Only a matter of weeks ago there was a shroud of doom and gloom surrounding Racing Club de Lens, but ahead of Sunday’s showcase fixture against Ligue 1 hopefuls Olympique Lyonnais, there is a tangible sense of optimism surrounding the Pas-de-Calais side.
During the summer, coach Jean-Guy Wallemme had his hands tied because of the club’s precarious financial situation. Instead of being able to add to his first team pool, he had to trim away some excess baggage, and though the likes of Sidi Keita returned after loan spells, Lens did their best to promptly offload such players again.
The early weeks of the season proved to be tough for Lens, who were clearly lacking in confidence and desperate for incision in attack. But they were also short of luck, with home games against Paris Saint-Germain and Lille deteriorating into apparently comfortable losses due to unfortunate circumstances during the 90 minutes.
Luck no longer seems to be so vehemently against les Sang et Or, and when they drew 0-0 at home with league leaders Stade Rennais, Wallemme’s men seemed to be infused with the confidence they were lacking to beat the Breton side. Wins over Nice and Montpellier have followed, but it was arguably last weekend’s draw with Olympique de Marseille that provides them with their greatest result to date. After losing a soft goal, much-maligned striker Eduardo levelled and it was the northern side who looked the likelier to win late on at the Stade Velodrome.
In front of a notoriously partisan home support, they will expect to put on a very competitive show.
Illogical
The glory days of Lyon appear to have gone for the time being, and les Gones are certainly no longer French football’s dominant force. Claude Puel’s men lie towards the middle of the Ligue 1 table, but despite not finding their best form this season remain firmly in contention for the title due to the incredibly tight nature of the league, which sees just eight points separate first from 19th.
Les Gones certainly, haven’t hit top form yet, though as Yoann Gourcuff alluded to last weekend, neither has anyone else. “In Le Championnat, currently, there is a deficit at the technical level. Apart from Lille, there are not many teams who have mastered their subject,” the playmaker explained to Canal+ on Sunday night.
“The league is strange, very tight, very special. I hope there is more logic in the second half of the season.”
While Gourcuff is interested in Lyon’s fortunes, the way Ligue 1 is presently panning out is mouth-watering for fans, and there appears to be little prospect of OL clicking into top gear any time soon.
They were dominant against Nice as they claimed a 1-0 victory at the Stade Gerland last Sunday, but really the margin of success should not have been so fine as an array of fine opportunities, including a Michel Bastos penalty kick, were squandered as les Gones tiptoed their way to three points.
A far more rousing performance is required if they are to overcome Lens.
TEAM NEWS
Lens
There are still numerous injury problems for Jean-Guy Wallemme to deal with, though there are no fresh issues in comparison to the team he had to send out against Marseille last weekend. Yohan Demont has returned to training, but Samba Sow, Gregory Sertic and Issam Jemaa, who would have been challenging for first team spots, are out.
Franck Queudreu, Darnel Situ and David Pollet are out too.
Sebastien Roudet is a doubt.
Lyon
After missing out last weekend, both Aly Cissokho and Lisandro Lopez have been training with the first team this week and will expect to be involved at the weekend.
Ederson, Cesar Delgado and Clement Grenier are still OL’s main injury concerns, but Cris will be absent for a week and Michel Bastos is suspended.
Prediction
Sunday night’s game promises to be a difficult affair for Lyon against opponents who have a significant momentum behind them. Les Gones may have been winning of late, but their form has remained questionable. If they were to overcome les Sang et Or, it would suggest that they are once again on course for a top three finish.
RC Lens 1-1 O. Lyon 
