The Derby 26/08/07 [R]

[guignol]

http://titounette.ds-blog.com/pics/1168079976-vive%20l'%20ol.jpg

finally a derby that is for more than bragging rights. WE NEED THESE POINTS!!

[guignol]

i was looking for a humorous but aggressive antisteph image, and that's the bst i could find... there's about 10 times as much in the other direction and i have to admit the foreziens do a pretty good job in the department... well, when you've got nothing else to do than wait for the derbies all year... :D

this match is crucial for more than just being a derby; and for more than the 3 points.

müller is at practices again, but i'm not sure he'll be match fit by sunday. govou's MRI showed nothing and even though his bobo kept him from going to slovakia he should be good to go.

will perrin stay with the 4-4-2? the results up to now should give him reason to consider the question carefully, and i think he needs to give the 4-3-3 a try, after all, it's not like some wild experiment! it's what our players know best. juninho of course, but perhaps keita as well, could use more freedom. god knows neither of them has been flourishing in the present setup. also a logical triangle of juni, toulalan and källström is starting to shape up for the midfield, and they don't really fit together in a 4-4-2

[Inara]

Cleber Anderson will not be taking part, as Perrin thinks he's still not at the correct level of fitness.

Since both Ben Arfa and Govou are out, I don't see any alternative for Lyon other than this:

Vercoutre
Reveillere - Squillaci - Bodmer - Grosso
Keita - Toulalan - Kallstrom - Belhadj
Baros - Benzema

or

Vercoutre
Reveillere - Squillaci - Bodmer - Grosso
Juninho - Toulalan - Kallstrom
Keita - Baros/Benzema - Belhadj


We don't have any depth right now, except at GK, RB and DM, unless we start playing the youths (Mounier, Remy, Paillot, Beynie). But that's unlikely since this is a derby.

[Inara]

will perrin stay with the 4-4-2? the results up to now should give him reason to consider the question carefully, and i think he needs to give the 4-3-3 a try, after all, it's not like some wild experiment! it's what our players know best. juninho of course, but perhaps keita as well, could use more freedom. god knows neither of them has been flourishing in the present setup. also a logical triangle of juni, toulalan and källström is starting to shape up for the midfield, and they don't really fit together in a 4-4-2


I think Perrin used a 4-4-3 against Toulouse. I could be wrong though. But Juninho, Kallstrom, and Toulalan on the pitch together was okay. To be honest, out of three, Juninho has looked the worst, whereas the KK-Toulalan duo is growing on me.

I wish we could see Bodmer in midfield. Maybe next week.

[guignol]

i'm not sure govou is out... these are from yesterday's practice.

http://s.olweb.fr/ol/image/phototheque/m2/72/14250.jpg

http://s.olweb.fr/ol/image/phototheque/m2/72/14255.jpg

which makes the best lineup imo:

Vercoutre
Reveillère - Squillaci - Bodmer - Grosso
Juninho - Toulalan - Kallstrom
Govou - Benzema - Belhadj

Keita needs a kick in the butt.
Tough on Baros since he's playing well, but he and Benzema are still treading on each others toes and this isn't the match for ironing out wrinkles.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Ah the smell of derby hate is in the air. This game will jump start the Lyon engine.

[Inara]

I can't watch this game, but I'm following along on ESPN gamecast.

ASSE is an attacking side. I like that. They have more shots on goal but we have twice as many fouls.

Benzema goal!

[Catfish]

Any updates on this match?

[blackjack]

1-0 to Lyon. 3 minutes of stoppage time to play.

[Inara]

It's still 1-0. Govou got yellow carded, ASSE has three guys carded.

Benzema's goal:

http://soccers.free.fr/2007-2008/Lyon-Saint-Etienne/Benzema.wmv

[AfrcnHrbMan]

This is who we started off with by the way
And it is:
Vercoutre
Clerc Squillaci Bodmer Grosso
Toulalan Kallstrom
Keita Juni Govou
Benzema

I like it, and I would say that attack looked good in this formation. This was a good flowing game. ASSE certainly had their chances, but they couldn't seem to keep a sustained attack on the Lyon net. Vercoutre made some fine saves today. Especially that one at the end of the first half that he made with his face. The backline did leave him exposed at some times. However, I really think Lyon played well enough to have won by more. We were killed by marginal offsides, better timing could have resulted in some excellent scoring chances. Juni made his presence felt this game. The skipper made an excellent run that led up to Benzema's tapper. He looked his best so far this campaign. And might I add that Benzema is pure class, and plays well beyond his years out there.

