After a 2-1 win over Strasbourg, Lyon manager Laurent Blanc shared his thoughts on his team’s victory, explaining that “We were efficient, we took the three points, it’s a reasonable but difficult victory. There are positives and negatives. At times, we played our game, fortunately, because we could not have succeeded only with physicality. My young players can and must still improve, especially on the ball.”
The Les Bleus legend has stressed the lack of size in his team compared to their opponents, his comments potentially emphasising his desire to bring in more imposing players. He also acknowledged that there was always room for improvement and that the team must continue to work hard to put themselves in a position to finish in the top 5.
The French coach has had no problem calling out players and this time, it was defender Castello Lukeba’s turn: “Lukeba had a difficult evening. It happens. We also had very clear chances to kill off the game, and we didn’t know how to do it. We lived dangerously, and we didn’t finish it off with eleven men. (Rayan) Cherki? He did not start because he needs time to rest. He has played a lot lately, for the first time in his career. He will be fine for the last five games.”
Blanc explained that the young starlet needed time to rest and recover from recent games, in order to avoid burnout and to ensure he is in good condition for the remaining games of the season. The coach’s comments indicate a focus on continuous improvement amid a poor campaign, and a willingness to acknowledge both the positives and negatives. Historically, overplaying players has been a criticism of his, so a change of heart in his philosophy is good news for the OL faithful.
GFFN | Tony DesRois
