CL matchday 3: Stuttgart - Lyon 10/23/07 [R]

[Inara]

It's a must-win match tomorrow for both teams. Even a draw makes qualification nearly impossible.

Le groupe lyonnais: Vercoutre, Roux - Clerc, Réveillère, C.Anderson, Squillaci, Paillot, Grosso, Belhadj, Bodmer, Toulalan, Fabio Santos, Källström, Juninho, Govou, Ben Arfa, Keita, Benzema, Baros.

Absents: Hartock - Müller - Beynié - Mounier - Rémy.
Blessés: Coupet - Cris.
Suspendu: Fred. :rolleyes:

Squillaci vows to start Lyon fightback (http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=605456.html)
Perrin finds room for improvement (http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=606017.html)
Pardo banks on Stuttgart recovery (http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/fixturesresults/round=15105/match=301199/report=fc.html)

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

I wonder what lineup M. Perrin will concoct for this one.

Saw a brief in L'Equipe that Toulalan is doubtful for this one and Belhadj isn't happy with his not having many opportunities at OL.

[guignol]

i hope the toulalan info is intox... misinformation... he's been SOOOO good recently. anyway, without him the lineup looks pretty cut and dried:

vercoutre
rvr - squillaci - anderson - grosso
juninho - f. santos - källström
govou - benzema - ben arfa

these are the players in best form. even if fred was available (suspended) he's short of playing time. a possible joker for the last 20' would be all one could hope for, and baros has already done a good job at that a couple times this season.

The only question imo would be if toulalan CAN play, he might take kim's spot numerically, with fabio santos filling the role. he's been very explosive going forward, and has barrels of technique.

the weak spot is still the triangle at back. toto had a decent match against monaco, but anderson mixes the OK with the less than OK; and if vercoutre seems to be doing alright, he hasn't been severely tested in a good while.

the other information i'm wary about is this talk of UEFA cup, coming from both JMA and AP. that basically means playing the draw in stuttgart. it's not only that 6 points from them would put us back in the running for second place, because the UEFA cup, with bayern, maybe liverpool, looks to be a pretty honorable competition this year; it's more that playing not to lose is the one thing that OL has ALWAYS done badly.

[Inara]

I hope it's misinformation, but it's on the club's website. Would they really lie that much?

Jérémy Toulalan était bien présent mais l'ancien nantais est resté sur le banc. En se donnant une petite entorse dimanche après-midi au genou, le milieu de terrain a du déclarer forfait. L'IRM, à son retour en France, en dira plus sur son indisponibilité.

But Toulalan's injury does look very timely.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Lineups are out.

Stuttgart:

33 Gomez - 18 Cacau
8 Fanerud - 10 Bastürk
13 Pardo - 7 Meissner
3 Osorio - 6 Fernando Meira - 5 Tasçi - 19 Hilbert
1 Schäfer



Lyon:

10 Benzema
18 Ben Arfa - - - - - 14 Govou
6 Källström - 8 Juninho
26 Fábio Santos
11 Grosso - 22 Anderson - 29 Squillaci - 20 Révillère
30 Vercoutre


I think OL will eke out a 1-0 win in this one.

[Inara]

Thanks for the lineups. I had a stressful moment when L'Equipe posted their probable teams (Baros at peak and Benzema on the left).

I will be overjoyed at a 1-0 win tbh.

[Breakwood]

I really should be studying for my Psycholgy mid-term on thursday but I have nice solid stream going so that will be tough to do.

[Inara]

Ohh where?

[SportBoy333]

Keita should be starting.

[Inara]

Stuttgart dominating so far. Lyon haven't really touched the ball yet.

Lyon seem really nervous.

[Breakwood]

Ohh where?

The stream I'm using is sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/31298 (obviously you need sopcast) The quality isnt the best but it is very smooth.

[Inara]

Govou keeps giving away the ball!

Bodmer should have started in place of Kallstrom.

I have a bad feeling. Stuttgart look like they are going to score any minute. Lyon haven't even gotten near the Stuttgart goal.

[Inara]

Lyon have 34% of the possession. :rolleyes:

Kallstrom gets a yellow card for a late tackle.

[Inara]

OMG Benzema misses such an easy opportunity.

[Inara]

0-0 Ht

[Inara]

Fabio Santos GOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL

[Breakwood]

Fabio Santos!

[Breakwood]

Benzema!

[Inara]

I finally have air in my lungs.

[lefutur]

woohoo

:D:)