Marseille vs. Lyon:”Le Vrai Choc.”
By: John | May 16th, 2009
Week 36
Sun May 17, 2009
Le Stade Velodrome
3 PM ET (21:00 CET, 20:00 GMT)
Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been flying high lately. Tuesday’s 3-0 win at Nantes, saw Lyon break a five match winless streak, and the team play like a team again: crisp passing, free-flowing, attacking football; beautiful stuff. The trip to Evian seemed to jar something lose in the players, with Juninho and Makoun trying to single-handedly keep OL in the CL hunt; well, Benzema and Ederson and a host of others joined-in on the fun too.
It’s only Nantes you say? Yes, but the way OL’s been playing lately, this was a major turning point. I really hope that Puel has finally found a way to stop the ship from sinking, bale-out the water, and get back on course. Although I have a feeling it had more to do with the players’ deciding to step-up on their own. The players finally seemed to have realized exactly how much is at stake, and hopefully they saw Nantes as the “first match” of the rest of the season. OL has a tuff challenge ahead of them, with away matches at Marseille and Toulouse in their final three fixtures.
Now for the bad news. Instead of having a bottom-of-the-table-team to beat-up on, as we start our end-of-the-season renaissance, we have to head into the Velodrome in a must-win situation. Sunday will be a very high-stakes match, with Marseille locked in a tooth-and-nail struggle with Bordeaux for first place and OL looking to put more room between them an PSG in the fight for third, and final CL bearth. It will also be a battle between OM’s top-of-the-league offense vs. Lyon’s second-ranked defense.
OM’s Current Form: OM are at the top of the table with 19-11-4 record. Their offense is ranked first with (58)goals and their defense is seventh with (19) allowed. They have a 9-5-3 record at the Velodrome which is seventh in the league(Lyon are third away from home). OM’s actually much better on the road, ranked first. Marseille have a blistering thirteen game winning streak. Their last loss came fourteen matches ago vs. Sochaux, which was part of a two-game losing streak, having lost to Lyon the match before.
OM’s offense is on fire: Their top scorer M. Niang is averaging one-goal-a-game over his last five matches, and Brandao has found the net five times in the last seven fixtures.
History: This year, Lyon and OM have already met twice. Their first league meeting ended in a 0-0 , and the second saw OL take Marseille down in the French Cup, 1-0 at Gerlande. Lyon is 8-12-18 vs. OM, but since Marseille’s last 3-1 victory in March of 2008 at the Velodrome, OM hasn’t seen a victory since September of ‘97; that’s a ten match span.
Le groupe: Lloris, Vercoutre – Clerc, Réveillère, Cris, Mensah, Bodmer, Boumsong, Grosso, Källström, Juninho, Makoun, Toulalan, Mounier, Delgado, Govou, Benzema, Keita, Pjanic, Ederson.
Injuries/Abscences: Piquionne’s out with an adductor problem. On another note, Fabio Santos “has left the building.” He is officially no longer an OL player and should be back on Ipanema beach this week, sipping caipirinhas, as his contract was mutually terminated last week. Our newer crop of Brazilians- minus Ederson- really aren’t working-out for us, huh?
Line-up:
Lloris
Reviellere-Cris-Boumsong-Grosso
Juninho-Toulalan-Makoun
Delgado-Benzema-Ederson
Predictions: More like what I’m hoping for. OL only have two things going for them: one, they seem to have gotten back the desire to win and played as such at Nantes. Two, they have a better away record(third in the league) than OM’s home record(seventh in L1). Lyon have had much success in the Velodrome, winning four and losing one in their last twelve visits to Marseille. Three, OM is coming off an impressive win vs. Nice, in which coach and team are still pating themselves on-the-back about. Let’s hope this, coupled with a hopefull complacency during their thirteen game winning streak, leads to a “pride before the fall” scenario Sunday.
Lyon’s defense has to live-up to their second ranking and play a Barcelona first “leg-esque” game in order to try to shut down the prolific OM offense. This offense is full of players who can score at will- we may see a front line of Niang-Brandao-Ben Arfa- and hopefully their second leading scorer Baki Kone isn’t operational for the match. My only worry on defense is LB. I hope Puel puts Grosso back in, and that Fabio’s not to rusty from sitting-out all those matches. I really don’t want to see Kallstrom tete-a-tete with Ben Arfa. I think it will be a tight game and probably end in a 1-1 or less draw.
