Lyon’s sluggish victory in Toulouse (1-2), a week ago, had anything but reassured about the state of the Rhone club. But Sunday, against Nantes (2-0), on the occasion of a fourth success in a row in all competitions, the tone changed. Because OL possibly succeeded in their benchmark match at the start of the season, at least in the championship.
“Of course it’s deservedestimated Moussa Niakhaté at the microphone of DAZN, while even his opponents Alban Lafont and Antoine Kombouaré bowed to the quality of Lyon’s performance. We fully deserve it, we mastered it from the first to the last minute.” OL got off to a good start in their match, which has been far from being a given for many months. He opened the scoring, which has rarely happened to him in 2024. And he kept his result, managing to make the break without conceding any major weak times. Almost faultless for, finally, a second success in a row in Ligue 1 this season.
“We could have done worse in the first halftempered Pierre Sage. We didn’t move in depth enough in my opinion. If we had had that in addition, we could have taken a greater advantage, or at least created even more situations.” The fact remains that his men scored twice for 1.93 “expected goals”, while showing clear progress in offensive animation, while the Fofana-Lacazette-Cherki trio was aligned for the third consecutive time. With, this time, Saïd Benrahma in addition…
Good dynamics of play, state of mind
“It’s magnificent, when Lacazette comes out, Mikautadze comes in. Cherki or Fofana comes out, Nuamah comes in…appreciated Niakhaté. We must do more every day. Competition is good, it’s what makes us surpass ourselves. She’s very healthy, it’s the coach who’s going to have headaches.” On Sunday, Wilfried Zaha and Gift Orban were, for example, in the stands. But at least the Rhone technician has found more stability, in his scheme (4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3) as in the choice of his men.
His team recorded its second clean sheet in the championship, too, thanks in particular to a still decisive Lucas Perri. Enough to finally start aiming higher, or at least up to the ambitions at the start of the season? “We started very, very low, I think we couldn’t go any deeper, continued the Lyon defender. This victory against Strasbourg (4-3 on August 30, editor’s note) did us good. When you set foot in this club, you have to be ambitious.”
“Since Strasbourg, we have been in a good dynamic of play, of state of mind, that has pushed us forward in the standings and in the European CupSage confirmed. I told the players that against Strasbourg, it was a turning point. Today, we are at another turning point which could push us upwards. Climbing a level is good, now you have to exist at that level”. After the break, a trip to Le Havre and the reception of Auxerre should allow this OL, currently 7th, to reposition itself for good in the race for Europe.
