The Malaise at Lyon

[Inara]

Alright, so my favorite team (the one that I loved before, yes, before, they began their domestic hegemony) is suffering from a peculiar form of malaise. Despite what L'equipe says is a crisis on a global scale, Lyon's "crisis," is one of moral proportions...which is a lot worse.

There are clubs that are in serious crisis, like Chelsea, where relations with the manager and owner have broken down completely, or clubs like Bayern, AC Milan, and Real Madrid, where their bad form means they've dropped out of champions league spots for next year, and PSG and Nantes, where they might be slapped with a humilating relegation because all guns are misfiring.

Then you have a club like Lyon, which, while kicked out of the French Cup, will be playing in the League Cup final, the knockout round of the CL, and is still pretty much going to win its sixth league title unless they lose their next couple of league matches, but I think Lyon will eventually balance back out again.

I was watching the game against Troyes today, and I noticed two things: first of all, their killer touch has been misplaced by the guy who does the players' laundry, and secondly, there's a lack of excitement on the pitch.

Our players are suffering from a serious lack of confidence. Players pass instead of taking shots, and when they do take shots, they shoot them straight into the open arms of the goalkeepers, they hesitate in front of the goal, or make messy tackles. I was watching Tiago foul nearly every member of the Troyes team today, most of it unnecessarily. Fred was panicking about being off-side the entire match, Muller was afraid to tackle in case of giving away a penalty, Toulalan couldn't decide if he should help out offensively or defensively....

Coupet at least knew what he was supposed to be doing.

In the beginning part of the season, Lyon were a joy to watch because they were so happy to be playing. You could tell that all the players loved being out there, that they were proud to be wearing a Lyon jersey, that it was the match of their life every time their feet touched the ball. They produced magic because they felt like magic. There was enthusiasm coupled with a desperation to win. We saw that against PSG, Real Madrid, Valenciennces, St. Etienne, Bordeaux last season..

But the losses this season to Bordeaux, Toulouse, OM, and Troyes were not good loses. Lyon played well in the past couple of games, but they played like an average member of Ligue 1 (not to put down the other clubs, but Lyon is supposed to be head and shoulders above the rest). On a good day, Lyon reserves should be good enough to beat a relegation side. How many other clubs can boast having squad members who are internationals?

But watching a full strength Lyon unable to grind out a win against league minnows, or not being able to keep their concentration until the end, was just painful.

Today, I saw neither enthusiasm nor desperation. It's like they didn't care. On the other hand, Troyes did care. There isn't a single Lyon player that sticks out in my mind today, but I can think of a few from Troyes who were constantly hassling and boxing in Lyon. Granted, they have a lot more reason to fight, but what happened to winning for the sake of winning?

I'm not criticizing the Lyon players exactly, but I want to shake them and tell them to wake up. I don't care if they win the league by 50 points or 5, as long as they get out of their funk to play against Roma. Roma has been doing well and recently clobbered AC Milan in the Coppa Italia. Their confidence is high, and, since they are still fighting to have a chance at the Scudetto, they aren't taking their foot off the accelerator. They know that next year, with Juventus and a rejuvenated AC Milan in Serie A, it won't just be Inter threatening them anymore. So they are playing this year like it's their only year.

For the first time, I'm forced to rethink Lyon's chances of getting through to the next round. The consequences of not getting to the quarter finals are bad. First, it's humiliating, especially since everyone (including me) have been talking up Lyon as being a contender for the title, then there's the issue of revenue, and of course, a loss will affect Lyon's seeding in UEFA rankings. And we might lose more players this summer. Part of the reason players like Malouda, Cris, and Abidal are hanging around is because they think they have a chance at the CL. The Championnat is no longer interesting for them. Blowing our chances at the knockout rounds is like an early death.

If Lyon's bad form could be attributed to injuries, or drama, or voodoo, those problems could be fixed. But this anomalous malaise that's effecting the players has no cure really. Houllier can't force his players to wake up - they either do or they don't.

Of course I'll be happy if Lyon play their best and go down fighting, but judging from the last few matches, they forgot how to do that.

I really hope they remember by next week.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

The lack of motivation excuse has run its course now. Considering that the Roma match isn't far away, and the fact that Lyon hasn't won in 1.5 months?

I'm very worried at this awful form. I am ok with a 2-3 match slumber, but this is too prolonged. It's time to get some momentum before the Roma match NOW.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

The Roma match could be just what Lyon needs to get them out of this funk. Playing on the biggest stage in europe, against stiff competition can work wonders on a players attitude.

[Allez Lyonnais]

I have a feeling that this season is going to be the end of an era..

[DaeHaMinGuk]

I have a feeling that this season is going to be the end of an era..

In terms of what? I think we still win L1, but who cares, right?