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Comments
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Both Keita and Bodmer signed four year contracts when they arrived and I higly doubt either will or would have been offered new ones so they will be here untill 2011 at least
Posted from
United Kingdom
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Ronan: I think with this squad and our recent injury curse it has alot more to do with quantity unfortunately, and it forced us to go out and buy a bozo like Anderson; although Boumsong was a good emergency buy. Hopefully we won’t be plagued by injuries next year, and heaven forbid it doesn’t spread from our defense to our offense. What type of quality are you talking about though? If you’re talking about CL finals’ quality in our CBs than yeah you’re right, but we don’t need to worry about that just yet do we? It will be some time before we can afford a Vidic and a Terry. Some may say that the CL is all about luck, but we don’t have the overall squad strength to be that lucky i.e., go all the way to the final. Yeah, Cris is waning, but Boumsong hasn’t commited any real blunders that he’s become synonymous with, and had a very good CL run. I see sometimes that he makes bad decisions with clearences, but nothing major IMO. And I think the jury’s out on Mensah, because he hasn’t been healthy enough to put together a long enough string of matches for us to really observe his play at CB. I only got to observe him play RB for small patch and he was a stud; much better than LB which is weird since he’s left-footed. Our CBs weren’t perfect his year- Chris had alot of horrendous lapses- but to me it seems that our problems on D came primarily from our flanks, which is only natural since our side backs were decimated by injury. Our defense is ranked second- alot had to do with our keeper and overall unit play- but it looked to me like we were leaking goals this year, so imagine if we had tight flanks.
I think alot of loyalty for our youth system players. Me too. Paillot seems like a deascent league player and a back-up but I don’t know that he’ll be anything more. Don’t know. He’s young so maybe I’ll be proven wrong. Hopefully they just send him out on loan to keep gaining experience;I would just rather seem him play than rot on the bench.
And as for Mounier I agree, but it’s up to him. He want’s more playing time and seems he wants out. He’s a good prospect, but isn’t CL material just yet and we really need someone solid at LW. And it looks like management is doubling-up at that position next year with Delgado, and maybe Boussoufa or with some divine intervention, Bastos. So Mounier’s going to have an even rougher time of it in terms of playing time.
I’m still hopefull we will buy Remy back. He would’ve been great to have this year: replacing that idiot Fred and relagating Piquionne to the rubbish bin and giving us a real option at RW with Govou out and Delgado chronically injured and yet to establish himself.Posted from
Costa Rica -
i Certainly hope this is true from goal.com : http://goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2009/05/21/1277802/report-juventus-to-pounce-for-olympique-lyonnais-defender
I am pretty sure we’ll get Mathieu this summer. I can’t wait, it’ll be exciting to see who comes and who goes
Posted from
Norway -
I am pretty sure we wont get Mathieu,more than once he has said his priority is to leave France for another league like spain Italy etc and God knows how many clubs want him so I think he is a NoNo.The trezeguet rumours are false Im sure-the main problem was Ranieri Trez had issues with but now hes gone I expect Trez to remain at Juve for the rest of his career.That article is also wrong because the salary cap here is clearly not 3mill bercause Benzema,Govou and Juninho are on four point something a year.Although the Grosso rumours must be true,at first I was sad to see Grosso being linked to leaving but then I realised I was only sad because of his profile-a world cup winning left back tha would leave us. But then I realised he sure hasnt played like a quality left back so good riddance.
Posted from
United States -
Delgado out for the rest of the season: http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2009/20090521_152718_saison-terminee-pour-delgado.html
Posted from
Costa Rica -
Grosso for Trez sounds sweet. I think Trez will leave Turin becuase he will barely see playing time with that group of strikers they have.
Posted from
Costa Rica -
Yer but if Iaquinta leaves(lots of speculation about) I doubt Juve would release Trezeguet,although Trez,Remy,Benzema would be a good batch up front
Posted from
United States -
lyon must have as much money as floyd mayeather because of the sales in recent years
Posted from
United States -
Also does anyone know whats going on with Lyons new 62000 seater stadium being built ?
