Lyon game on Wednesday

Bastos has a thigh injury and will miss the Lyon league game this weekend. If he can't play against us, huge blow.

Lisandro may finally be back, although only in limited duty.

Gonalons will also be in play, which is a big + for them.

Lyon are a Jekyll and Hyde team home and away... 6 wins, 2 ties, O losses at home. 2 wins, 4 losses, 3 ties on the road. I still think we win but expect a competitive match this time.

Not trusting you this time Sports.

Was expecting a close game at SB but we were never really tested.

Expect us to start slow but assert our dominance and walk it.

Play Lass. Rest kaka, Play Ozil and Di Maria. Rest Benz, and play Higz.
Let's play for a draw, or a close win.

Yeah Sports, you're cool and everything but I feel you over estimate your French compatriots sometimes...

izzy26 wrote:Not trusting you this time Sports.

Was expecting a close game at SB but we were never really tested.

Expect us to start slow but assert our dominance and walk it.

No Grenier + Gonalons and Gourcuff having to start with only 30 total mins in the preseason+season. Lyon was doomed before the game started. They had no midfield and that's the only way we get tested: Break our link in the midfield.

Not saying we can't dominate. There's a chance we will. But there's a better chance that it will be a tight game. They have some horses back and they play very differently at home.

Bastos being out would be a huge blow for them though.

You guys can say what you want... but it doesn't change the fact that Lyon has played excellent at home and sucked on the road for the season. Not saying we won't dominate again. But chances are far less likely.

A slow start hasn't been our recent pattern. I'm expecting 0-2 in the first half and then possibly a third in the 2nd half. They will keep a clean sheet so expect either a 0-2 or 0-3 win.

I do agree Sports, you are as bias towards the French as I am towards the Spanish (only I tend to be right with my assessments!!).

I have a feeling that we'll suffer from injuries in this game. I dont want neither Benz or Kaka to play. I dont think its an important game. Play Ozil.

Need i mention our record against Lyon lol. It's not like we've been killing them for the several years. We've dominated them at home the last 2 games at the Bernabeu... we only got a tie 1-1 at Lyon last year. I'm not saying anything outlandish.

futbol_bill wrote:A slow start hasn't been our recent pattern. I'm expecting 0-2 in the first half and then possibly a third in the 2nd half. They will keep a clean sheet so expect either a 0-2 or 0-3 win.

I do agree Sports, you are as bias towards the French as I am towards the Spanish (only I tend to be right with my assessments!!).

The odds that madrid are up by 2 in the first half are very low.

sportsczy wrote:Need i mention our record against Lyon lol. It's not like we've been killing them for the several years. We've dominated them at home the last 2 games at the Bernabeu... we only got a tie 1-1 at Lyon last year. I'm not saying anything outlandish.

No just that we owned them in last game.

futbol_bill wrote:A slow start hasn't been our recent pattern. I'm expecting 0-2 in the first half and then possibly a third in the 2nd half. They will keep a clean sheet so expect either a 0-2 or 0-3 win.

I do agree Sports, you are as bias towards the French as I am towards the Spanish (only I tend to be right with my assessments!!).

you said Spain were going to win the u20 WC

Czy also said France were going to win it lol

sportsczy wrote:

izzy26 wrote:Not trusting you this time Sports.

Was expecting a close game at SB but we were never really tested.

Expect us to start slow but assert our dominance and walk it.

No Grenier + Gonalons and Gourcuff having to start with only 30 total mins in the preseason+season. Lyon was doomed before the game started. They had no midfield and that's the only way we get tested: Break our link in the midfield.

Not saying we can't dominate. There's a chance we will. But there's a better chance that it will be a tight game. They have some horses back and they play very differently at home.

Bastos being out would be a huge blow for them though.

I'm not denying the fact they are a good team and they had major problems in the first game. It's just..... I was expecting more you know? A bit more grit about their play but they were all over the place.

Now, i'm expecting them to be much better at home. Haven't really got to see them play this much this season but been watching some extended highlights, Gonalons could be a big problem.

It probably will be a tight game but I wouldn't be suprised if we get an early goal and walk the game.

Lyon performance us going to depend on how we press them. If we choke then again like in the bernabeu, thre is no hope for them.

if we let them play, we are still going to win but at least they will look better

I just feel we'll end up winning that match easier than you expect. But you literally know Lyon more than me so I could probably give you the benefit of the doubt. Also, France > Spain...