If we lose to Roma, I might agree it'd be an end to an era. I'm not really sure how they would rebuild though, other than trying to find a replacement for Juninho and maybe finally finding a world-class striker.

The team isn't too old or cash-strapped. It needs some addition more than a complete overhaul.

[Inara]

The Roma match could be just what Lyon needs to get them out of this funk. Playing on the biggest stage in europe, against stiff competition can work wonders on a players attitude.
After the losses to Bordeaux and Toulouse, and the draw at Nice, I thought, okay, playing against Marseille will wake them up. They'd play in front of a huge crowd, at an awesome stadium, against some very talented players...and there is the matter of advancing and of course prestige...

But what happened was AC Milan part II. Lyon might have been in the lead for the first 85 minutes, but it was only a matter of time before Marseille equalized (I didn't expect the win, I thought it would go into overtime). OM played with more passion and excitement than Lyon did, and frankly, I don't think Lyon ever controlled the match.

I don't know how going to Rome and playing Roma will be any different.

I really really really want a miracle here. It would be criminal if Lyon didn't advance.

[lefutur]

has anybody considered that maybe the league is starting to catch up to Lyon? They say its lonely at the top, and for good reason, everyone else is gunning to get you. Lyon were super-human until recently...they were unbeatable. and then poof, and crack appeared in their armor and the other teams saw that they could be beaten after all. I think yes, Lyon's confidence has been dented. But also to a large degree the other teams have gained in confidence....and that's good for the league. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lille put in a good showing against Man United. French football has been underrated for a long time, maybe the league is starting to realize its collective worth?

[DaeHaMinGuk]

has anybody considered that maybe the league is starting to catch up to Lyon? They say its lonely at the top, and for good reason, everyone else is gunning to get you. Lyon were super-human until recently...they were unbeatable. and then poof, and crack appeared in their armor and the other teams saw that they could be beaten after all. I think yes, Lyon's confidence has been dented. But also to a large degree the other teams have gained in confidence....and that's good for the league. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lille put in a good showing against Man United. French football has been underrated for a long time, maybe the league is starting to realize its collective worth?

Hopefully that's the case, but it doesn't really explain Lyon losing to bad teams.

If it were the top teams in France beating Lyon, then I'd be more inclined to agree.

[guignol]

I have a feeling that this season is going to be the end of an era..that's what my son thinks too, and obviously this era is going to end some day, but that day hasn't come yet.

inara made an excellent post to start off this thread, but i'm not sure i agree with his version of things... yesterday i saw some mediocre finishing, but also some great work from le crom. i saw some spells where les gones seemed in doubt, but others where they were splendid. i saw fred and pat have horrible matches, but the team as a whole held together and certainly could have won with just a little bit of the luck that has deserted them since january.

despite this catastrophic stretch they're still 11 points clear at the top, and i'd much rather see this happen now than in march or april.

but the next match against lorient will be a must win: falling under 10 points lead, and going to rome with less than 2 good matches under the belt could lead to a rocky end of the season!

[SportBoy333]

I dont think its the end of an era. I see Benzema, Ben Arfa, and Kallstrom all have huge seasons next year and becoming stars. Fred and Baros will both be back and contributing. That new defender they signed from Sedan will pick up the slack if Abidal and or Cris leave and they will sign another quality defender. I dont think there's much to worry about.

[lefutur]

I dont think its the end of an era. I see Benzema, Ben Arfa, and Kallstrom all have huge seasons next year and becoming stars. Fred and Baros will both be back and contributing. That new defender they signed from Sedan will pick up the slack if Abidal and or Cris leave and they will sign another quality defender. I dont think there's much to worry about.

here here!

[Inara]

Lyon hasn't been playing poorly, no, but not brilliantly either. I'm not saying that every match needs to be inspired, but if Lyon is the world class team that we think it is, we should see some spark of it on the pitch, right?

We're only missing Benzema, Wiltord, and Diarra at the moment, so technically, we do have a full strength squad. I don't know if its the cold weather or locker room tensions, but I no longer feel comfortable with the injury excuse (especially after watching the game against Lens in December). It's like Lyon took extra drowsy medication that has a time lapse of two months. :confused:

I'm fairly confident that Lyon will win the league this year - and probably next year as well, so it's not Lyon's domestic results that scare me. Like I said, I don't care if they win the league by an inch or a mile. But I do care about their performance in Europe, and I'm worried they aren't confident enough for it.

Winning builds momentum, which is what was responsible for Lyon's earlier run. But while Lyon will eventually recover from this losing streak, they don't have time for delayed therapy in the CL. They have two matches, the first of which is crucially important to score goals (and given the fact that we're in a goal drought...), the second of which we need to prevent goals. I'm more confident about that one since I'm sure Houllier will align his best defense, and I think we'll be able to prevent Roma from having away goals. I trust in Lyon's resident policeman and Coupet. But we need to score goals too.

