OMG THE SEASON IS STARTING aka Le Mans vs. Lyon

By: Inara | August 7th, 2009

Tomorrow marks the start of Lyon’s 2009-2010 season. For the first time in a really long time, Lyon will be fighting to earn back the title, as opposed to defending it (maybe this will help the team wake up from their apathy). Tomorrow they’ll be facing Le Mans, who are definitely capable of surprises on their good days.

But before I get into the match preview itself, just a couple of things. First, Sidney Govou has been named captain. I’m sure my lack of faith in Govou (both as a player and as a human being) is not a surprise to any of you, but I’ve promised myself to be more positive about him from now on. After all, that armband is definitely worth something. Frederic Piquionne has been loaned to Portsmouth while Cleber Anderson has returned from his loan from Santos. Also, Lyon have drawn Anderlect in their Champions League qualifiers (more on that tomorrow).

August 8th, 2009
Stade Léon Bollée, Le Mans
3 PM ET (21:00 CET, 20:00 GMT)

Match background:

Le Mans is one of those odd little teams that bounce back and forth between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. While they have managed to stay in the top flight the last couple of year, they barely hung on last season when they ended the year in 16th place. To compound matters, they lost two of their best players this summer – Yohann Pele left for Toulouse while Gervinho is now at Lille. Anthony Le Tallec and Mathieu Coutadeur still remain, at least for now. In terms of acquisitions, most of their new players are from L2, though they did bring in a CB from Porto, Joao Paolo Andrade.

Le Mans do have a new manager, however. His name is Paulo Duarte, a former Portuguese football player who has coached some smaller club teams and currently is in charge of Burkina Faso’s national team. Duarte will be coaching both teams simultaneously, so we’ll see how that works out.

A couple of Le Mans’ players will be out tomorrow. Andrade and Antonio Geder are still getting back into shape while Fredrik Strømstad and Ibrahima Camara are injured.

Lyon info:

I’m not sure how or why, but Lyon have a whole host of players injured, suspended, and in one case, both. John Mensah and Cleber Anderson have calf injuries while Cesar Delgado and Jean-Alain Boumsong have inflamed thigh muscles (yes, really). Kim Kallstrom is suspended, as is Mensah (probably for being so fragile).

Le groupe lyonnais: Lloris, Vercoutre – Clerc, Cris, Bodmer, Réveillère, Cissokho, Grosso, Seguin – Toulalan, Makoun, Govou, Ederson, Pjanic, Mounier, Bastos – Gomis, Lisandro

Interestingly, Yannis Tafer and Clement Grenier both miss out, as does Lamine Gassama (where is he, anyway?). The only youth player on the squad is Nicolas Seguin, who was brought in to help cover the lack of CBs.

Expected Lineup:

Lloris
Reveillere – Cris – Bodmer – Cissokho
Toulalan
Ederson – Pjanic – Bastos
Gomis – Lisandro

There isn’t much to say about the defense. It’s always a tossup over Francois Clerc and Anthony Reveillere, though it is apparent that Fabio Grosso has taken a back seat to Aly Cissokho. In midfield, I think starting bothJean II Makoun and Jeremy Toulalan is overkill against a team like Le Mans, so I’m hoping one of them will be benched. Instead, I’d like to see Ederson and Miralem Pjanic on the field at the same time. A novel concept, I know, but I think they’d do well together.

And of course I expect our three newest acquisitions to play. Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis are no strangers to L1 football, and hopefully Lisandro Lopez will find it easy to fit in as well.

Viewing options:


Keep an eye out for links. I've tried looking around, but most links aren't posted until an hour or two before the match. As always, please share working links in the comments section of this blog. 

Expected results:
I expect Lyon to win. If 75 million euros in incoming transfers isn't enough to beat Le Mans - even by one goal - Aulas will be the laughing stock of the league.

Some Related Lyon Posts:

Category: Ligue 1, Team News and Rumors

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lefutur

If lyon arent getting a new CB its because Puel isnt asking for one. :(
Sam

You're probably right Smile, I'm a bit worried why we aren't being linked with any good CB's right now - I mean it's clearly a problem. Why spend so much on a LB when we already have Grosso and neglect the CB position. I mean - none of them are of the standard needed right now.
Smile

I don't know guys, I agree with both of you but I belive the much bigger problem is lack of CB in both quality and quantity.

