Good luck against City, it will be huge challenge but one I know you can overcome

Good luck against the English version of P$G! You've beat the French version so it should be fine

Gambit: Thanks buddy! Umtiti has scored a lot in Europe for me haha

Paddy: Haha that's what I'll probably do!

Justice: Thanks Justice appreciate the support!

Glenn: Haha the French version would get beaten by half the Premier League the way they're playing :p

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Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Bisevac, Kone, Umtiti, Giaccherini, Mvuemba, Malbranque, Gonalons, Colazo, Watt, Lacazette

Subs Hughes

Goals Watt (pen 2, pen 7), Hughes (87)

Lining up 3-5-2 in this match ensured we controlled it from start to finish against a lowly Brest team. We were awarded 2 early penalties, both dispatched by Watt inside the first ten minutes. After that the game was won and Hughes tucked away a late 3rd. Solid win and solid performance.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Reveillere, Lovren, Kone, Umtiti, Zen, Giaccherini, Grenier, Hughes, Colazo, Lacazette

Subs Fofana, Gonalons

Goals Lacazette (28)

We lined up 4-1-4-1 almost parking the bus, ready to take the Man City barrage but it wasn’t really ever there. We scored first and that perhaps set up City to come out even harder and Aguero scored an equaliser on the stroke of half time. I decided to shore up the midfield and made two changes and we held City at bay until the 89th minute when Kompany scored a late winner. I was distraught. We had played so well and if anything WE deserved the win. It was done and now we had to go to the Etihad and score at least 2 goals. Tough ask but we were ready to do it.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Kone, Bisevac, Lovren, Giaccherini, Mvuemba, Fofana, Malbranque, Colazo, Benzia, Watt

Subs Lacazette, Zen, Hughes

Goals Benzia (8) , Lacazette (45, 90+1)

3-5-2 was the favoured formation against 4th placed Marseille. Such a rival match had the players busting to get on the pitch and show me what they could do. We absolutely controlled the game and only let Marseille get 3 shots away all game, while we got 15 shots away, with 8 on target. Both starting strikers got the key goals and Marseill were never a match for us.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Bisevac, Lovren, Zen, Mvuemba, Gonalons, Malbranque, Giaccherini, Colazo, Watt, Lacazette

Subs Briand, Grenier, Kone

Goals Watt (8, 71)

Away from home we had to score at least 2 goals to take it to extra time and Watt got us off to a flier. Kompany AGAIN scored in the 26th minute but that didn’t change anything as we still had to score and Watt stepped up in the 71st minute and scored again. City dominated the game but we took our chances and headed in to extra time. Neither side scored and we went to penalties. It felt like it was never ending and ultimately Man City won 11-10, with Mvuemba missing to give them the win. I couldn’t complain or fault the boys. They worked damn hard to get here and we weren’t expected to get this far. I was disappointed we couldn’t make it to the quarterfinals but with our form in the league now, we are on the verge of securing at least Champions League football, as well as having the opportunity to win the Coupe de la Ligue soon. Roll on the rest of the season!

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Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Zen, Lovren, Umtiti, Giaccherini, Grenier, Bisevac, Hughes, Malbranque, Fierro, Watt

Subs Briand, Gonalons, Lacazette

Goals Watt (60, 88)
Bastia weren’t able to handle the pace or strength of the Lyon team as they were overrun from start to finish, even though they were at home. Watt again slotting home 2 goals to give us the win and we have carried on our march towards securing Champions League football.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Zen, Kone, Umtiti, Colazo, Grenier, Bisevac, Mvuemba, Giaccherini, Fierro, Watt

Subs Lacazette, Gonalons

Goals Watt (32, 63), Lacazette (60), Giaccherini (70)

Lorient have been struggling away from home and we added to their misery. They couldn’t get a look in at all during this match and the score line just shows our dominance. Our scoring record is the best in the league so far and we are improving on the defensive side each week. This is just another step to securing a top 3 spot and we are now in pole position to seal the title as well.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Bisevac, Kone, Umtiti, Colazo, Mvuemba, Hughes, Gonalons, Giaccherini, Watt, Lacazette

Subs Benzia, Briand

A bore draw 0-0. Both sides got away the same shots on goal and had the same shots on target – 13/5 but we couldn’t finish our chances and Watt had a below par game than usual. This wasn’t too much of a big deal. Sochaux are fighting to get in to the Europa League places and the draw allowed us to extend our lead at the top of the table to 6 points over Montpellier after 30 games. We have 8 games left and if we keep playing like we have recently we could complete a fantastic domestic treble.