I really would whoever kidnapped Juni and Fred and replaced them with pod people to return them by February 21st. Thank you.

[Inara]

Have Lyon been tamed? (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=406956&root=europe&cc=5901) - an article on ESPN Soccernet by Paul Marshall.


Gerard Houllier this weekend dusted off his shell suit, donned a curly 1970s Terry McDermott-endorsed matching permed wig and moustache set and peppered his team-talk with 'Calmez-vous, calmez-vous' as the adopted Scouser tried to turn around what he recently described as his Lyon side's 'relegation form.'

Under normal circumstances, Sunday's trip to Troyes - a side so haunted by relegation even an exorcist may not be able to save them - would normally have inspired all the trepidation felt by a cocksure playboy about to deflower an unwitting virgin.

But instead, what should have been little more than a bus ride, a few hands of cards and three points safely banked, had taken on all the enormity and threat of the Soviet nuclear arsenal, and come the final whistle proved the lowest moment so far in Lyon's worst run of form since the turn of the century.

Last Wednesday's 2-1 injury-time French Cup defeat at Marseille was the five-time champions' second defeat in three games and Houllier's miserable men made that three losses in four as they slipped to a barely credible 94th-minute defeat at Troyes leaving them with just two points from five Ligue One games.

Still, they're hardly queuing up to phone the Samaritans.

The one defeat and single draw in their first 18 matches ensures a luxurious velvet-quilted feather-down eleven-point cushion between themselves and the chasing pack, leaving them well on course to becoming the first side in Europe to win six consecutive domestic titles.

And though hopes of repeating Celtic's 'quadruple' of the 1960s were dashed by late goals at the Stade Velodrome last week, they are already due to play Bordeaux in the final of the League Cup in March and preparing to say 'Buongiorno' to Roma in the last 16 of the Champions League later this month.

So they can be forgiven for taking their eye off the ball momentarily.

But while no-one at Stade Gerland is reaching for the panic button, they perhaps should have their finger hovering over the knob marked 'slightly nervous' as their dip in form has highlighted problems in what previously appeared to be a flawless winning machine.

In an interview with France Football recently, Bernard Lacombe - a former Lyon star and now special advisor to club president Jean-Michel Aulas - admitted it would be a tough ask to replace captain Juninho, such is the 31-year-old midfielder's influence on the team.

The Brazilian - vastly and scandalously under-rated outside of snail-eating territory - has a unique, rubber-legged fashion of delivering set pieces which has struck fear into the French goalkeeping fraternity, and helped make him the club's joint-top scorer with seven this season.

But his form of late has not so much nose-dived as plummeted head first into the ground and ploughed on with even his famed set-piece sorcery deserting him, showing that when Juninho doesn't play, Lyon don't play.

Though Lyon's goal at Marseille came from a Juninho free-kick - Cris heading it in back stick - other direct efforts ballooned shamefully off target when they would normally have given promising keeper Cedric Carrasso more to think about than a Stephen Hawking novel.

The former Seleçao luxury sub's frustration at his own - and no doubt his team's - troubles boiled over after the final whistle at Troyes as he angrily gesticulated in the general direction of anyone within finger-wagging distance having produced yet another colourless display.

Juninho though is not alone in going through a barren spell.

Midfield partner Jeremy Toulalan, who usually patrols Makelele-esque in front of the back four, is enduring a particularly arid run of form, symbolised by him flicking on a long ball for Baky Koné to score and earn relegation fodder Nice an unexpected point at Gerland recently.

With defensive-midfield clone Alou Diarra picking up an untimely injury, Houllier has had no choice other than to stick with Toulalan, before seeing his hand forced by the former Nantes player's suspension against Marseille.

With new signing Fabio Santos - brought in from Brazilian side Cruzeiro to give Houllier more midfield steel - barely over his jet-lag, ex-Chelsea square-peg Tiago was put in the round hole in front of the back four against Marseille, thus undermining still further the side's defensive robustness.

That solidity had - and still has - given Lyon the best defensive record in the league, but they have seen the opposition ripple their net on no less than ten occasions in their last eight games, which can in part be explained by Toulalan's troubles and also an injury to first-choice keeper Greg Coupet.

The France number one missed the first two league games of the new year through injury, gifting stand-in Remi Vercoutre a rare chance to shine - an opportunity he took with both hands, before letting it slip through his butter-fingers as he presided over two straight defeats against Toulouse and Bordeaux.

With little assurance behind them and no shield in front of them, the back four have looked vulnerable.

There's also the issue of Eric Abidal, who nearly left in the summer after the World Cup, and whose recent displays suggest he already has his head elsewhere.

Both of Marseille's goals came from crosses down the Lyon left, the domain of the France left-back, and the fact Lyon bought Sedan's promising left-sided full-back Nadir Belhadj in the January transfer window, suggests Abidal's body may well join his mind under other skies come next summer.

