I agree that the general level is certainly higher this year and will keep improving. But I am not sure at all that - in spite of Lyon's defeat at home against PSG - we can see a general strenghtening. Let's see the numbers for the last two seasons (22 games), not only 2013, and the current season (18 games so far). I took the liberty to consider by advance that Lyon and Juvisy will win this sunday against Rodez and ASSE in their postponed and replayed games. After each name, there is the number of points, followed by the points difference with the following team in the ranking. 2011-2012 1. Lyon 82 +4 2. Juvisy 78 +2 3. MHSC 76 +10 4. PSG 66 +16 5. ASSE 50 +2 6. EAG 48 + 1 7. Vendenheim 47 +1 8. Rodez 46 +1 9. Yzeure 45 +1 10. Hénin-Beaumont 44 2012-2013 1. Lyon 88 +10 2. PSG 78 +7 3. Juvisy 71 +4 4. MHSC 67 +14 5. Yzeure 53 +1 6. ASSE 52 +3 7. EAG 49 +3 8. Rodez 46 +7 9. Arras 39 +4 10 Vendenheim 35 2013-2014 (after 18 games) 1. Lyon 69 +5 2. PSG 64 +1 3. Juvisy 63 +6 4. MHSC 57 +15 5. Soyaux 42 +1 6. EAG 41 +5 7. Hénin-Beaumont 36 +2 - Arras 36 +2 - Rodez 36 +2 10 ASSE 34 What do we see ? Lyon ended the former two seasons with 4, then 7 points ahead the second. This year, the advance is 5 pts. If it changed from now to the 22nd step, it will be more likely 7 or 8 pts than less, since Lyon has still to play against MHSC, while PSG will play in Juvisy. So, between Lyon and the runner-up = no change. Between Lyon and the third team... 6 pts in 2012, 17 in 2013 (which was an exceptionnal year for Lyon), 6 so far in 2014... Same than in 2012. Can be 8 or 9 this year if Juvisy loses against PSG. Between the runner-up and the 3rd... 2 pts in 2012, 7 in 2013, 1 so far in 2014. But this will turn either to 4 (PSG beating Juvisy) or to 2 (Juvisy beating PSG)... More or less the same as in 2012. Between Lyon and the 4th... 16 pts in 2012, 21 pts in 2013, 12 pts so far in 2014. This will turn to 15 pts if Lyon beats MHSC.... So = the same as in 2012. So, we see that between the Big 4, there is no change comparatively to what was happening two years ago. Once more, 2013 was an exceptionnal year for Lyon, and can't be taken as a reference. If we have a look on the number of points, we'll see that Lyon was champion with 82 pts, then 88 (out of 88), and likely 85 in 2014. Better than in 2012. The runner-up had 78 pts in 2012, 78 in 2013, between 80 and 78 in 2014.... No change. The gap between the BIG 4 and the next team : 16 pts in 2012, 14 pts in 2013, 15 pts so far in 2014.... No change. The gap between the 5th and the 10th (first team to be relegated) : 6 pts in 2012, 18 pts in 2013, 8 pts so far in 2014.... Once more, back to 2012. So, I don't think that we can reasonably say that the current season is a real change. It is just back to what it was in 2012.
I certainly think that the gap is a lot closer between Lyon and the other 3 teams. Fair enough results don't show it although the PSG win at Gerland was a clear sign. Juvisy have gone towards semi-professionalism, Montpellier have changed coach and their new football style is far from being assimilated and properly executed by the players. I kinda had contact with coaching staffs from 3 of the top 4 and with the recruitement drive they are making the summer window will be very interesting.
Wow, the OL-Rodez game was... I don't know.... almost a draw but OL scored the winning goal at the very end of the game. Don't know what to think of those OL games lately
Lyon won thanks to two PK, the second at 94' and it seems it was an unjustified call (Rodez's player protecting her face with her hand). The step before, Lyon beat Yzeure 1-0 thanks to another PK.... 3 goals scored against two much weaker teams, 3 PK.... But 5 points ahead PSG and 6 ahead la Juv' who won in Saint-Etienne with the same score than the first game (to be replayed) : 0-3. Tatane scored her 20th goal of the season, provoked a PK (scored by Machard) and young Tounkara for the third.
