Lyon: What Passes for a Preview

By: Martha | September 12th, 2008

Don’t make me call your mother, punk.

Gardiens: Letizi, Ospina
Défenseurs: Cid, Diakité, Gace, Hognon, Kanté, Rool
Milieux: Coulibaly, Echouafni, Faé, Hellebuyck
Attaquants: Bamogo, Ben Saada, Modeste, Mouloungui, Rémy

Absents: Apam, Moreau, Traoré (blessés), Jeunechamp (suspendu), Asamoah, Barul, Moussilou, Ozokwo (choix de l’entraîneur)

Read ‘em and weep, kids: No Apam. Yikes. I realize the team were without him for the first three matches this season and coped fairly well, but this is Lyon, Yahia is gone, and last time we saw Hognon on the pitch he was clearly not healthy. I repeat: YIKES.

Traoré, too, is out, but at least he and Ben Saada time their injuries considerately, and so far have managed not to be broken at the same time. Dare we be optimistic and see tomorrow as Ben Saada’s big breakout game for Nice? No, you’re right — optimism is never a good idea.

Anyway, best guess at as starting XI:

Letizi
Diakité-Hognon-Kanté-Rool
Echouafni
Fae-Hellebuyck
Bamogo-Ben Saada
Remy

I suppose we could see Coulibaly for Ben Saada, but I hope not. Ben Saada’s been cursed so far and hasn’t managed to make it through a full match without breaking, but his vision is fantastic, and he’s never going to turn into Nice’s mythical new #10 without being given the chance to work his magic in big matches.

Lyon have been flat for the past couple rounds, and are without Grosso and Clerc. Hey, every little bit helps, right? On the other hand, of course, one Hugo Lloris hasn’t give up a goal yet this season, which is an astonishing statistic no matter who they’re playing. (Check over at the Lyon blog for a detailed preview later today, I’m sure Inara and John will hook us up with all the scary info we need.)

Nice got two points from Lyon last season in two scoreless draws, playing without Ederson in the home leg because he Belonged to Them already and wasn’t allowed to kick their asses one last time. That fact, combined with Lyon’s recent form, the importance of this match for Nice — facing their friends and former teammates for the first time, and the mind-boggling possibility of moving into first with a win — and Rémy’s desperate desire to show Lyon what he’s worth makes it hard to be entirely pessimistic going into the match.

Emerse Fae thinks it’ll be 2-1 to Nice. Me? I’ll pray for a miracle win but will weep with joy at a draw.