I dont think Lyon will be a real obstacle this season. We have to be warry of injuries and cards though. I say we play cool and bench some of our key players.

Even play varane instead of ramos or pepe.

Ganso wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:A slow start hasn't been our recent pattern. I'm expecting 0-2 in the first half and then possibly a third in the 2nd half. They will keep a clean sheet so expect either a 0-2 or 0-3 win.

I do agree Sports, you are as bias towards the French as I am towards the Spanish (only I tend to be right with my assessments!!).

you said Spain were going to win the u20 WC

Czy also said France were going to win it lol

Well .... maybe I was off on that one, actually I started off saying that U20 team wasn't as good as the U21 nor U19 teams , but I hoped for a win. But as the tournament went on, and Canales began to play I did predict them to win. If I recall right, I also was wrong on 3 of the QF games. But I still believe that Spain was a better team than Brasil and if they had a bit of luck in that tight game, they would have won the tournament.

But .. I do accept that you caught me on that one.

Doc wrote:I just feel we'll end up winning that match easier than you expect. But you literally know Lyon more than me so I could probably give you the benefit of the doubt. Also, France > Spain...

WHAT !!!!! are you crazy!!!!!

I don't really think Lyon have a chance to win. They lost Grenier + Lisandro to injury, sold Pjanic and Gourcuff is crap. They have no playmaker.... the AM and Lisandro are critical for their system. Gonalons makes a big difference. But i am also not very impressed by Kallstrom as he's to slow imo.

Since we should beat them in the midfield, we should win. But i'm pretty sure it will be closer.

Talent gap is pretty monstrous between Lyon and us right now.

futbol_bill wrote:

Doc wrote:I just feel we'll end up winning that match easier than you expect. But you literally know Lyon more than me so I could probably give you the benefit of the doubt. Also, France > Spain...

WHAT !!!!! are you crazy!!!!!

What's wrong bill, can't handle the truth?!

Ganso wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:A slow start hasn't been our recent pattern. I'm expecting 0-2 in the first half and then possibly a third in the 2nd half. They will keep a clean sheet so expect either a 0-2 or 0-3 win.

I do agree Sports, you are as bias towards the French as I am towards the Spanish (only I tend to be right with my assessments!!).

you said Spain were going to win the u20 WC

Czy also said France were going to win it lol

France had the best squad... but i could tell something was off from the first game. They were shockingly shaky on defense from the start. After the tournament started, i said that, if they got their defense sorted out, they'd win. Of course, they didn't lol. Semis wasn't terrible.

And of course i'm going to say France is going to win ffs!!!

Btw, i'm calling France U21 to win the Euro next summer now if they keep the current squad (and looks like they will).

Lyon lost the mental edge they had against us, it's as simple as that.

We lost so many important CL games against them that slowly we developed some sort of complex when playing them. Not that we were afraid, but we were always nervous or anxious when playing them. An example of this, is Higuain missing that sitter at home, that was nervousness in my opinion.

But the last games we played against them completely reversed the situation. We crushed them, albeit at home, but that nervousness is gone.

Lyon is not a team at our level atm, they can show pride when playing at home, but that's the only thing that will help them. Even if they add Gonalons and Grenier, who is a noob on the big stage, it will help them feature better, but they still wont be on equal footing. They are not the team of champions they used to be, that Lyon is dead.

grenier is out Nick... and i agree with you. Talent gap is too big right now. No Juninho, Benzema, etc. to give us nightmares. They need a year or two to get their kids up to speed.

Btw, Benzia just got his first pro contract. Playing for Lyon B now.

Doc wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:

Doc wrote:I just feel we'll end up winning that match easier than you expect. But you literally know Lyon more than me so I could probably give you the benefit of the doubt. Also, France > Spain...

WHAT !!!!! are you crazy!!!!!

What's wrong bill, can't handle the truth?!

LOL - This forum has way too many foreigners. We should open it up and allow Spanish speaking posters.

futbol_bill wrote:

Doc wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:

Doc wrote:I just feel we'll end up winning that match easier than you expect. But you literally know Lyon more than me so I could probably give you the benefit of the doubt. Also, France > Spain...

WHAT !!!!! are you crazy!!!!!

What's wrong bill, can't handle the truth?!

LOL - This forum has way too many foreigners. We should open it up and allow Spanish speaking posters.

That is true. You also should know when you're walking into a troll. I have no care for either nation's team. But to the topic, I have no hesitation in saying we would easily handle Lyon...