Lyon - Rebuilding a Dynasty

[ninjaskill]

I had received a call that I was to see the chairman in the afternoon, all of the staff were worried about their positions after the sacking of the manager and I wondered if my time as Head of youth development was over. It was just not for the reason that I thought I was told that I would be made the new manager of Lyon and charged with returning the club to the champions league this season and try to add an eighth title to the seven won in a row in the 2000s. Once some adjustments had been made I had around 2 million euros to spend on transfers and 10000 euros a week. After quickly meeting with the staff I went to see the players most of whom I had seen grow through the youth teams as almost the entire squad had come through the youth system. I informed them that I wanted champions league football and Lacazette felt that I was being unambitious but the rest of the squad seemed to be pleased with my expectations.

Sitting down to talk to the staff in more depth I discovered a lack of wingers and felt that we didn't have the budget to add good enough ones so we made the decision to play without them for the first season. Set pieces were then planned before transfers were discussed. It was decided to pursue Luka Jovic and we quickly had a bid accepted for him and terms were discussed and agreed with his agent quite quickly. Yoan Gourcouff one of our best players was also offered a new contract as his was due up in a year and he agreed to a four year deal on lower wages. Some young free agents were also being given trials and some of them could receive contracts. That was really all our budget could handle for transfers.

After consideration the decision was made to play a possession oriented 4-2dm-2-1-1 narrow we felt this would keep us solid and we could rely on the skill of Lacazette and gourcouff to get us goals in the season. The tactic worked in pre season as we went undefeated although a 0-0 dram against Pogon showed we may not score a great deal we conceded very few goals and scored a few and other than another draw won the rest of the friendlies.

I felt this stood us on good stead for my first competitive game which would be against Ruch Chorzow of Poland in Europa League qualifying although an upset may not have bothered the board to much as they only expected us to be competitive in the Europa league I feel that we have the quality to at least reach the quarter finals of the tournament and would be disappointed with anything less.

I was struggling to sleep as the prospect of my first game in charge of Lyon loomed and with the expectation of a comfortable win I had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

 

[ninjaskill]

The day of the game Pape Diop and central midfielder passed his medical and we confirmed his arrival for a fee that with clauses and over time could go up to 3.5 million euros but 1 million was enough to get the deal done. He signed a four year deal for 27.5 thousand euros a week.

I went with a narrow 4-2-2-1-1 with Gk Lopes
LB Bedimo CB Umtiti CB Kone RB Jallet
CDM Gonalons(C) CDM Tolisso
CM Diop Cm Ferri
CAM Gourcuff
ST Lacazette

My nerves rose throughout the day culminating at the playing of the europa league song and sahking of hands beofre kickoff.

After ten minutes we had a chance Jallet crossed from the right side line and Gourcuff chested it down in the box and squared it to Lacazette whos goal bound wffort from six yards was blocked by their centre half.

We had a corner in the 26th minute and Umtiti flicked it on at the near post but Kone missed the ball with an open goal gaping from six yards after which a few chioce words may have slipped out as I had expected it to go in and was feeling nerves from us having failed to score.

Another corner in the 42nd minute was headed clear but Gourcuff stopped it being fully cleared and after a spell of possesion got the ball back and slipped in Lacazette at a tight angle but his shot from sixteen yards was easily saved.

When the whistle for half time came I let the team know my frustrations and pulled off Pape Diop for Steed Malbranque.

Another corner in the 56th minute Umtiti won the header flicking it again to Kone who couldnt miss from three yards he didnt simply whacking straight at the defender on the line as Ia joined the crowd in groan of disappiontment.

56th minute just when tactical changes were being pondered and nerves growing Jallet played a ball into the box Lacazette took it down and squared it to Gourcuff who made no mistake from ten yards and slotted it calmy into the corner to the delight of the home crowd.

Another corner and again won by Umtiti at the near post but this time he took matters into his own hands flicking a header into the top corner to double our lead and give him his second goal for Lyon.

In the 82nd minute the same thing happened but at the other end of the pitch as the pulled a goal back and got a vital away goal i felt the pressure mounting as they began to push for a equaliser,

On a counter Yassine Benzia a late substitute was pulled down and Malbranque stepped up from 25 yards out to curl a free kick into the top corner and give us a two goal cushion heading to poland for the away leg.

I was pleased woth all the performence but the finishing 69% possesion and 31 shots but only 12 on target. They had two shots and only one on target but they made it count. I was satisfied and after answering a couple of questions from the press went back home to relax for the first time in weeks with my first win as a manager and a good chance of reaching the next round of qualifying

 

[ninjaskill]

I was confident going into the second leg with a two goal lead and generally kept the same side with Malbranque replacing Diop and Rose replacing Kone.