Puel is capable of managing of some good games like that Barcelona game on Gerland. So, my point is, Aulas should give him some decent CB, so that there is no excuse, and if then he fails, than I agree, change him.
Michael

Smile- we gave Puel last season and you know what happened.We need new manager.
Sam

Smile - you're right. At least 5 games is required to see if he's good enough, Lyon have been consistently crap under his management though so I'm pessimistic. Hopefully the new squad will gel and pick up a bit of a bit of confidence to go on a good run which we haven't really enjoyed for a long while now. I personally can't see this season being at all comfortable though with such a calamitous defence.
Smile

The season has only just begun, give Puel at least 5 matches, and if things don't change, thats the sign that something is really wrong...
Michael

Gomis should be in starting 11 for next game,he is alot better then piq,just have faith in him
Sam

Lyon desperately need a new CB pairing
Aleksander

Lucky we have Lisandro in our team. But. SOMETHING needs to change!! I can't stand those clueless longball! And meaningless dribbles where we loose the ball all the time. We need to get a strategy of how to play! And Puel doesn't have a clue! He may be good with small teams, working hard and counter-attacking. But he doesn't know to keep possesion, and attack with a tactic. Our players out there doesn't know what to do at all. And, we need gomis out there. Toulalan-Makoun midfield is just too stupid against a bottom side.
Jao

Wow! What a free kick. Reminded me of Benzema against The ASSE a few years ago. Looked good early on in the second half. That suspect penalty called brok our spirits, but when Gomis came on, we got our game back. Average game for us and we come away with a draw. Ah well.
lefutur

Puel needs to play the 4-4-2 from now on. Lyon were horrible until he switched formations.

I have to say I dont have much faith in this manager.
lefutur

Lisandro should be captain because that guy is a game changer
Shadow

mixed feeling.....does puel stay for the rest of the season ? 4-4-2 ? is govou going to capable of being a leader in the team, let alone Captian ?

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Sam

1 game in and we're chasing
Minal

I think Bastos crossing in to Licha will be awesome this year! Even though this game is a bummer
Shadow

well, 4-4-2 helps lisandro, cause him up top alone isnt the way to go, gomis and him seem to complement each other.
Michael

This doesn't change anything,Puel need to go
Sam

Lisandro and Bastos have been a cut above - encouraging parts of the team
Michael

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL
matt

to ask what*
Shadow

how funny is tha, just before he struck the ball, i had the song " On Call " by kings of Leon....ha ha ha Fate.
matt

i was just coming to this blog what the hell was going on with your team out there and then lisandro hits that sweet fk.
Sam

did anyone else expect exactly that to happen straight after the foul?
lefutur

lisandro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BEST PLAYER ON OUR TEAM
Theo Walcott 14

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shadow

licha to the rescue
mrCham

Fuckking YES
Sam

there was never any doubt - Lisandro you absolute legend !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ian

fuck ya!!!!!!!!!!
Michael

Puel should leave lyon tonight
Theo Walcott 14

Pjanic is mad.
Sam

Puel simply doesn't deserve to be Lyon manager, I hope Aulas recognises that
Shadow

cris......your soooooooo freaking lucky right now
Theo Walcott 14

Michael,we all do that!
Shadow

i like the fact of how mad he got when he missed it, since where he used to play before......
lefutur

gomis gets close. but why did he not come on sooner?????
Shadow

wow, that was close gomis
Michael

I hate Puel
Sam

brilliant play from Bastos - so close!
Shadow

good try lisandro, good try
Theo Walcott 14

Shadow,best decision Puel’s made all career.
lefutur

govou off...yay
Aleksander

gomgomis on with 10 mins left. fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shadow

amazing, he actually subbed Govou. best decision Puel's made all game.
Sam

what worries me about the performance is the lack of assurance and belief. after that second goal you can see the panic and desperation in the play.
Theo Walcott 14

I never saw Pjanic so mad
Shadow

Govou......how did you miss that ?
Theo Walcott 14

Govou............
corpuscle

yes... situation with link is getting worse...
lefutur

gomis getting ready to come on....finally
Theo Walcott 14

Bodmer looks like a world class defender compared to Cris.
Shadow

gomis coming in, but for who......
Sam

the defence is embarassing
Theo Walcott 14

John;
http://www.goal.com/en/news/90...
Shadow

the sponser is deemed " illegal " and cant really waer the shirt with them on it till January.
Theo Walcott 14

