He doesn’t have European experience, no, but he’s been an L1 starter for Nice for the past three years. In fact, he has almost three times the experience as Vercoutre. For a guy with such a huge upside, I don’t know how much of a better player Lyon could have gotten, without going for a player of the level of Cech/Casillas/Buffon – which is obviously out of reach for Lyon.

About Fred, I won’t hide that I have certain irrational affection towards the guy, he’s definetely one of my favourite Lyon player and I rate his talent very highly. That’s why I would really really like him to get his act together and acts like a professional both on and off the pitch, he could be a real gem for this team – especially if Benzema leaves this summer. So, while I certainly don’t defend his attitude, I hope things with him would go just fine in the end and that he would stop making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

But then it just goes to show that talent isn’t everything. Imagine how amazing they would be if they had the dedication to their craft like Kallstrom or Toulalan.

I just don’t understand how some people can overlook all the many negative things about Fred. Namely his lack of respect to the overall team dynamic. All the stunts he pulled last year – leaving Lyon without permission, returning a month late for pre-season training, missing practices, his constantly changing stance on whether he will stay or go, etc., and then whining about it to the press about how he’s being treated so unfairly. The goals he scores – when he does score them – in no way makes up for his behavior. He is spoiled, and I don’t believe that the club should pander to his wishes just because he has talent. It’s the same way I felt about Ben Arfa, who was my fave OL player at one time, but his attitude was too much for me, and I was happy to see him go.

As for Lloris – of all the goals Lyon conceded so far, most of them were the fault of his defense and the general disorganization of the team. He’s made a few mistakes, notably on the second goal scored by Steaua, but he’s a new player, has to deal with a new defense every single game, one which often features displaced midfielders, with two CBs who are in the midst of professional breakdowns, with an RB that has played nearly every minute of the season so far, and an LB that has only been back for three games. So in his case, he deserves the extra leeway.

But he’s definitely not the finished article, and he needs to get his confidence up. Should he continue making mistakes, then perhaps other alternatives will need to be explored. But Lloris’s attitude is the right one – to work hard and keep quiet, and better yet, he owns up to his errors and takes responsibility for them.