Valenciennes vs Lyon : Dear Santa, I’ve been nice this season, can I climb on the podium?

By: Megame | December 21st, 2011

feet-over-ocean-monica-michael-sweet

An ocean of luck, that’s what Lyon have been bathing in for the last month or so. Even last saturday, OL have won their last home game of the year, for the first time in ten years: another sign of the success of Lyonnais in December. A miracle in the Champions League, followed by other very favorable news (Nicosia, for C1, the neighbor La Duchère for La Coupe de France, a string of referee decisions that got us to win) four straight wins in the Championship … Everything smiles to OL. If he has not played to the Euromillions Lottery this week, Jean-Michel Aulas really should have.

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Still, if the results are there, the way they’re obtained is debatable. Take Saturdy’s win: Lyon can not deny some luck . They experienced difficulties in trying to take the ascendancy against the Haute-Savoie promoted but, again, the scales tipped on their side. “We were on the wire early in the second period,” said Garde who does not forget that the shot over the bar (at 1-1) could have found the net. But now, OL has Lisandro in its ranks, a decisive player by all accounts, scoring in the last four matches he played (Auxerre, Toulouse, Zagreb and then Evian). According to Garde: “He guides everyone and gets all of his teammates forward, even if he is not at his best right now.” Thanks to the Argentine, Lyon are on track to achieve their objective: be back on the podium at the break. So all is well…
But Remi Garde is keeping his calm. First, he knows that not all of this was deserved; and then, he also knows everything is fragile: there are players injured (Lovren, who suffers from tendinitis in the Achilles tendon, forfeited at the last moment), there is also the expulsion of Clement Grenier. Fortunes can change very rapidly…

Trip and trap rolled into one
And change they could rapidly, as indeed the trip to Valenciennes looks like a trap. That’s the current concern of many Lyonnais who will be ending the year with a probably delicate stay in this northern city, where they have had little success in recent years. Ask any Lyonnais, they will be somewhat worried about Valenciennes (best defense at home with Lorient) where Lyonnais often look pale, with one single win since 2006. Their chance is probably that VAFC no longer play in Nungesser stadium and its bad luck, but in the Hainaut stadium. This new stadium is brand new, no history equals no bias, so it is the right place and the right time to change the trend.The championship is long … Still, a victory in the North would definitely consolidate OL’s status as scarecrows in December.

To do so, Lyon won’t AGAIN be able to count on their full squad. Grenier and Gonalons are suspended, while Mensah, Bastos and Vercoutre are healing injuries. Remi Garde made a classical group compo for this trip; but one should nevertheless note the presence of Samuel Umtiti, a promising young 17 year old defender who usually plays with the OL CFA.

The teams

Valenciennes: Penneteau, Ducourtioux, Isimat-Mirin, Gil, Bong, Mater, Gomis, Kadir, Saez, Danic, Aboubakar.
Lyon: Lloris – Réveillère, Cris, Lovren, Cissokho – Fofana, Källström – Briand, Gourcuff, Lacazette – Lisandro

Allez les Lyonnais=

Some Related Lyon Posts:

Category: Team News and Rumors

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John

What the devil is going on with Faure and Fontaine? How is it that Umtiti- who's 18- is being slotted-in before either of those guys who are several years older, especially Faure who even has international experience?
Megame

You're right, before the game, Garde was asked by a journalist how he was treating this friendly, and he said : "like an improved training session".
This being said, it allowed him to check the status of some players (Lisandro, Gourcuff, etc...) and to test some possible combinations, as we now face a gaping hole in central defense, and he will have to patch it either way...
Tibor Šimunčić

Since we've lost probably all four CBs(still can't get over Mensah going to CAN but being unavailable when Lyon needs him,Lovren felt pain in Achilles tendon,I think) I don't like that trend of using DM like a CB,particularly when Gonalons is such a monster in midfield and in going forward (I read that he started his football training at Lyon as an attacker).
Megame

Mensah carefully healed himself in OL's infirmary so he could be ready just in time for the ACN... How grateful.
Actually Lovren is likely to get a 2 to 3 match ban for beating a Valenciennes player during last game; this is why our central backline is so totally depleted.And you're right, Gonalons is an attacker by training, and he already expressed his lack of enthusiasm should he be moved backwards.But hey, a crisis is a crisis, right?
John