The first half ended nil nil but we had dominated but with no good chances and I couldn't see us losing a goal let alone two. In the seventy third minute Yoan Gourcuff was pulled down in the box and we got a penalty that he converted for his second goal of the season. He sooner added his third after patient build up following their free kick saw us slowly advance up the pitch unit lthe ball got to Gourcuff on the edge of the box and he fired home from 18 yards out into the top corner an unsaveable shot.

The win meant that we drew Rio Ave of portugal in the final qualification round. But first up was the league and a match against Stade Rennais Tolisso got us off to a great start after a minute volleying home from 10 yards after we won two headers from a corner. With two minutes on the clock Gourcuff fired in a free kick Umtiti took it down and was fouled in the box by Andre giving us a penalty. Gourcuff scored his second penalty in two games to put us two up in three minutes. However in the 24th minute chasing down a ball Gourcuff pulled up and indicated it was his calf the physio confirmed it after the game saying he had torn the muscle and would be out for three to four months. This was a massive blow as he had been easily our best player so far. Young Nabil Fekir will be filling in for him in the meantime. From then on we retained possession not creating many chances but not allowing Rennais to build a move up. We also gave ourselves an early three point lead over PSG who have only signed Feghouli so far as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Reims.

Toulouse were are next opponents and my toughest game so far at Lyon. Jordan Ferri started a move with great tackle and after a few passes fired a twenty five yard shot into the top corner. As we once again made a bright start with a goal in the ninth minuteFekir played in Lacazette in the thirteenth minute who slotted it home but the linesman's flag prevented us from doubling our lead. After Toulouse cleared in the 36th minute Umtiti headed it to Gonalons who played a thirty yard ball into Lacazette who was tackled in the box and the loose ball fell to Fekir but he hit it straight at the keeper from six yards and caused a loud cheer from the home fans. Fekir scored but it was called offside in the fortieth minute which was the last action of note with the second half full of fouls and yellows as we held onto our lead. PSG made up for their loss by firing 8 goals past Bastia.

My main concern so far is a lack of scoring from Lacazette who I thought we could rely on for twenty goals but has been ineffectual so far. Hopefully he can grab a couple on Thursday against Rio Ave. Gourcuff has been the best player by far so his injury is very unfortunate.

 

[ninjaskill]

Is anyone reading this?

 

[ninjaskill]

First match at home to Rio Ave first half dull and awful I told the players I expected better and wanted us to have a lead heading to Portugal for the second leg. They responded quickly earning a good Free kick in the 50th minute that was half cleared we retained possesion the ball got to Grenier who played in Lacazette who shot was from ten yards out and flew into the top of the net to gives us the lead and him his first goal of the season. From a throw in Jallet played a 1-2 with Diop and passed the ball into Lacazette whos shot was blocked just before it crossed the line. In the 65th minute Griener stole the ball off a Rio Ave throw in and played in Lacazette with a beautiful long ball Lacazette brought it down but fired it just wide. In the 86th minute a hoofed Rio Ave clearence was misjudged by Umtiti playing in Jebor but from a tight angle he fired into the side netting. The referee blew his whistle to end the game and I was satisfied with a one goal lead and no away goals conceded and was confident we would make the group stage.

We stayed in Lyon for our next match against Lens. In the second minute Jallet tripped Mutu in the box giving away a clear penalty however Gomes stayed in the middle and caught the penalty to a massive cheer from the whole stadium. The next big decision the referee made was also correct as he sent off Lemoine for two yellows after tripping fekir on a counter attack. Jallet spurned a great oppurtunity firing right at the keeper from 12 yards out and wide open. However in the ninetieth minute ferri made a great tackle fired a beautiful ball out to Yattara a young striker who I subbed on he ran down the wing cut inside played a ball along the 18 yard box that the left back Bedimo ran onto and hit first time into the bottom corner to give us a late lead. Lens had a counter from a free kick of ours Valdiva ran forty yards up the pitch and was tackled by Bedimo who played it up to Yattara who lost the ball and one big swipe of the ball by their centre back sent Coulibaly clear and he rounded Gomes to score and 94th minute equalizer, The bench was silent apart from me tearing inot the fourth official as they scored well into the fourth minute of three minutes of added time. However I kenw it would change nothing and was only slightly buoyed by the news that PSG had lost again so we had a four point lead on them as joint leaders.

We flew out to Rio ave for the second leg of Europa League qualifying. Grenier beat a couple of players and fired over in the only action of note in the first half. A 51st minute corner for us was half cleared but Umtiti hit it back out to Bedimo whos crossed was volleyed home by Jordan Ferri to put us in the drivers seat of the tie. Rio ave won a throw five miutes later and a one two on the wing left their full back in space and he fired in a cross that Jebor headed in from 8 yards out that I felt Gomes should have handled better. A free kick in the 80th minute was played outside to bedimo who ran down the wing and instead of crossing cut the ball back to Diop on the edge of the box he played it up to Grenier who fired just inside the post from a tight angle which meant that Rio Ave would have to score 3 in ten minutes they didnt get close to scoring one yet alone three and we were into the group stage. The next day after practice the entire team watched the draw as we got one of the hardest groups with Besiktas Dinamo Moscow and Zurich I told the players that I expected us to qualify from it but as concerned that we may struggle to advance.