A win is still a win but I don't like it when a team win thanks to PK (like Barça) even if it's my team. But c'est la vie and bravo to OL and Juvisy ; and Rodez played well enough to disrupt les Lyonnaises !
Yes. And seeing that Lotta Schelin always said that she will finish her career to her former club... Göteborg... it seems likely that the Swedish star will join her there next season... maybe before ?
I know the season is nearly over and the title more or less won but OL were already short of defenders.
The crazy thing about this story is the fact that few people knew it , I guess only OL players and staff , and by the way some OL supporters are furious because about that and I understand them. Viguier is 33 years old and to tell the truth (even though I like her as a person) she is in the last phase of her career both physically and technically , she definitely not "Lyon quality" anymore, so her departure for a last adventure is understandable from this point of view plus the fact that the Swedish league start very soon explain why she decided to leave now instead of waiting the end of D1.However, that don't explain why Lyon let her go as they have four not so easy games coming (Soyaux and Guingamp away, Henin-Beaumont and Montpellier at home) plus la Coupe de France ,they definitely needed another centre back .....An investigation as to be done. Please can we talk about football instead of feeding non sense (and private) rumours.... I know for some of us is too hard but I am pretty sure you can do it.....I hope you understand.
If you analyse the transfer (without context), it does not make sense for Viguier to leave Lyon right now and go to play in Sweden. You'd think she would have gone earlier when the transfer window was opened in France.
Don't patronize me please. I hate it. I hope you understand. Anyway, this season is pretty hard for OL ; hope something will be done because, really, we still need those girls and this kind of team for the french women's football. PSG, Juvisy and MHSC are good but not good enough for the CL.
though she may not seem like a mainstay on the field saby is very popular with her teammates in general, including L8.
already there were only two defenders in the group for rodez: franco and viguier. and neither of them are with OL anymore . of course wendie was only suspended, and saki will be only miss the MHSC cup match... which is however the most important one on the calendar right now. a name that comes to mind is noémie carage; one wonders why she didn't make the trip to rodez under the circumstances.
I am not trying to patronize you but I am asking you a favour that is why I started my sentence with Please.....Anyway, I don't know and I don't want to know why you have to talk about Schelin when the subject is Viguier....We ,those we regularly post here (Guignol, Shlj, Lieri and I), really like to keep things the more possible related to what happened on the pitch trying to respect players's private life for reason that an intelligent person could understand easily....I hope you understand. Right, I hope Sabrina will explain her decision cause it's definitely strange.... Franco? You mean Corine is gone? Where is Agard when you need her.....
I don't think it was disrespectful and maybe you want to deny it, but I'm sure both are "linked" (and I don't have a problem with it) and as we all know here, Lotta said she wants to end her career at Göteborg so it was just a simple thought. That's cool if you want this thread to be strictly about football and I understand, that's why it's the last time I'll talk about it but trying to ignore it is, imo, foolish. I hope you understand. Again. "Sur ce", Viguier will be missed, for sure but she doesn't play that much in OL and Kopps needs her because Segerström is pregnant and Kollmats injured. And according to Göteborg's site, LS helped for the transfer. http://www.goteborgfc.se/2014/03/31/mittbacken-sabina-viguier-klar-för-kgfc-21142413 So thank you very much Sabrina for what you've done for OL, lycka till ! (I think that's how they say "Good luck" in swedish but not sure lol)
no, just that she's not called franco anymore. since she wears petit on her jersey you'd thuk the guy who writes the articles for olweb would try to keep up. i always liked her. i rather foolishly tried to encourage her after practices despite her lack of pitch time but it was clear from her reaction that les jeux etaient faits. i can't find where she is, but i seem to remember seeing her in a match report this season. i read somewhere that she was at AS Muret but i'm not sure that's so.
