Dijon vs Lyon : A question of balance

Dijon Mustard is a tricky seasoning. You put the the right dose and it enhances the taste; but if you put a little too much it ruins the dish. And burns your tongue.
So OL better watch out today as they resume the championship following an international break.

Still undefeated this season with two wins and two draws under the belt, Rémi Garde’s men are currently ranked second in the standings, with 8 points just one less than leader montpellier, who they defeated on the last matchday . This success simultaneously was a hot and cold shower : a boost for their morale and a blow to see Lisandro stretchered out of the field. This win was owing a lot to Hugo Lloris, sparkling that night, like he did in the following games with the French NT.

Dijon, newcomer in Ligue 1, got shaken for their debut with a 5-1 against Rennes, but after another defeat to Toulouse, they got two wins in a row against Lorient and fellow promoted Evian, which made them more confident. Coached by former Lyonnais Patrice Carteron,who publicly confesses his admiration for his former club, they will want to fight for a draw and make their supporters proud.

Dealing with injuries
Cris, Mensah, Gourcuff, Ederson, Lisandro are all out. Despite the absence of so many key players, the Lyon coach has a number of tactical options to tackle the first game of a very long series. Thus, as Pied and Lacazette are the most obvious substitutes for Lisandro, Garde can decide whether to maintain his now trademark 4-4-2, whilst in a more defensive scheme Fofana and Grenier and later Gourcuff can be integrated in a 4-3-3. Fofana also was a possibility to rest Kallström ahead of the coming CL game, but Garde finally didn’t chose this option.

The Dijon Group:
Reynet, Padovani – Diallo, Zarour, Bamba, Souprayen, Paull, Malouda – Sankharé, Bauthéac, Guerbert, Corgnet, Altama, Matsui, Marcq-Mandanna, Jovial, Thil, Courgnaud.

The Lyon group : newcomers are in!
Lloris, Vercoutre – Réveillère, Gassama, Dabo, Cissokho, B. Kone, Lovren – Gonalons, Källström, Fofana – Foot, Bastos, Briand, Grenier, Gomis, Lacazette, Belfodil.

The teams
DIJON : Reynet – Bamba, Zarour, Paulle, Souprayen – Corgnet, Altama Sankharé – Guerbert, Jovial, Bautheac
LYON : Lloris – Réveillère, Koné, Lovren, Cissokho – Briand, Gonalons, Källström, Bastos – Gomis, Pied

Allez l’OL !

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Category: Team News and Rumors