Following the (happy) victory of Olympique Lyonnais against MHSC (1-0) on Saturday, the two coaches Pierre Sage and Jean-Louis Gasset delivered their analysis to the press.
Lyon coach, Pierre Sage, considered that the victory of Olympique Lyonnais over Montpellier (1-0), Saturday in the match of the 16th day, was a result “very well paid“, in view of the mediocre performance of his team as a whole.
«We had difficulty developing our offensive game with ball circulation being too slow. We cannot be satisfied with this. We can consider that we were paid very well and that our opponent deserved much better than us», replied the technician at a press conference.
«No right to deliver such a performance”
«This is the problem of contagions. When everyone in a team is running around, it tends to pull everyone up and the opposite is also true. The basics of our game were completely left aside tonight. It will be necessary to analyze this poor performance and act on attitudes. If we want to be ambitious, we can’t play that way“, insisted Sage. “I am not entirely satisfied with the match of the starters or that of the substitutes even if the latter brought dynamism to a disorganized setting. I will consider that Olympique Lyonnais delivered a bad match», admitted the Lyon coach.
«The team needs to work a lot harder next week to get back to our best football by being the opposite of what we did today. We do not have the right to deliver such a performance in relation to our supporters and the people who come to the stadium», further estimated Pierre Sage. “Our security was our game in the last fifteen matches that we played and we lost it. We have to perform well over time and we cannot have this scenario fifteen times in a row“, he warned confidently that “the players were not satisfied with their match».
“The match we needed” for Gasset
The Montpellier coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, gave thanks to the state of mind of his players despite the defeat conceded by his team, with a goal conceded in added time. “We could have taken at least one point. We would have even been disappointed with a draw, so by not taking any points, you can imagine our disappointment.“, he said at a press conference. “We delivered the match we needed. What do you want me to blame the players for? We defended well and the state of mind was impeccable, which was not the case at Le Puy in the Coupe de France,” added the 71-year-old calling technician “to continue like this».
«But efficiency is the key word. I managed five away matches with Montpellier and we didn’t score a goal. We miss the last gesture», continued Gasset, referring to the case of Khalil Fayad, the unfortunate protagonist at the end of the match. In the 74th minute, he missed an incredible opportunity alone in front of the Lyon goal by sending the ball into the stands before scoring against his side in added time.
“Everyone tells us we’re done”
«It’s called experience. The next shot he’ll put her in», assured Jean-Louis Gasset confident that the player “had his head down and tears in his eyes in the locker room» et «that he thought it was done». «As long as it doesn’t hit the net, it doesn’t count“, he recalled.
«Everyone tells us we’re done. OK but the next match against Angers, the last leg and then there will be half the championship left to save us. If we are in this state of mind and with a little efficiency, against teams of our level and who are fighting to maintain, we have a small chance, we will be able to dream but now we do not have the right to the error »concluded the Montpellier coach.
