Back to Business: Lyon vs. Rennes

By: John | October 4th, 2008

Jean-Alain “Lowers the Boum” on Jimmy in last year’s 2-0 win over Rennes.

After taking one point away at Bayern this week, Lyon get back to domestic business. Sunday, Lyon do battle with Stade Rennais FC. The squad will be traveling to Brittany and Le Stade de la Route de Lorient, hoping to leave with three points. Rennes look to deal Lyon their first defeat of the season.
Both clubs are coming off of European play during the week. Rennes was knocked-out of the UEFA cup this week and Lyon left Munich with a draw. Both teams will be regrouping and overcoming physical and mental fatigue.
Currently, Rennes are in 10th place in the table. They are currently winless in their last (5) matches: having lost in their UEFA Cup match against FC Twente and have drawn their last (4) L1 games. Rennes are 2-4-1(WDL) in L1 play. They have drawn against strong Marseilles and Toulouse sides, defeated a good Nice squad and have only lost to a suprising Grenoble. They are ranked 10th offensively and 9th defensively. Rennes’ top scorers are: Jimmy Briand, Bruno Cheyrou, and Olivier Thomert all tied with (2) goals a piece, and Moussa Sow (1).
The Last Ten Meetings:

2007/2008 24/11/2007 Stade Rennais FC 0 – 2 Olympique Lyonnais
2006/2007 04/11/2006 Stade Rennais FC 1 – 0 Olympique Lyonnais
2005/2006 02/10/2005 Stade Rennais FC 1 – 3 Olympique Lyonnais
2004/2005 11/09/2004 Stade Rennais FC 1 – 2 Olympique Lyonnais
2003/2004 29/11/2003 Stade Rennais FC 3 – 1 Olympique Lyonnais
2002/2003 05/10/2002 Stade Rennais FC 0 – 1 Olympique Lyonnais
2001/2002 06/02/2002 Stade Rennais FC 2 – 2 Olympique Lyonnais
2000/2001 19/05/2001 Stade Rennais FC 3 – 4 Olympique Lyonnais
1999/2000 11/12/1999 Stade Rennais FC 1 – 2 Olympique Lyonnais
1998/1999 14/11/1998 Stade Rennais FC 0 – 0 Olympique Lyonnais

Historicaly, Rennes have an edge in the meetings between the two teams: Rennes 18 wins, Lyon 16 wins and 6 draws.

Injuries: Sidney Govou is out for 4-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Cesar Delgado is still out with a knee problem. Fabio Santos is in, but Puel said that he would’nt be back untill the Lille game next week. And Fabio Grosso and Francois Clerc are still out.
Kader Keita is back and should see some second half action with Gouvou out.

Expected Line-up: It’s tricky. There are too many variables. 4-5-1/ 4-4-3? Who knows? Juninho’s tired, but that hasn’t stopped Puel before. Is there any option besides Mensah on the left? It’s interesting that Kolo is back in the group, though I doubt he’ll see the pitch. With Govou and Delgado out and Keita looking for his first minutes this season(I doubt he’ll start), I think we’ll see Ederson on the right. I have an eery feeling that Fred and Benzema will start, and if I see Benzema on the wing again I might have an aneurism. So, I’ll put something else down for the sake of my own health. I think it will be either the following or a 4-5-1 variant of the same players, with Ederson and Mounier as side midfielders:

Lloris
Reveillere-Cris-Bodmer-Mensah
Juninho- Toulalan- Makoun
Ederson- Benzema-Mounier

Le groupe : Lloris, Vercoutre – Mensah, Boumsong, Cris, Bodmer, Kolo, Réveillère, Juninho, Källström, Makoun, Toulalan, Fabio Santos, Mounier, Benzema, Fred, Piquionne, Ederson, Pjanic, Keita.

Prediction: Rennes have not scored more than one goal in a match, in each of the last four meetings vs. Lyon. And they are currently in a drought, having scored (1) goal in their last four matches(inluding one European match). I think they still have a Uefa cup hangover and don’t see them scoring in this match, unless they decide to exploit the gapping hole at Lyon’s left back position. I’ll call a Lyon win 1-0. I say either Benzema or Ederson get the goal, but I have a feeling Fred might score just to spite me.

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