At Parc OL,
Since when had Lyon supporters not experienced such a moment of grace as the 61st minute of this OL-Wolfsburg? A contagious thrill thus seized the 8,000 spectators of the Parc OL when
Julian Pollersbeck, a week after his dumpling revival against Bourg-en-Bresse (5-1) slipped a poisoned gift to Castello Lukeba. From there (2 minutes on the video below), all the action is lunar, starting with the unthinkable nerve of this 18-year-old academy-trained central defender, who lands a perfect rake between two forwards German in its surface.
A look back at the victory of the #TeamOL who won 4-1 against @VfL_Wolfsburg ! 🔴🔵#OLWOL pic.twitter.com/W8zSNGcopp
– Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) July 18, 2021
His race and his revival, then the impeccable stints of Pape Cheikh Diop and Jean Lucas, two players who did not stand out during their loan in Dijon and Brest, then put Maxwel Cornet and Karl Toko Ekambi into orbit. Symbols of the second part of the season in reverse of OL, these however split here from a surgical conclusion. OKAY,
this goal 100% delight was eventually called off for an offside by Cornet. OK, this is only a summer preparation match and the extent of Lyon’s success (4-1) against the 4th in the last Bundesliga must be put into perspective.
“We really like the philosophy of the coach”
But the risk-taking behind, the intentions of the game, the determination to quickly pierce the lines and the quality of the trips that were taken in the heart of this friendly meeting cannot be anecdotal. Peter Bosz arrived in Lyon for two big weeks and he has already managed to convey his obsession for “attractive and attacking football” in the minds of his players. “We really like the philosophy of the coach, we are turned towards the offensive,” spontaneously greeted Rayan Cherki on Saturday, aware that his career could take off for good with the Dutch technician.
Last year, Moussa Dembélé was no more than the shadow of the Celtic striker and his first two seasons in Lyon? He’s three goals in two preseason games and struggled against Wolfsburg, with the captain’s armband. The interested party tells in a hint of how much his future could be in Lyon, thanks to his meeting with the new Bosz of OL.
The coach told me he was counting on me two weeks ago. I feel good, I came back with a smile, in order to work. Even if we make mistakes, he asks us to start producing the game again, that’s his philosophy. This is how we progress and learn. It’s obviously fun for me because I’m a striker. Who says playing faster forward says more scoring chances for me. There is good chemistry in the team. “
The emergence of Gusto and Lukeba “talents”
While there is still not the slightest recruit, apart from Henrique and Damien Da Silva, who arrived free and having played the game of the substitutes supposed a little earlier against Villefranche (2-0), we see some new faces emerging. Only appeared twice in added time with Rudi Garcia in Ligue 1, the right-back Malo Gusto (18) made an even greater impression than Castello Lukeba against Wolfsburg, with an assist and relentless activity.
“These are of course talents that need to improve,” says Peter Bosz. They played really well tonight, with a lot of confidence and energy. “Two dimensions on which the former coach of Ajax, Dortmund and Leverkusen had an immediate impact as they were not the main qualities of this group. The clarity of his playing principles and his requirement, even after a great success against a team qualified in the Champions League, contrast with his predecessor Rudi Garcia.
“We must not let the opponent play so high”
“It’s far from perfect, we still have a lot of work to do. We have to progress on our high pressing. We also lost the ball in places where we can’t lose it [coucou Jean Lucas, dont le dribble manqué à 25 m a conduit au but allemand]. We must not let the opponent play so high, and take the initiative, as Wolfsburg did at the end of the first period. “
A speech that leaves no room for doubt: even at the Parc des Princes, OL will refuse the wait-and-see attitude of the little one ready to undergo the game. So many attractive projections that even make us want to take Peter Bosz at his word when ‘ he ensures that Maxwel Cornet is indeed a left side, and that Karl Toko Ekambi is “an intelligent player, who understands everything quickly”. Well, almost on my word.