MORE Injuries, Plus Marseille Want Hatem Ben Arfa (Hahaha)

By: Inara | April 8th, 2008

This has got to be the worst year for Lyon in terms of injuries. Important players keep dropping like flies, right when things are getting crucial.

Last weekend against Marseille, Jeremy Toulalan and Fred were both carried off the pitch within the first half hour. Both suffered knee injuries, and thankfully, neither of them were too serious. For Fred, it’s not too bad because all he has is a slight sprain to his left knee, as well as a hematoma in his left calf. He’ll be out for four to eight days.

Toulalan’s injury, on the other hand, is more serious. He’s suffering from inflammation of his left knee ligaments, which will keep him out at least four weeks, though he’ll be fine by mid May. A combative player our Jeremy, even when he went down on the pitch, he still kept fighting for the ball. And he wanted to continue playing, but thankfully, Alain Perrin showed at least a little bit of good sense by subbing him out.

This is good news for Raymond Domenech, who wants Toulalan fresh and well rested for Euro 2008. But for Lyon, who are currently without a single DM, who have a French Cup quarterfinal match coming up, and who could still lose the title, his absence will be a big blow. Still, things could have been a lot worse.

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In other news, Didier Deschamps is once again linked with Lyon. Rumors of Aulas’s discontent with Perrin are all over the media, as well as Alain Perrin’s squabbles with members of his staff, most notably with Joel Bats and Robert Duverne, and with certain players as well. The man being touted as his possible successor is Deschamps, who recently said

“Who wouldn’t be interested in Lyon? I had a few contacts when I resigned from Juventus, but it didn’t happen due to a timing problem…I am a coach who wants to win and there are of course a lot of chances to win with Lyon.”

That was probably music to Aulas’s ears because Lyon are a club who care only about winning, not how it’s achieved. It also helps that Deschamps has the kind of charisma that many of players would gravitate too, though I can’t imagine him and Bernard Lacombe getting along. Supposedly, Deschamps will be meeting with Lyon officials to discuss what he could offer the club. But how likely is it that Perrin will go just after one season? Lyon aren’t Marseille or Monaco. We don’t do the coach a year thing. So we’ll see.

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It looks like Remy Vercoutre’s home next season will be with Nantes, who should be reinstalled in the topflight this June. Nantes is a big step down from Lyon, but Vercoutre will be their starting keeper, so it’s a good move.

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Atletico Madrid is once again interested in Sidney Govou (because they just don’t have enough wingers…), but it looks doubtful that Govou will take them up on their offer. He’s getting paid a lot of money in a club that’s always in the Champions League.

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We already know that Arsene Wenger is hot and heavy over Hatem Ben Arfa. But now Pape Diouf has gotten into line as he waxed lyrical over Ben Arfa.

“He is extraordinary. If tomorrow I had the means to make him come to Marseille, I wouldn’t hesitate a second. Even if it’s for a single wonderful play per game, I take him right now…When I think that there is a coach in Lyon that puts him on the bench!”

Hmm. Sounds like Pape is attempting in some destabilization himself, though he must know better than anyone that he has absolutely no chance. Aulas would give Ben Arfa away for free before selling him to Marseille. Kind of like how Diouf felt about Ribery.

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Joke of the week is Lyon’s supposed interest in Milan’s goalkeeper Dida. That deserves a big fat LOL. We might as well keep Vercoutre. The players would probably walk off the pitch before they agreed to play with Dida behind them. Not to mention that Lyon would lose all their credibility as a serious club.

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On the girls side of things, Lyon may or may not be interested in Marta, Brazilian superstar and the best female footballer in the world. When asked about Lyon’s interest in Marta, Aulas has said that he is always interested in good players but that there is nothing concrete at this time. I doubt he’ll be that successful in getting her since her current team, Umea, carry a bit more weight in the world of women’s football. But as the UEFA Women’s Cup semifinal showed, Lyon are more than a match for Umea, and their coach said that Lyon were without a doubt the best team they’ve ever played against (take that, Arsenal LFC!). Lyon also have more financial clout, so who knows?