[Inara]

I thought it was a 4-3-3. Anyway, I looked at the OL forums and people are saying Toulalan owned the match. Between him and Benzema, that made up for Keita and Govou.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Yea Toulalan did put in a dominant performance today. But thats to be expected from him now.

[guignol]

that was a real fine derby, the atmosphere was colorful and much healthier than most recently, no insulting banners, no flare wars... and the match was the most enjoyable in a while, the first half had more movement than both of last year's derbies combined!

sainté really looked very good on the run, and OL was lucky to get to HT unscathed, but the same can be said in reverse, les verts were saved by offsides both real and imagined several times.

first kudos to perrin. not only did he line the team up in the good old 4-3-3, he had done his homework about the opposition: that long game isn't what we're used to seeing from OL but it was inches away from putting a big hurt on ASSE.

second, vercoutre deserves some applause for a relatively solid match; he can build on this to rise in confidence and bring his game to the level we'll need and which he's shown in the past. he blocked a screamer from feindouno, a close range shot from gomis and really worked hard in the air, grabbing some tough balls. his clumsiest sortie was in a way the most satisfying, with him crawling and clawing after the ball like a man possessed. that's the fire he'd been lacking.

from here forward it's mixed but generally good stuff. bodmer and squillaci really can't find each other, and it's preying on their confidence; hopefully either müller or anderson will bring a satisfactory solution here soon. but the clean sheet was no miracle, OL was generally steady and in place. clerc held down his side well, and grosso did a decent job defending; there wasn't much action down the flank, but that was due to the longball tactics i think.

toulalan was a rock as always, källström wasn't as much help as he should have been but jeremy didn't need any. the big news in the midfield was juninho. he was very sharp on his FK's and if not for a huge performance from jeannot he would have killed the game with them. again due to the long passing he wasn't the hub to the team he usually is, but when he had the ball he took it forward very well, witness the goal he set up. with better showings by källström and keita he would have looked even better, more than once he gave them clean balls only to get them back all gooey.

this gets to the heart of a problem last night: OL's best action was all individual, mostly from juni or benzema; very uncharacteristic, but a logical fallout from having to do without 7 of last year's starters! when this squad gets back last year's cooperation they will be formidable.

govou didn't open up any holes on the left side, but he did a lot of work in different areas, even in vercoutre's box. keita was less useful as a handyman, but showed some individual talent. the above remark about teamwork applies to him more than anyone. an interesting note was that these two looked the most interesting when they found themselves on the same side, they overlappped a couple of times very sweetly.

and let's finish on a high note. as the youngest of our strikers benzema may seem the least apt to take on the pressure of being alone up front but last night showed he's more than capable. his tireless hounding of les verts launching ramps, and the balls he solicited behind the defense were a huge headache for roussey and perhaps the main reason st. étienne came out slower in the second half. and when the spaces behind the defense disappeared he drove through himself, with the kind of ability nature gives very few on this blue orange. this looks indeed to be his year.

[guignol]

It's still 1-0. Govou got yellow carded, ASSE has three guys carded.govou's card was deserved but tough luck: he made a tackle worthy of toulalan but his back leg clipped the opponent and sent him down. his reaction to the incident was pure class too. he should offer correspondance courses in how to deal with referees.

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Now that you mention it, I was a bit miffed at Govou's yellow. He got the ball fully, and only clipped the player on his follow through. Not worthy of a yellow in my opinion, or even a foul for that matter.

[Catfish]

Still no highlight videos from this Lyon Derby?

[AfrcnHrbMan]

Still no highlight videos from this Lyon Derby?

This shows juni's run, and benzema's goal

http://www.dailymotion.com/search/lyon%20st.etienne/video/x2ucp6_lyon-asse-10_fun

[AfrcnHrbMan]

I thought it was a 4-3-3.

i guess it was then. Eurosport told me different. It just goes to show ya, that we should just stick with whats been working for us, and give the 442 the heave-ho!

[Catfish]

This shows juni's run, and benzema's goal
http://www.dailymotion.com/search/lyon%20st.etienne/video/x2ucp6_lyon-asse-10_fun
Great run by Juninho, but tough luck on basically an own goal,
but in derbies sometimes any mistake can be a crucial one.