The Real Derby

By: John | August 30th, 2008

One derby down, one to go. Sunday Lyon will be traveling to Le Stade Geoffroy-Guichard to take on A.S. St. Etienne in the second derby of the season. This is the 96th derby the two teams have participated in. After having handled Grenoble Foot 38 in the first derby, Lyon will have to contend with a St. Etienne side who,despite having lost two of their first three matches, may put up a fight since finding their offensive game in their last game against Sochaux.

ASSE have gotten off to a bad start after finishing 5th in L1 last year. They are (1-2) after three matches and currently in 15th place in the table with only 3 points. They have (1)win at home(Sochaux) and (2) away loses(Le Mans and Valenciennes). They have scored (2) goals- both at home- and conceaded (3) goals, one in each game. Matuidi(1) and Feinduno(1) have been their goal scorers.

History is most definetly not on Les Verts’ side. St. Etienne have not defeated Lyon in 14 years and 17 matches!!! St. Etienne’s last victory against Lyon, came in the form of a 3-0 victory at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in 1994. The closest Le Stephanois have come to a victory since then, was last year when Karim Benzema plunged a dagger into the heart of Les Verts’ fans by netting a “Juniesque” goal on a set-piece, free kick in the 92nd minute, to pull the game from the clutches of ASSE and end the match in a 1-1 draw.

Derby History: in (17) Matches, (9)Lyon victories, (7) at Stade Gerland and (2) at St. Etienne. (8) Draws, (6) having come at St. Etienne.
-Current Players who have scored in the Derby: Benzema (1), Govou (1), Kallstrom (1), Juninho (1), Gomis (1).
-Current players who have worn both jerseys in the derby: Frederic Piquionne(Lyon) and Sylvain Monsoreau(St. Etienne).

The Lille LOSC connection: And interesting tidbit of information is that it will be packed with former Lille players and personel. Here is a list of former players and personel on both sides, taking part in this derby: Claude Puel, St. Etienne manager Laurent Roussey(Puel’s former assistant at Lille), Patrick Collot(Puel’s current assistant), Mathieu Bodmer, Kader Keita, Jean II Makoun, Emmanuel Ohrant(Lyon doctor), Efstathios Tavalaridis, Geoffrey Dernis, Cristophe Landrin, and David Guion(St. Etienne coaching staff).

Out: Fabio Santos is back from Brazil, but should be ready to play in about 3 weeks. Mensah, Hartock and Keita are out; and obviously Clerc.
Puel was asked about the suspension of Fabio Grosso and what he planned to do about the side-back problem. Here’s his response: “As for the side back post, we have 4/5 solutions: Reveillere, Boumsong, Kallstrom, Gassama, and Thimothe. We’ll try to find the best solution. I already know what I’m going to do. Start one of the novices? I won’t rule that idea out entirely.”
What a tease!!!
Also asked about playing Benzema on the left-wing again, Puel had this to say: Benzema on the left-wing, we’ll see. It’s a possibility, nothing is written in stone. He was good in this position against Grenoble. At this position, he’s an attacker and not a midfielder.

Le Group Lyonnais: Lloris,Vercourtre- Reveillere, Gassama, Cris, Bodmer, Bodmer, Kolodzieckziak, Makoun, Juninho, Toulalan, Kallstrom, Govou, Piquionne, Benzema, Ederson, Pjanic, Fred, Delgado, Mounier.

Expected Line Up:

—————-Lloris——————–
Reveillere—Cris——Bodmer—-Kallstrom
——–Toulalan——Makoun———–
Govou———Juninho———–Ederson
—————Benzema—————–

This what I expect to see, but who knows what Puel will do with the side-back situation. I’d like to see this lineup with two changes: Boumsong in for Bodmer, and Bodmer next to Toulalan and Makoun as the a third central midfielder; annd Ederson out with Juni on the right and Govou on the left.

I hope St. Etienne don’t get up for this game. Although they’ve looked anemic the first two games, they seem to have found their rythm in the third game, having scored two goals. I hope they don’t continue their awakening and go back to sleep offensively. But being that this is a derby against their most hated rival and at home, I expect ASSE to be pumped. Lyon’s main concern will be the side-back situation due to Fabio Grosso’s suspension. Hopefully, Boumsong will be in back central defense in-place of Bodmer. I prefer Kallstrom at left back with Makoun tracking-back to help. And hopefully Puel doesn’t get any ideas about a 4-2-2 and Benzema will be the lone striker and Piquionne relegated to the bench at the start of the game. Barring any colossal defensive mistakes I’m predicting a 2-1 Lyon win.
Both Inara and I will be away from our computers on match day, so please post any working streams here for our fellow readers.

Category: Ligue 1, Previews/Reviews, Team News and Rumors

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