Things are little better at the other end.

One would have thought flogging John Carew to Aston Villa would have solved Lyon's goalscoring problems in less time than it takes to say 'It's always been a dream of mine to pick up a massive wage in the Premiership.'

The 'big Norwegian' (copyright any British tabloid you care to name after his matchwinner against West Ham) was hailed as Pele no less after he destroyed Real Madrid in Lyon's Champions League encounter in Spain in November, but Lacombe's comment that 'you can go five minutes without seeing him on the pitch' is - sorry Villa fans - far more representative of Carew's capabilities.

But bringing in Milan Baros has only worsened the problem - no, sniggering Liverpool and Villa fans, not that way.

Baros was quickly off the mark, scoring on his first start in the draw with Nice, but his decision to lower his wages, er...standards and join Lyon may have added to Houllier's options but they have also deepened his problems.

The Czech Republic striker was linked with Fred against Marseille as Lyon deployed a classic 4-4-2 having been devastatingly effective in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 for much of the season, even when starting with right-back François Clerc up front when an injury crisis had deprived Houllier of any other alternative.

But the tactical switch seems to have come at too high a price.

France's raiding left midfielder, Florent Malouda, and fellow Bleu Sidney Govou have terrrorised defences this season as they have been given licence to roam forward safe in the knowledge a three-man triangle behind them would do the bulk of their defensive duties.

With Michael Essien and Mahamadou Diarra of Lyon's yesteryear, it may have been possible for Govou and Malouda to continue 'bombing on,' but not with the athletically less daunting Juninho and Tiago.

This forced the two wide men to do their fair share of tracking back, while the added defensive responsibility reduced Juninho's ability to orchestrate the attack as well as Tiago's intelligent late bursts into the box, making Lyon a far less ferocious proposition going forward.

Having said that, even switching back to his favoured 4-3-3 with his first-choice line-up against Troyes failed to break the mould such is the downbeat mood in the squad.

But in the long run, ironically, this sticky patch may actually serve Lyon in their quest for what has become the club's Holy Grail, the Champions League.

Club president Aulas has built the club from second division also-rans to France's most fearsome footballing force in less than two decades, and having just this month won his long-running battle to change French law to allow clubs to be listed on the stock exchange, he now fervently desires the 'cup with the big ears' to set the seal on his legacy.

For all their relative obscurity outside France - apart from Sylvain Wiltord, how many players can you name? - Lyon have reached the quarter-finals in the last three years with only the greater experience of Milan and some pub-league defending from Abidal putting paid to their largely sentimental hopes of getting to Paris for last year's final.

But Lyon have generally gone into the knockout phase with a healthy degree of angst.

Now, with the Ligue One title virtually assured by Christmas and having gone unbeaten through the group phase - giving a couple of football lessons to Real Madrid in the process - there was a sneering jubilation when they drew Roma in the last 16.

Yes, the same Roma who are second in Serie A, who at times have torn opponents apart this season, boast Italy's top scorer in a currently inspired Francesco Totti and, though not wholly convincing in the group phase, have a side packed with quality performers.

But there was very much the feeling, 'Hey lads, we can do this lot' emanating from the Lyon camp when the balls came out of the pot.

Maybe so, and on paper and probably on the pitch, Houllier's first XI is more than a match for that of Luciano Spalletti, but before hitting rocky ground, there was a confidence bordering on arrogance - arrogance that will now no longer be there when the two sides meet in the Eternal City on February 21.

[Anti-footix]

Lyon just needs Juni back on top !

[Allez Lyonnais]

I'm telling you we're not gonna be able to defend the title if we go on like this. We're slipping big time.

And forget the cup with big ears.

[lefutur]

I'm telling you we're not gonna be able to defend the title if we go on like this. We're slipping big time.

And forget the cup with big ears.

a small rough patch doesn't equal the end of the world. Lyon could just as easily bounce back as keep playing poorly.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Yea really, so Lyon has played poorly for a month. big deal. It only takes one game folks.

[rockymtn.mike]

I have to agree. Take one game at a time and we'll get through this

[el-capitano]

I'm telling you we're not gonna be able to defend the title if we go on like this. We're slipping big time.

I wouldnt get that worried about the league. 11 pts clear is a long way in front, and once they get a win, they'll be right.

And forget the cup with big ears.

Correct with this one. With all respect to Lyon, they are a competitive team, but I cant see them ever winning the European Cup.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

I wouldnt get that worried about the league. 11 pts clear is a long way in front, and once they get a win, they'll be right.



Correct with this one. With all respect to Lyon, they are a competitive team, but I cant see them ever winning the European Cup.

Wow i honestly felt disrespected when i read this. Yea Porto can win but Lyon has no chance in hell.