I don't know but I think the speculations about Schelin are pretty unnecessary. She extended her contract with Lyon just a few months ago until the summer of 2016. I don't doubt that she will join Göteborg after her contract expires, but not before. And most definitely before the 2015 WWC. With some context, I think it makes perfect sense. Göteborg did not know that they would need a defender this badly until just recently, and considering their salaries to their other players... they probably made Viguier an offer she couldn't refuse. In addition, she will no doubt be a key player and get to play more or less every match, which is definitely not the case at OL. I suppose it's a little bit surprising for Lyon to let her go whilst Kumagai is still injured (although I don't agree with guignol that she is definitely ruled out of the MHSC match, there is a small chance she will be back by then), but I'm sure they will have a good solution. And I would not be surprised if Göteborg have paid them to release her from her contract.
i think the chance she'll be back practicing before the 13th is OK, but not that she'll be match-fit or anything like it. i'll try to make a practice later this week (even though most of the starters are at clairefontaine) to see if i can get some info. the OL communiqué said saby was allowed to leave "for services rendered" which means free gratis for nothing.
Patrice Lair leaves OL at the end of season. It will be interesting see if OL carries on investing money on the women team or just get the budget down as the new Stadium building will take most of the financial ressources.
We don't know yet if he leaves or he is fired... My opinion is that he has been fired... Wait and see for more infos... But the communiqué didn't say that he was leaving upon his own demand (unlike Viguier, for instance). And there were some very serious rumors recently saying that J-M Aulas was working on finding a way to get rid of him... We'll probably see some players going away at the end of the season too...
4 years is a good cycle especially considering his mangement style. He is very demanding so it is a lot of work phsyically and mentally for the players. I am sure it is a mutual agreement thing. He has won many trophies including the 1st Champions League for a French women team. Top quality manager.
the ladies' budget isn't spit in that ocean. to make even a scratch in the overall OL Group financial picture jean-mimi would have to scrap the program altogether. it is entirely possible that an effort will be made to latch onto the same dynamic the men's team has been on the last couple of seasons - one could even say it's been the true OL DNA for 20 years: depending on the academy to fill out the squad. that could be considered as taking the women's game to a different level even if the results don't match the recent past... one step back to bring the whole shooting match forward. until now OL did what PSG men are doing now. and you have to admit it's a pretty easy strategy. la martingale. it's still too early to depend on homegrown product completely or even primarily. the grand thing would be to keep a few of the best players to emulate and fill in the gaps. lotta, lara, eugenie, camille, elise, amandine and wendie are the players who really MUST stay if at all possible. louisa could be let go IF "tout le monde trouve leur compte"... that is to say for a real transfer fee, and preferably not to PSG but to a team at which her presence could help broaden the number of clubs at the top. plaza hasn't convinced, she'll likely do (or have done) an agard. franco is expendable, kumagai is more difficult to let go because very hard to replace. bouhaddi could be more easily, peyraud-magnin is a diamond in the rough and needs space to grow. i really feel she has the makings of becoming the very best keeper in france in only a few years. her athleticism, vivacity and reactions are of a kind none of the other names we bandy about possess. players like traore, majri, perisset who seem expendable now obviously go nowhere. that's the whole point. two or three youngsters like s-s levacher, diallo... even a couple of better known names (hey, who knows, why not dafeur?) could be mixed in while still following the same pattern. all that said i don't think there will be such a dramatic change of course. the departures will be few. i think if lair stayed there would have been more in fact. not that he was in any way a problem, but when you need to change the air in a club, changing coaches is the biggest and fastest way to get rid of the stale air. but what departures there are will be compensated from the academy, or with signings under 20 years old.
I think that Bouhaddi (who has not signed a prolongation I believe, Lieri will tell if I am mistaken) will go... Franco was on the edge of leaving at the end of last season... Kumagai will stay... Renard stayed because of Lair. So, now... She could feel like going abroad... Plaza told me me in the inteview I made with her (I asked her the question) that she will and want stay... I think that Dickenman will go abroad... Buss will stay, as well as Henry and Abily... Nécib could go abroad (waiting for OM be in D1 )... Schelin should go... Tonazzi should stay for a last year, probably... ELS should stay, unless there is a great opportunity abroad. Same for Thomis. The young players should all stay of course... I know there are contracts binding the players, but well.... We all know what contracts are in Football, don't we ? Didn't Lair have a contract for next season ? About Dafeur she will play for Guingamp.