They have a sponsor,but an ilegal one.
John

They still don't have a sponser?
Shadow

im surprised im not as mad as i would be in recent years, getting off to a good start would be nice, but it isnt always neccesary.

the fact that cris has decided he wants to single-handedly lose games for us......is mystifying
Theo Walcott 14

Auxerre 0 - 1 Sochaux
Grenoble 0 - 1 Marseille
Le Mans 2 - 1 Lyon
Monaco 1 - 0 Toulouse
Montpellier 0 - 0 Paris Saint-Germain
Rennes 2 - 0 Boulogne-sur-Mer
Saint-Etienne 0 - 1 Nice
Valenciennes 1 - 2 Nancy
Sam

that challenge highlights how Bodmer is not a defender, and his attacking prowess shows just why he should be in midfield....
Shadow

cris *
John

Cris pushed a Mans attacker who had his back to him as they both went up in the air for a ball in the box.
Shadow

it seems pushed a attacking player from behind when they were about to go up for a header in the penalty box. it was soft, but you can understand why the ref might have given it.
Ian

Gomis for Makoun
John

This one works well for me:
http://www.iraqgoals.net/ch3.h...

Although I don't know if you want to keep watching.
Sam

what did Cris do? my stream kept chopping up at the most vital moment
lefutur

is puel gonna bring on gomis or what?
Sam

truth is, the warning signs were there from the pre season form. fancy not buying a new centre back... Puel just isn't nearly good enough, I get the feeling though we'll be stuck with him for a long time though
Theo Walcott 14

Can someone please kill Cris?
Shadow

the penalty was soft.....but the fact that cris would actually attempt to do something like that in any penalty box is incredible.....sigh, seems the police man needs to be discharged.....
John

Cris needs to be euthenised.
lefutur

will lyon now please buy a cb????
Sam

Lyon are getting me so depressed atm
Dror

the only thing thats more annoying then lyon playing like shit is that the streams are so bad you cant even see how shit they play >_>
Shadow

oh god cris.....what the F*ck man !
Aleksander

out cris!!!!!!!!!!!!! f#¤%&/ you!!@@@@@
Theo Walcott 14

Does anyone know what happened?
lefutur

god dammit
Aleksander

this is not fair omg!!
Sam

bollocks
Aleksander

wtf??!
Shadow

what the heck just happened ?
Aleksander

penalty??
Michael

Can someone give working link,iraq goals are freazing every second
John

Bodmer almost does it again! He should be in the midfield!
Sam

*sigh*
Shadow

ederson out for Pjanic.....hmmmmm
Sam

Bastos and Cissokho are combining well down the wings but Cissokho's crossing has been pretty crap
Ian

gouvou needs to be subbed.
corpuscle

I think Rerrin is better than Puel.... at least, for Lyon...
Shadow

see, there you go, thats the toulalan that i like seeing, bulldozing his way to the ball.
Shadow

gomis and Pjanic are warming up......a good sign of things to come ?
Sam

ah, the iraq goals link is chopping up constantly. has anyone got a smooth link? not that they ever really exist though
Shadow

lmao, cris giving advice to Lisandro....shouldnt it be the other way around, but with more....as the whole team should be talking to Cris.
Shadow

nice little ligue 1 montage during the break.
lefutur

i like your optimism jao...and against a team like le mans theres no reason that OL cant win but the first half was very poor. no cohesion, long balls up to lisandro that were useless. poor tactics, wrong formation.

if puel doesnt switch to a 4-4-2 after the break i will have to conclude that he is a poor manager...the ligue 1 equivalent of raymond domenech. too defensive.
Sam

yeah, sorry to be such a pessimist with every single one of my posts today. I hope that the team gels, and given the quality of the personnel there's every chance that this could happen - but under Puel Lyon have been absolutely terrible, and he has all the assurance of a mouse
Jao

Just watched first half. Despite the new players, things look the same as last year, except we finally have the bravery to, at least, respond back when we are scored against. Here's hoping for a promising second half.
Michael

Gérard Houllier is 1000000 times better then Puel
Sam

God knows why Govou was made captain over Toulalan, shite decision