Lyon - Monaco In Progress
By: Inara | October 20th, 2007Sorry guys, but I’ve been so busy with other stuff that I didn’t have time to write up a pre-match post on Lyon’s home game against Monaco. So here is a “in progress” post. By the time I post this, the game will be near its end, so consider this a post-match report too. I promise a much better one for Stuttgart - Lyon.
Monaco is another one of OL’s bogey teams.
As I write this, it’s halftime. Lyon scored two goals in 20 minutes, but Monaco hit back five minutes before the first half ended. Jeremy Berthod, who left Lyon for Monaco last summer, fouled Sidney Govou in the penalty area, so Lyon were awarded a penalty, which Juninho converted. The second Lyon goal was assisted by Juninho’s through ball, which found Anthony Reveillere - who hasn’t scored since 2003, this being the second goal of his career.
Another ex-Lyonnais, Sylvain Monsoreau, took advantage of a Camel Meriem free kick (I love Meriem!!!), which allowed Monaco to stay in the game.
By the way, this is all from Eurosport. I had forgotten than the games were pushed back because of the Rugby World Cup final, so I woke up 40 minutes into the game. And for some reason, I can’t find a stream of this match. So I’m following along listening to French radio commentary I only half-understand as I try to do my duty as a faithful Lyon blogger.
Tactics:
GRRRR.
This is the best Perrin could do:
Vercoutre
Reveillere - Squillaci - Anderson - Grosso
Juninho - Fabio Santos - Kallstrom
Govou - Benzema - Ben Arfa
Ordinarily I wouldn’t complain because I’m happy to see Fabio Santos and Hatem Ben Arfa on the pitch. I’m also glad that Jeremy Toulalan was given some rest - after the performances he put in for Les Bleus, he needs to be fresh for the game against Stuttgart. However, for that same reason, Kim Kallstrom, Fabio Grosso, and Karim Benzema should also have started on the bench.
This game would have been a great opportunity to play Mathieu Bodmer and Nadir Belhadj.
And FRED, who is fully fit. Why couldn’t he have started? Or even Milan Baros? I love Benzema and everything, but he’s in serious danger of being overplayed. It’s what Gerard Houllier did with Juninho last season - and remember how Juninho ended up slumping the most last year?
Anyway, so it goes without saying that Lyon need to win this game. First because they need to keep up with Nancy (!!), and second, because they need the confidence boost ahead of traveling to Stuttgart. Okay, I know I said that the last two times Lyon played a game before a CL match (both of which they lost despite winning in the league beforehand), but I still mean it.
EDIT: Benzema scores his eleventh goal of the season at the 50th minute! After he scores, Perrin has Benzema substituted…by Fred!!! Benzema gets a standing ovation from the Gerland crowd.
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Tags: Anthony Reveillere, Fred, Juninho, Karim Benzema, Ligue 1, Lyon, Match Results, Monaco, Team News and RumorsSubscribe
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Comments
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Benzema is amazing.
And it must be said that Govou simply dived on Juninho’s PK.
Posted from
United States
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Why isn’t Clerc starting this season? Is he injured or out of form?
Posted from
United States -
Clerc is shit. That’s why.
Posted from
Canada -
Easy win for Lyon, who could have won by 5 : 1 (had Keita not played for instance)
Reasonable, though not stunning match, but a comfortable three points and a nice boost to our goal difference (there seemed to be a lot of goals flying in league one today).
Encouraging things were the performance of the team overall and of certain individuals – Juni was great, very present, very solid and kept the match nice and fluid, definitely my man of the match. Benzema was good too and becoming sooo popular with the home crowd. The feeling when he got his goal was just great, the fans were just so happy that he had scored, he really is loved (not just by Laurie!).
On the subject of Benz, Ben Arfa also had a very good match with some nice displays of his superb dribbling skills. Overall very good although there were a couple of instances when he kept the ball just too long and missed some good opportunities, but possibly his best match so far this season and he absolutely deserved to have played the full 90 minutes.
Also very notable was Santos who had a great match, very strong. Very acceptable replacement for Toulalan. Reluctantly I’d also have to say that Govou was also strong.
On the down side Keita was terrible – he made so many errors including missing an unmissable shot close to the end. From the moment he came on he seemed to do nothing right (falling over in front of Roma - aarrgh ) and the crowd are clearly moving further and further away from him – no booing yet but I don’t think its far away if he carries on like this. I know he worked out so well for Lille but somehow it really isn’t working for him at Lyon (Perrin that’s your job).