Posted from
United States -
the thing is with that new stadium its a big stadium 62000 seats and lyon usually get about 36000 a game(and the Gerland still isnt full) so I dont see how thats going to change and they are going to fill and extra 30000 seats,I think the stadium will be half full each home game meaning loads of empty seats a bit like Romas Stadio Olimpico where the capacity is 73000 and they get about 45000 each game,although that is a beautiful staduim the olimpico and the atmosphere is always good despite the empty seats.I like stadiums with the race tracks its a shame OLland wont have one.
Posted from
United States -
Stadiums without race tracks are better because acoustic is much better than on the ones that have it, and fans are closer to the field, hence the better supporting is also a plus.
Posted from
United States -
I don’t why this BS rumor keeps popping-up everywhere. It’s annoying: http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2009/20090522_090353_l-inter-sur-makoun.html
Posted from
Costa Rica -
Management/Puel would have to be committed to an insane asylum if this contains any grain of truth. : http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2009/20090522_084028_vieira-vers-l-ol.html
Posted from
Costa Rica -
Fred and Fabio back together again:http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2009/20090522_151013_fabio-santos-a-fluminense.html
Posted from
Costa Rica -
Vieira to lyon is awful news. Vieira to lyon four years ago would have been good news but he is crap now and so should not join Lyon under any circumstances ! Its PSGs job to sign the likes of Vieira,Gallas,Makelele,Giuly and co not Lyon,besides why on earth do we need him ?Im really not sure if the Makoun rumours to Inter contain truth-On one hand you have unlogical reasons like inter not needing another DM with Zanetti,Cambiasso,Vieira(lets hope it stays that way)Burdisso,Dacourt,chivu as well as other young squad players on loan who are Defence minded. And also you cant see a club spending 22mill euros on a DM as thats just not the type of pricing for that position. Also you see Inter linked with so many players so Makoun could just be the new flavour of the day for the media. On the other hand there could be truth in it-All of Inters DMs bar Cambiasso either ageing or lack quality,and bringing Makoun in could allow them to sell vieira,let Zanetti retire and release Dacourt.
Posted from
United States -
Another reason is That Makoun certainly is the type of player Mourinho likes-lyon player(Mourinho signed Essien and Malouda)Makouns african and Jose loves working with African players. But well have to see unfortunately I feel there could be truth in this rumour however lyon having signed Makoun for 12mill they will probably command about 25mill this summer,a fee which Inter would be reluctant to pay. Although I wouldnt be surprised For them to offer us there squad players in exchange the likes of Mancini,Quaresma,Vieira,Crespo,Rivas etc may be offered. Makoun leaving would be a blow-especially if Vieira was the replacement.signing players like Vieira and Trezeguet certainly isnt a step in the right direction,whats the point in signing players who are tired,old and past there best ? Absolutely No point.
Posted from
United States -
Don’t put that much thought on very transfer rumor you see, it’ll make your head hurt…
Posted from
United States -
@Dror – need i remind you of who it is your talking about. Ronan is involved in Every transfer rumour…..even some that dont exist.
Posted from
United States -
Its strange,Ronalds input is always simply to criticize me,not talk about Lyon.
Posted from
United States -
next game is tommorrow, gotta be patient
Posted from
United States -
I think Trez would be a good signing. He probably has alot of mileage left in him and would be an offensive terror in L1. Makoun is constantly linked with Inter, this is about the third time that rumor surfaces, but I don’t see anyone paying 20mill for a DM, or Aulas selling him anywhere close to his purchase, just to make a few measely mill. He’s an integral part of this team- both offensively and defensively- and a piece we will need to go further in Europe; not to mention if Toulalan decides to leave. Viera coming is a disaster! Great PR move if he were filling a position that we lack, but another midfielder we just don’t need.
Posted from
Costa Rica -
What other good LB possibilitis are out there besides Mathieu?
Posted from
Costa Rica -
http://goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2009/05/22/1279988/goalcom-special-ligue-1-team-of-the-season
Has anyone watched Lorient’s Morel extensively?
Posted from
Costa Rica -
left back-Fabio Da Silva(loan)Man u youngster who seems as good as his brother Rafael,who plays RB consistantly for them.Fabio is LB and hasnt been given much playing time.
Posted from
United States -
Ronan: I mean older, experienced back who can start in place of Grosso. These are kids like Kolo.
Posted from
Costa Rica
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