Toulouse vs. Lyon – Week 33: Now Or Nev.. well, maybe next week.

By: Megame | May 1st, 2011

(The following was entirely written by our new blogger Nikhil Apte, I’m just lending my admin account while we sort this out with The Offside)

Nikhil 0

Another weekend at the comfortable No. 3 spot in the league table for Olympique Lyonnais! Week 33 sees the queue for the last Champions League eligibility spot thinning by quite a margin. The monumental pain in the beep challenge put up by PSG aside, that is.

The Wannabes
Rennes saw a Home goal-less draw against Bordeaux, while Lille banged up prime Ligue 2 contenders Arles Avignon in a 5-0 home game. It should be safe to say neither is vying for 3rd place any more.
PSG however, came up on top of VAFC, beating them 3-1 late last evening. That ties them with Lyon on points, with a difference of goal differences of 8. Thus the only case in which Lyon can be pushed down to 4th this week is if they were to lose to Toulouse by a margin of 9 goals.

Ha! Fat chance of THAT happening.

A win here would keep pressure on Marseille, who would be just 2 points away if they were to lose and Lyon were to win. That would serve well for the next week’s match between the two teams.

Form, Stats, and things that matter not after Kick Off
We all know what shape Lyon is in. Let us, for once, revel in the ill-being of the opponents!
The only aspect impressive about Toulouse this season has been the spectacular collapse from heights of the Ligue 1 table after their early games.

nikhil 1

It is a team clearly in the throes of losing Gignac at the start of the season, and though they are currently placed 13th in the League, mere 3 points separate them and the 18th – (relegation) – spot.

nikhil 2

Nice little climb there by OL.
The victory against Montpellier last weekend should ideally give Lyon back some belief that they don’t always have to be mesmerized and stop attacking when opponents make quick one-two passes and score (which they will). And it is high time they stopped expecting anything from the back four. And there is hope the strike by Ederson was a sign of good things to come.
A word of caution at Stadium Municipal de Toulouse though, the last time Lyon won here was in November 2005. In the four games that have ensued, the performance card has been a grim one of 2 losses and 2 draws. This game would be a good chance to break that deadlock.
It would also be a good time to improve on something else I touched upon in the last preview as well. The away record. Lyon has played 15 Away games, Winning 5, Drawing 5, and Losing 5.
All 5 losses have come when they have conceded first. To top it off, all of Toulouse’ 6 Home wins have come when they have scored first. With a team of Lyon’s theoretical class, every team member performing their own duties should be enough to get all three points in this game.

Who’s in the Line ups and who’s out bathing a walrus?
Pjanic served the first of his two game bans last week, and this game shall be his second and last ban. Toulalan twisted his knee in the last game will be absent as well, and is doubtful against Marseille! Cris has overcome a chest problem, but will not play against Toulouse. Ederson has a thigh injury, and is unlikely to feature. Diakhaté is fit and will come back to be paired with Dejan Lovren.
On the super bright side, Michel Bastos could shower the pitch with his super powers, possibly in a last ditch attempt to attract more bids from Europe.
The word is that Jimmy Briand is not to feature either. Lacazette is fit, and could be given a few minutes on the pitch.
Yannis Tafer could play for Toulouse against Lyon as well. He looks likely to be shipped back to the Rhône valley after this season. Adrian Gunino picked up a consecutive yellow card against Caen, and will be suspended for this game.

Probable Line ups :
Toulouse FC: Ahamada – Fofana, Congre, Cetto, Mbengue – Machado, Devaux, Didot, Sissoko, Capoue – Santander
Olympique Lyonnais: Lloris – Réveillère, Lovren, Diakhaté, Cissokho – Gonalons – Gourcuff, Källström – Bastos, Gomis, Lisandro

Looking at the tiny injury situation, absolutely spotless and superb coaching, and the extreme confidence that is no doubt rushing through all Lyon players’ veins, only one result comes to mind.
Toulouse FC (3 – 28) Olympique Lyonnais.
Er.. Allez Lyonnais?

Some Related Lyon Posts:

Category: Team News and Rumors

« Lyon vs Montpellier | Home | OL-OM : just possibly the most decisive game of the season »

Nikhil Apte

T minus 7 hours!