As the table shows, we have drawn quite a few games but haven’t lost as many as the others around us and this has allowed us to stretch away from the chasing pack. I came to this club with no money for transfers and sold two of the biggest players at the club whilst sending away a 3rd on loan and here we sit. I feel my decisions with this club have been vindicated by our performances and results. We were unlucky against Man City but I am still proud of the effort put in by the boys, many of who don’t have real European experience. We are in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue against a Ligue 2 team and I am confident we will bring home that trophy, taking it away from our rivals Olympique Marseille. The quarter final of the Coupe de France only has 3 Ligue 1 teams remaining, giving me even more hope that we will be able to get to the final and win that cup as well. The Ligue could be decided in early May but we still have Montpellier and Saint-Etienne to play, both teams who aren’t far behind me as well as P$G, who are sitting in 8th and are on the verge of missing out on European football. A potential treble is on the cards and I will do everything I can to make this a reality for the fans that have supported this club and me. The players have been amazing and I have had no problems with any of them. This is making me very confident for the future and I am hopeful we can build on this and deliver European success to everyone associated with Olympique Lyonnais, something that has never happened.

Damn, that result against Manchester City was such an 'almost!' result if you get what I mean! And who cares about how many draws you have. Top of the league!

Why is it 'Ligue 1 Orange' by the way?

2013-05-22 14:24#103778 Glenn T : Damn, that result against Manchester City was such an 'almost!' result if you get what I mean! And who cares about how many draws you have. Top of the league!

Why is it 'Ligue 1 Orange' by the way?

Tough result to take against City after watching the penalty shootout haha if I won more of those draws I would have won the title by now :p

And I have no idea. I downloaded the competition name correction pack and it's been Ligue 1 Orange ever since

Superbe results m8. Especially the win against City. I love the story so far

2013-05-22 14:46#103797 Sonalexwild : Superbe results m8. Especially the win against City. I love the story so far

Thanks Alex. It would have been an even better win if we could have won the overall tie thanks for the support

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My assistant knocked on my door, it was an early Tuesday morning and I didn’t have the best night at home. I had argued with the wife and the kids overheard and were crying. I was shoved in to the guest room and tried sleeping there but it just didn’t happen. Anyway, Bruno walked in with a stack of papers with a cover page “Youth Candidates”. I asked him whether I needed to look through all of them or if he had picked a few players in specific that he wanted me to see. Thankfully he told me there were only 3 that I really needed to look at because they were the 3 that had shown the most promise.


Adama Magassa looks like an amazing talent, probably my favourite of the 3. At only 14, he possesses the skills and attributes of a player that is more like 17. He will be a real talent if moulded in the right way and I am extremely excited to see him develop over the next few years with the set up that we have here at Lyon. We have produced some amazing players and I feel he is in line to join that list.


A centre back that is strong in the air, Richard Giroud is a player that could make the step up to first team football on loan next season. Again, a young 15-year-old player that showed great stamina, aggression and aerial ability makes him a quality youngster for the future and will be amazing with the right training.


Another defensive midfielder who can play as a central midfielder as well, Robert shows great passing ability and determination. His fitness is amazing for a 15 year old and has a turn of pace that will provide him with opportunities that other players won’t get, whether its tracking back to make a tackle or breaking forward to smash home a shot.

3 great prospects joining the club and linking up with some of the existing talent gives the u19’s a great opportunity going forward.

