OM-Lens: The 17-man squad Jean Fernandez has announced his 17-man squad for the visit of Lens on Wednesday (20:45). The Squad GOALKEEPERS: Barthez, Carrasso, Quesnel DEFENDERS:Beye, Ferreira, Déhu, Cesar, Andre Luis, Taiwo MIDFIELDERS Delfim, Oruma, Nasri, Lamouchi, Ribéry FORWARDS: Gimenez, Niang, Begeorgi Absents: Meité, Koke, Nakata, Mendoza Suspended: Cana
OM-Lens: OM takes on second Olympique de Marseille hosts the Racing Club de Lens with only one small point sperates these two sides in the standings. Jean Fernandez’s men can really pull off a coup with victory over a side undefeated for 18 games. OM-LENS Ligue 1 - Round 20 Wednesday 04/01 - 20:45 - Stade Vélodrome For Marseille’s last home game of 2005, OM hosted and defeated Auxerre who were second at the time. Since then, OM have continued on their merry way with a win over Strasbourg, while Auxerre have made way for Lens. It’s a funny coincidence then that Lens should be travelling to the Stade Velodrome for Round 20 of the 2005-06 season. In less than a month OM will have twice welcomed the second placed country in the land to the Mediterranean coast. The Marseille players have always performed well against France’s big teams. Everything says that Jean Fernandez’s side have what it takes for victory on Wednesday. Even more so when one considers that Fabien Barthez, who strained a hamstring in the friendly against Creteil, is fully fit and raring to go. Even so, Lens’ record suggest a tough game is in the offing.”The first match after a break is always a bit complicated,” admitted Jean Fernandez. ”Especially against a team who, apart from the opening day of the season, haven’t lost. That means they’ve gone 18 games without defeat! What’s more is that they don’t concede many but they know how to score!” Despite a run of eight draws between Rd5 and Rd12, Lens have also racked up some impressive scorelines in the first half of the season: A 7-0 thrashing at Auxerre and 4-3 win over PSG in Paris. Results that worry the marseille tactician:”This match is important because it’s the first match back. Lens is also a big team. They scored four goals at the parc des Princes and that’s not easy! They are second and also qualified for the round of 32 in the UEFA Cup. They have a huge potential and they are solid up front and in defence.” That said, even if the Olympians are taking it ”one match at a time”, it’s hard not to see this game as just one of a tough month of January with six games and the African players flyin out for the African Cup of nations from January 20 to February 10.”Between the league and the Coupe de France, we’ve got games every three days. The calander is busy and most of them are big teams. We play second, then Lyon and then Rennes, who are also a good team. Then there are the teams fighting for their survival, It’s a tough month.” Referee: Claude Colombo Suspended OM: Cana Suspended Lens: Dindane RC Lens Players to watch: Jussié, Frau, Cousin, Thomert Absent: Carrière Current standings: 2nd with 32 points Last match: Lens 2-0 Le Mans ----------BARTHEZ----------- BEYE - DEHU - CESAR - TAIWO -LAMOUCHI - DELFIM - ORUMA ---RIBERY - NIANG - NASRI--- Substitutes: Carrasso, Ferreira, Gimenez, André Luis Begeorgi Absent: Meité, Koke, Nakata, Mendoza, Ba, Cantareil, Deruda, Benatia
OM - Lens: Les Sang et Or squad Francis Gillot announced a 17-man squad on his club's website for Lens' match against Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday (20:45). Jussiê, suffering from an injured eye, is doubtful. KEEPERS: Chabbert, Itandje DEFENDERS: Assou-Ekotto, Coulibaly, Demont, Gillet, Hilton, Lachor MIDFIELDERS: Barul, Diarra, Jemaa, Keita, Lacourt FORWARDS: Cousin, Frau, Thomert, Jussiê SUSPENDED: Dindane