We get to look at the new kit, right? :D
Nikhil Apte

Pjanic says he's growing uncomfortable sitting on the bench!!
john

I'm uncomfortable watching him on the bench. He should be playing. And I like the maturity with which he handles himself. Far cry form HBA.
Nikhil Apte

True! And he seems to be able to take better freekicks than Gourcuff, that's for sure!
john

Is it me, or does OL stop using their away kits- in favor of the whites- like 3/4 through the season. I haven't seen the burgundy "wallpaper-from-a-Pigalle-brothel" in some time. Same thing with those orange and black nightmares from last season.
Nikhil Apte

I'm surprised they are priced the same as the other kits. :P
john

I was wondering why this hadn't happened already: http://www.goal.com/fr/news/29...
Nikhil Apte

Thank you! I didn't know Goal(dot)com/fr had more news than the English version!

And Diakhaté going anywhere else would be equally good.

And just look at Lisandro! "I will not leave Lyon without a title!" :D Whew!!
Allez Lyon

Does anyone have any information on a possible move for Alberto Gilardino? I know the last thing we need is another forward, but if Licha leaves will Bafetimbi step up to the plate and be our new no. 9
Nikhil Apte

Signs of Lyon interest haven't died, especially as he's getting older and Fiorentina are growing more useless.

Can't we just have a swap deal of him and Bafe instead? :P

And is there no Ligue1-able talent available in Mexico, Columbia, Peru, Uruguay or Argentina? That should be the place for cheaper deals, correct?
Luke99

i really dont understand Lyon Real Madrid is scared of them and they loose to teams like Toulouse somthing really needs to happen next season coz its not looking good
Nikhil Apte

Looks like Lyon peaked in 2005/06. :-S
Russ

and to think we chose Gourcuff over Hernanes...we didnt want to spend 15 mil on hernanes yet we chose to spend 26 mil on yoann...has anybody seen what hernanes has been doing this year??? hes growing into one of the worlds greatest attacking midfielders
Megame

Jean Michel Aulas was so shocked after the game, that he collapsed in the locker rooms. It didn't last too long, he recovered and was able to travel back home, but still... He must have felt like the few hopes remaining were torn apart by the team, and felt the pressure of not playing the CL next year...
Theo

The truth is that it's not only the players faulth for this bad season. I always wonder what the reason is Puel is still here. If the reason is money all I have to say he could loose more with no CL next season then with bringing a new coach.
lefutur

this reminds me of the debate over domenech when he was still coach for Les Bleus. of course the players are apathetic, the season is already a nightmare for them. had a better coach been in place they would probably have more drive and fight.
Megame

I'd tend to agree that over the course of the season, the coach has a responsibility, but for yesterday, who else to blame than the players? Complete apathy, no aggressiveness nor presence in the challenges, no communication between the players, lack of concentration and lucidity... That's not Puel's fault, that is even the opposite of his terrier mindset, and to me in this case none else than the players are really to blame.
Nikhil Apte

Need to spend more on mental conditioning. Maybe a spa visit every weekend too.
Megame

Exactly, a daily dose of neck massage and meditation with Deepak Chopra .
Theo

Yeah, you're right about this game. I just wanted to say that a new coach could change things around. Liverpool is a good example for that. Why not sack Puel 5 games till the end of the season. I fear we won't play CL football if he stays.
Nikhil Apte

I'm sure you have read about Liverpool's interest in Pjanic.
How long do you feel Lyon can keep him?
john

They will probably sell. They can't bench Gourcuff, and now you have Ederson coming back, so it's just up to Pjanic really. He's been patient enough. The only way I see him staying is if they bench Kallstrom now- and he leaves in the summer- and they play a Gourcuff-Toulalan-Pjanic midfield in the 4-3-3 from now on, and give assurances that it will be the same going into next season.
Theo

Pjanic must stay, especialy because not like some other players, he's always saying that he wants to do big things in Lyon and is not interested in leaving the club. Could you imagine what Bastos would be saying in his position?
muaz

with what lyon is right now, i dont think he will stay that long
sdzsdz

even if we were playing arles next weekend i'd be worried.
having to play marseille is actually giving me panick attacks.
Megame

LOL
BIM

Lovren is also out with 3 yellow. Maybe not against Marseille but for sure against Auxerre. He got a yellow in the cup that counts in the ligue too.
Megame

So guys, tell us, who were the worst OL players today?
And the , er, least bad ?
Megame

My choice:
- worst : 1-Cissokho, 2-Diakhaté, 3-Gourcuff, Bastos,
- least bad : 1-Lovren, 2-Lloris, 3-Delgado, Grenier
Megame

So, let's see : next week, we're facing Marseille, without:
- Cissokho and Bastos, suspended
- Toulalan and Cris currently injured, maybe other players will have been injured tonight
- ...