I hope Mensah has a fantastic cup so we can get something for him- wishful thinking I know. And Lovren is something of a thug. He has a really bad temper and I feel this is going to be a persistent thing with him- these long bans.
I'm wondering if these rumors about Samba Diakate have any truth. Don't understand why we would be after an African player who'll be gone for couple of months and why add another player to a position where we are four deep, with promising players- Kone and Fofana- waiting in the wings.
Megame

Oh yes, these are more than just rumors, even the player claims he wants to join Lyon even if he needs to forgo the ACN for that. Apparently talks have taken place between the 2 clubs, but Nancy would like to get Pied as part of the deal, and Pied, like Garde, isn't too keen. And judging from his current performances, it would be wise indeed not to let him go.
Megame

And it seems talks have been going on, as there is now an agreement on a possible deal at 5.5 M€ without any other player involved; but OL can't pay that now, so if this is to happen that would probably be in the summer.
John

I wonder if they are expecting Gonalons to leave in the summer? I don't see them sitting Kallstrom or spending money then sitting Diakite.
Megame

Diakité is more of a DM or RB, he wouldn't really be competing with Kallström nor Gonalons
Megame

OL are in Corsica (an island south of France) to resume training and prepare for the second half of the season.
They just played a friendly against SC Bastia, a Ligue 2 club (currently 3d, and therefore candidate for L1) and won 2-0. Easy game for Les Lyonnais, with Pied serving a nice pass to Licha who scored (27th min), only for Pied to (again) serve a nice pass to Licha ... who scored (28th min). Then, the team controlled, and nothing much happened.
Tibor Šimunčić

I don't know,since Valverde was man of the match it doesn't seem like Lyon players treated this game as serious one :/
Luke99

Looks like Lyon are buying a new defender from Asia's UAE League his name is
Hamdan Al Kamali and hes only 23i hope he turns out to be another Kone
Megame

Looks like it won't happen. Garde and others have been following him; but so has Bernard Lacombe, who found Al Kamali to be a fairly technical player, but still far from the level demanded by a top club like OL.
John

Most people who follow him say his form has dropped off dramatically. Maybe since he can't progress much in that league. This is a pretty desperate situation: Kone and Mensah- not that he can be counted on- are off to the ACN and Cris is out till who knows when. Lovren-Gonalons and no back-up, maybe we need someone a little more seasoned.
sdzsdz

meanwhile psg is linked with kaka and pato...
sdzsdz

ancelotti's named psg's new coach...
Russ

PSG might be starting their own 7-year run of Ligue Un medals
Luke99

The Lyon strikers all got gready Briand Gomis and Lisandro. Lisandro might be our hero but i honestly think he cost us this game he had a open goal and hit the bar from close range even lacazette did better by forcing a save out of the keeper. And shooting from almost 30yards out when Reveillere or peid was making the run in the box i understand gomis and briand making those mistakes But Lisandro i honestly thought Peid and Lacazette had a good game and i really hope we dont screw it up this year becuase not only are we still in it but the last 2 months of the season are games we should be able to win meaning no big teams
muffin

Come on, the whole team played like crap, you can't blame Licha for the loss for hitting the crossbar. He was the closest we got to equalizing.
Lefutur

Is it time to sell Gourcuff for someone more...motivated?
John

Who will take him? There's some rumor that Zenit will offer 12mill. The motivating factor is dumping his 4mill pr/year salary; he's the highest payed player in the league. We already have Grenier, and Ederson isn't being resigned for nothing. So despite Aulas' claims to the contrary, as soon as a buyer pops-up, and if they offer half his purchase price, he'll be gone.
Megame

Unfortunately, Aulas keeps saying that Gourcuff isn't going anywhere this winter; and Lacombe just admitted no club had even enquired about him.
Russ

yea its really time for him to go. Just doesn't have the right mentality to play for big clubs. If we do decide not to sell him in the winter though, hopefully we find out that he actually has a soul and that he hits form in hopes of being selected to the Euros, and if this happens, I would most certainly sell him in the summer. Can't rely on him.
Megame

Crap. We lost. The luck was on the North side tonight. There was a fantastic opportunity to overtake Lille and Montpellier and end up second or first, depend on the PSG game later today.
Whereas now, the only thing we managed is to lose ground on Lille and let Marseille come closer, with only 4 points less...
Megame

Montpellier are losing, Lille are drawing, so the podium is within reach, if... we win
Megame

8 minutes to go, OL are exerting an intense pressure on the locals, but still 1-0...
Megame

It's about time I posted this :) Sorry guys for the delay.