish team (my guess a few months ago) and OM (that one I didn’t guess, but it makes a ton of sense).Posted from
United States -
a great article to keep me abreast of things when i’m overbusy. thanks inara.
Posted from
France
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