Looking good, I think.
john

We are currently hanging at the edge of a precipice and if/when we lose vs OM, we might be saying bye bye to CL football. This will be like relegation for us. But then again, maybe Europa League football will be a wake-up call for this team and cathardic cleansing of all these half-assed merceneries will bring about the change we're all looking for.
Luke99

thats exactly what i was thinking i think it defintly will be a wake up call just look at Porto for example if we can win it id be more than happy if they played there for a year but im sure we will probaly get knocked out by teams like Benfica or PSG or somthing like that which will make it even more embarssing
john

Yes, we would def get our ass kicked out.
Nikhil Apte

Pjanic will be back. Kallstrom should be put into LB and Pjanic in his place.

Baah, I've had enough of wanting the best for this team. Just scrape 3rd place and don't embarrass people who defend the team in football discussions.
john

The problem is that you can't leave Gonalons alone in the midfield. It's bad enough when he has kallstrom helping him, but alone it would be an absolute shambles.
Did you notice how Toulouse sliced through our midfield like a hot knife through butter? We also need to get a good DMF to fill in for JT/play alongside him.
Nikhil Apte

With injuries, need lots of back up too. Cannot strengthen only any one department, and other than goal keeping, we need help everywhere!
muffin

You can pretty much say that about all the teams since recently Gonalons became our #1 DM. He's just not good enough (yet?) for the DM role.
sideny govou

Well Milan will not buy him; they sing Tiawo; maybe Juve?? They want every player on earth ;)
john

I pray we can get someone to pay 15mill for Cissokho. I want this Tabanou kid. Do you notice the passion he plays with? He goes nutts when he misses a goal. If we could get him for 6 or 7mill that would a major coup.
john

The score should be 4-0.
Megame

Nothing to worry about, it's just a nightmare, we're all going to wake up and everything will be just fine.
Megame

That's it. A miserable 2-0.
Megame

To display such a poor game we don't need more than 9 men anyway.
sideny govou

Bastos must be sold; he is shame for this club! Pape, Bastos, Gourcuff big big shame, and we pay for last two almost 50mil, big big shame; we must buy 2 good CB's, one winger; because we have Briand, Delgado, Pied and Lacazette, one striker, or just bring back Tafer; and OL are great!! And of course get rid off Pape and Bastos
Megame

Cissokho second booking, off he goes too.
Megame

Lacazette coming on, at last...
Aleksander

It's unbearable to watch my Lyon get ruined like this... I can't take it anymore... if Puel doesn't go this summer I have no idea what to do
Megame

Where the hell is our defense?
john

Our defense is there: it's called Lloris. I'm afraid our defense left Gerland several years ago.
Nikhil Apte

Where the hell is our desire?
john

Also, the lack of discipline! I saw so much yellow and red I thought I was at Stade Felix- Bollaert watching a Lens match.
Nikhil Apte

Lol!!

47 Yellow cards and 5 red cards in Ligue 1, Lyon are at 10th position in Fair Play.
Megame

That's another own goal from Cissokho. And again Hugo too deep forward.
Megame

2-0. Great.
Megame

This may well be the nail in the coffin of the title race...
sdzsdz

title race?! right now even third place is looking like a miracle...
Megame

2 bookings in a few seconds for bastos, off he goes.
Megame

Terrible. Almost 2-0.
muffin

I don't think I can take this anymore...I was extremely patient with this team this season, but now this is just too much...Without exaggerating, the richest and most expensive Ligue 1 team is playing no better than Arles-Avignon. I just CANNOT think of the cause of SUCH an AWFUL performance but it's giving me serious headaches, it hurts to watch this.
sdzsdz

we're making Toulouse look like barcelona
Megame

Pfff.. half-time, Lyon playing poorly, Toulouse scored at the 28th minute from a Cetto header after a free kick. Not looking good for now.
sdzsdz

god this is painful. lyon has a made more than 5 consecutive successful passes yet..
sdzsdz

hasnt
Nikhil Apte

Noooo don't concede already!
Aleksander

Oh well...
Nikhil Apte

Nigeria vs Cameroon U-20 match went on too long and I am being denied Toulouse - Lyon!!
pierrot

OL concede early, from a set-piece. what a surprise!!!!!!!
muaz

woah, graphs