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It was time. We had fought our way to the final of this cup and were about to play Auxerre, who are in Ligue 2. That automatically made us favourites but the issue is Auxerre made it this far and are definitely a team not to take lightly.

We lined up 4-2-2 with the wide wingers, expected to take the game to Auxerre. The opposition in turn had gone with a conventional 4-4-2 and Yaya Sanogo is a player we really have to look out for.


I told the boys I expected them to come back with that trophy before we stepped out on to the pitch, ready to bring the trophy back to Lyon.

Kick off!!!!

17th minute: GOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Lacazette with a powerful finish in to the corner from inside the area. 1-0 and Lyon in control

35th minute: Auxerre player Boly booked for a late tackle.

37th minute: Mandjeck booked for unsportsmanlike conduct.

41st minute: Marco Ramos booked and now that is 3 Auxerre players treading lightly.

HALF TIME

57th minute: Dejan Lovren is struggling and needs to come off. On comes new signing Lucas Zen for Lyon. Can he help the team cement this win?

60th minute: GOAAAAAALLL LYON ARE 2-0 UP. Clement Grenier smashes in a 25 yard shot in to the top corner. Surely Auxerre are on the way to losing this tie.

70th minute: On comes Ulrik Yttergard Jenssen for Lyon to make his senior debut for the club.

74th minute: Ulrik booked for a late challenge on Yaya Sanogo

82nd minute: Auxerre pull one back!!!! Cedric Hengbart slots home from a rebound. Game on and Auxerre have 8 minutes to save their final.

FULL TIME

Nice work winning the cup, and you're still quite far ahead in the league

Nice match report. Maybe you can make it a double by the end of the season

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Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Bisevac, Kone, Umtiti, Colazo, Mvuemba, Hughes, Gonalons, Giaccherini, Watt, Lacazette

Subs Benzia, Briand, Grenier

Goals Kone (12), Gonalons (65)

Playing against lowly Stade Reims I wanted us to go out and dominate. We lined up 3-5-2 and there was no real contest despite the close score line. Defensive minded players scored both goals and we would have won more comfortably if the strikers had put away the chances.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Reveillere, Bisevac, Lovren, Umtiti, Colazo, Hughes, Gonalons, Giaccherini, Watt, Lacazette

Subs Fierro, Zen, Grenier

Goals Lacazette (58)

A tough game against Toulouse, especially after we had lost to them earlier in the season. I knew the win wouldn’t be easy and we conceded a scorcher hit by Yannick Djalo. Tony missed a penalty in the 30th minute and had a shocking game. I had to take him off and he wasn’t pleased but he knew he wasn’t up to scratch today.


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Coulibaly, Kone, Lovren, Briand, Grenier, Zen, Mvuemba, Fekir, Fierro, Benzia

Subs Watt, Yttergard Jenssen, Umtiti

Goals Fekir (37), Benzia (45+2), Kone (63)

A game against a lowly Ligue 2 team that we should have dominated and won more comfortably. At the end of the day though we won the match and progressed to the Semi Finals where we will play FC Metz. Having won the Trophee des Championes and the Coupe de la Ligue, the Coupe de France is another trophy on the horizon. We have almost guaranteed Champions League football as well which is fantastic.


(Match report in earlier post)


Lyon starting XI – Vercoutre, Bisevac, Kone, Umtiti, Colazo, Mvuemba, Hughes, Gonalons, Giaccherini, Fierro, Lacazette

Subs Benzia, Briand

Goals Lacazette (3, 24), Benzia (69)

A great win against 3rd placed Saint-Etienne. We knew this would be a tough game but the boys came out roaring and played amazing football. We had 60% possession, 18 shots on goal and 8 on target. The opposition were limited to 2 on target and had a player sent off. A great win against one of our rivals and we now sit comfortably at the top of the table, 8 points clear with 5 games left.

Louis: Thanks mate managed to stretch the gap in the league

Glenn: Cheers buddy! Hopefully I can win more than just the 2 :p