Arnold Mveumba came to me concerned by a lack of first team football and I felt I couldn't play him and he wasnt going to improve as he was 27 so I offered him out and accepted a bid from Monaco of 4.5 milion euros and made an offer Pascal Grob of Ingolstadt to replace with a fee that could rise rise to 6.5 million but only 3 million euros upfront. Quite ridiculously Mvuemba would only move if i payed 15k a week as Monaco couldn't offer a big enough deal for him I agreed as Grobs wages and the 15k a week was still less than Mveumbas wage.

The next update has big matches FC Metz then Monaco Besiktas and PSG so three key games

 

[ninjaskill]

First up was a match that I expected us to win comfortably before the international break against FC Metz A jallet free kick was played short to Tollisso to grenier who played it to Lacazette on the edge of the box and he slotted it into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 in the twenty first minute. Grenier then played a long ball over the top to Lacazette who took a touch before firing it past the keeper to make it 2-0 in the thirty first minute. It stayed that way until the end of the match and we had a comfortable victory.

Up next were Monaco who had had a great start to the season A jallet throw in went to Lacazette who played it to Ferri on the edge of the box he squared it and grob hit it first time it was well saved but Lacazette was firstto the rebound and fired it high above the goalie for a 1-0 lead after only 8 mins. In the twenty ninth minute a Grenier free kick thumped into the post and toulalon only just beat Gonalons to the rebound to clear it. But only 6 minutes later in exactly the same spot grenier made no mistake as the keeper got a slight touch but couldn't prevent the ball going in. A short monaco goal kick led to manaco passing it around the back four but Gonalons headed the clearence to Grenier who played in Lacazette and he cooly slotted it passed the keeper for three nil before half time. I told the lads to ensure the lead held or they would be walking to the match against Besiktas. The only noteworthy part of the second half was Kondigba needlessly shoving Malbranque and earning a second yelow card. It was my best match in charge of Lyon so far and Lacazette and Grenier are both playing well and linking up together.

Our first Europa League match was against Besiktas and as they one the players got flown to turkey and a bus to the stadium. On the twentieth minute the besiktas full back launched a deep cross and the volley from 10 yards was tipped onto the post by Lopes and then he dived onto the rebound on the line just before Sosa scored the rebound. 27 mins in Sosa took a corner Umtiti headed it clear but Tore played it back to Sosa who was in acres of space and he fired it in from a tight angle.Lacazette got the ball on the edge of the box just two minutes later after great work by Grob and Grenier and he rolled his man and smashed past the onrushing keeper to equalize. Ferri had a volley from a Jallet throw well saved on 54 minutes. Besiktas got a throw deep in our territory it went to Sakhan and from the by line he hit a beautiful cross that Pektemak scored to give Besiktas the lead again. Another throw deep in our territory was passed around until it found Gokhan Tore on the edge of the box and he curled it past the keeper to give besiktas a 3-1 lead in the 78th minute. Lacazette hit the post late on after a Gonalons through ball in the last peice of action. We were outplayed by Besiktas and they were worthy winners as they handed me my first defeat as Lyon manager.

We had to put the disappointment of our first defeat behind us as we faced oil rich PSG as early Ligue 1 leaders they would love to knock us off that perch but have made a poor start to the season that we hoped to extend I tried to fire the boys up before the big game but there were nerves before the games as they had player we could only imagine owning on about 4 times our best paid players wages. Early on Bedimo tackled Aurier but it fell to Feghouli who crossed it in and Lavezzi volleyed the ball back across Lopes but somehow Lopes dived back the other way to tip it onto the post before kone booted the ball into touch. Following a corner in the twenty seventh minute Pape Diop stole the ball off of Thiago silva and played it to bedimo who after a few seconds on the ball hit a through ball over the top to Lacazette that brushed Silvas hair Lacazette got onto it but his shot was deflected by David Luiz and hit Sirigu in the legs. That was the last piece of action until the 86th minute a fekir free kick was cleared and Lavezzi started a counter attack Bedimo tackled him and ran up the wing he placed a bobbling pass to pascal Grob who took a touch but failed to bring it down he swung his right boot at it from twenty five yards and it flew into the top corner to silence the Parc des Princes and put him bottom of a massive pile on. We sat back and defended until the final whistle. In only his third game for the club Pascal Grob paid off a huge Chunk of his transfer fee