Kallstrom was also disappointing (and it hurts to say that of Kallstrom) but he was largely invisible especially in the first 20 minutes. It was right to take him off (ouch that really hurts)
Defensively we weren’t put under too much pressure. Squillaci did a fine job marking Koller (I’d be much happier if this guy was playing for us than against us) . Reveillere also had a good match and also scored (I think that’s his first for OL?). Nothing great from Grosso or Anderson but in fairness even when Monaco were in position they were so off target the threat wasn’t too intense. Vercoutre didn’t have lots to do and I’m not sure that he could have done much about the goal, so hopefully no damage to his confidence.
There was just a crowd of about 36,000 tonight; so not full but given the time of day and the Rugby match not bad either.
Posted from
France -
So did Reveillere get his spot back from Clerc this season? It seems so strange because last year Clerc was starting a lot of games, getting called up to France NT, etc…
Posted from
United States -
I think Clerc is better offensively, whereas it’s rare to see Reveillere in the attacking half. I don’t think Clerc sucks though, and I really do think he’ll be called up again to the NT, though he has the tough task in pushing past Sagna and Diarra.
Benzema’s goal was awesome, the way he wouldn’t give up on the ball, but I have to say, I was most thrilled for Reveillere.
Posted from
United States -
Oh, and I have to agree with Evilo - Govou didn’t work very hard at staying on his feet!
Posted from
United States -
Didn’t watch the match…how was Fred’s 30 minute performance?
Posted from
United States -
RAY : very good.
But he lost his nerves once again after the match and wanted to hit Diego Perez.
We didn’t see the full incident, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him suspended again.Posted from
United States -
I fully disagree with Storm.
Lyon really had a tough time in this game. Right at the start of the game, Monaco should have scored.
Then a 1-2 at the half, Monaco started playing like they know and had about 8 scoring opportunities, and really good ones, but couldn’t capitalize.
Frankly, Lyon’s defense was awfully shaky, and that won’t work tuesday.Keita brought a lot, an awful lot more than Govou, but missed a peewee opportunity (he was laughing after missing it), but that play resulted from his good playing relationship with Bodmer who made that superb pass.
Bodmer once again played at about 50% of his talents, but still was more useful in that time than Kallstrom before him.
I don’t know if Kallstrom is happy in Lyon honestly. He seems to lack motivation.If I was Perrin, I’d put the same team on tuesday with Toulalan instead of Santos, Keita instead of Govou and Bodmer instead of Kallstrom.
Posted from
United States -
Ray Fred was good and clearly very happy to be back (as were the fans), tried some nice touches with a couple of near misses. The spat with Perez involved both Fred and Santos was pretty ugly, took several players from both teams to pull them apart. Frankly the three of them were lucky not to be sanctioned immediately.
Evilo we must have been watching different matches! LOL.
Really I thought this was an easy win for Lyon.Defensively I think it was a mixed performance, good for Reveillere, OK for Squillaci but yes as I said Grosso and Anderson underperforming. But really the Monaco finishing was too off target to be too much of a threat.
And Govou - he set up Benzema’s goal and as well as being the reason we were awarded a penalty,(and didn’t do have any of his usual front of goalmouth misses!), he was also successful at provoking several faults from Monaco especially in the first half. I didn’t see Keita laugh - probably as well he was being cursed by around me last night.
Fingers crossed Nancy slip up this afternoon (though I don’t see it happening). Nancy are starting to be too consistently good. Does anyone understand what they’ve done to make such a difference this season?
Posted from
France -
Bakary Sagna is a brilliant player. He will be one of the greates Right full backs Francais ever have.
Posted from
United States -
keita played better than govou??? i really need to check out that planet someday evilo! sounds trippy!
Posted from
France -
Yep he has Guignol.
Govou was USELESS in that game, except for two plays. One was the shameful dive, and the other was the pass to Benzema.
Keita, when he came in, brought a lot of speed and impact on the right side.
He also brought a big opportunity by making a call (something Govou never makes) behind the defense for Bodmer’s pass. Unfortunately, he completely missed the easy scoring chance.As for my planet, its name is objectivity, as in “I’m no Lyon fan and don’t care much which player is better, since I don’t have a personnel agenda”.
Posted from
United States
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