Jean Fernandez: “It was an ideal scenario...” The day after the draw with Lens, Olympique de Marseille coach Jean Fernandez was still regretting the result. Everything seemed to point towards three points and an OM still among the top places... You saw a replay of the match last night, has your analysis of it changed? It was a difficult match in a number of areas. I’m still disappointed by the result because it seemed to be going our way when we opened the scoring and then saw them reduced to ten men. We thought we had the three points in the bag. Lens are without a doubt the best team we’ve played at home this season, they are very fit and they were better at winning the ball, keeping it and getting it forward. Even if they didn’t have many chances they still managed to equalise with their only chance of the second half. Perhaps there were too many things going in OM’s favour? It was the same scenario as the one against Auxerre where we also scored early but there we were strong right until the end. Even a man down Lens looked incredibly fit amd they were better at winning and keeping possession. We could have helld on but then there was that dead ball situation. We lost the ball stupidly and then gave away a free-kick. Then we conceded a corner from that, lost a one-on-one in the box and Hilton, unmarked, scored. I regret that we didn’t create as many chances in the second half, we had the extra man and we should have created more opportunities. Apart from one or two efforts (Nasri and Ribery) we didn’t get a thing on target in the second period. We knew it would be tough... I’d seen their matches before the winter break, they beat PSG at the Parc, 0-0 with Monaco, 1-1 with Lyon, they had a good record. Before the match I told myself that three points would be great and that one point would be ok. It’s the way it happened that bugs me. In top level football, an early goal is a huge psychological advantage and then you add to the red card. Lens were also missing players, Jussié, Dindane, Thomert. It was the time to take all three points. It’s a shame. How do you rate your side’s performance? It’s one of our worst home games of the season since we found our current organisation. We weren’t good at winning the ball, keeping it or going forward. How can you explain that? It’s above all, due to the opposition. Lens knocked us around in the ball-winning department, they were stronger and bigger than us. We were lacking freshness and after the break we felt less likely to make the difference. I’m thinking of Nasri, Niang and Ribery who were all very well marked, or even Oruma who alternated between the good and the less good... Did the winter break upset OM’s rhythm? Lens haven’t lost for 19 games and are a very good team. It was an important match against a very tough team. Before the match we said that one point would be good, three as well, of course. But we can rue the fact that they only scored from a set piece. Even at 11 versus 11 they weren’t dangerous from open play. Is it a lesson in humility? I don’t know. I think we on the right road mentallyand physically, but we were certainly missing something, I can’t deny it. Everything was in aour favour for a win. We need to analyse this match and bounce back. We got a draw with second place in the league, it’s not that bad... Was the a marking error on the Lens goal? Yes, there was a lack of concentration. There was someone marking Hilton when the corner was taken but he wasn’t there for the second phase ball. It was the same for our goal too where Habib Beye was totally unmarked. That’s what happens from set pieces. We let two points slip which would have given us a great psycholigical boost ahead of the match against Lyon. And now it’s straight into the Coupe de France... Le Havre will also be a difficult match. Every team that plays Marseille is dreaming of an upset, and they are always motivated, especially to play at the Velodrome. We saw what happened with Angers last season and we’ll have to be on our toes. We need to recover from this match and refind our enthusiasm, our energy and our spark up front to be ready for Le Havre. Can we expect a bit of squad rotation? There are a few little niggling injuries and also a few departures. We’ll have a look at the squad and see how we’ll organise ourselves. We’ll have to be careful because the pitches are getting heqavier and it’s hard on the groins and the hamstrings. What do you think of the Le Havre side? After a disastrous start to the season they’re fighting back. We’ve seen a number of Le Havre matches and they have the two best strikers in Ligue 2 in Lesage and Traoré. Those two have scored the majority of their goals. Traoré has an incredible physical potential and is a good footballer while Lesage has an extraordinary left foot. I remeber a goal he scored against OM where he beat four defenders before firing a superb shot home. We have to be ready.