Olympique Lyonnais coach Pierre Sage surprised with his measured analysis after his team’s defeat against Brest (2-1) on Saturday evening. Despite the frustration of a new setback, he preferred to highlight progress in the game, while recognizing the persistent weaknesses which cost his team dearly.
“We put a bullet in our foot”
Looking back on his team’s catastrophic start to the match, Sage did not mince his words: “We got into it from the start, we gave ourselves a good shot.” Lyon, overtaken by an overexcited Brest team, conceded two quick goals which ruined the match. This faulty start, combined with recurring problems in the construction of the game, weighed heavily in the balance.
However, the Lyon coach was keen to note positive signs: “I think we played better tonight than last week, we are in a healing process.” With 67% possession, Lyon showed a desire to build, but without succeeding in being sufficiently incisive: “We had difficulty eliminating their first curtain, playing forward.”
The lack of dynamism on the sides was also pointed out by Sage: “There was a lack of dynamism in our outside positions with the two eccentrics. We need to be able to coordinate more.”
Sage deplores the impact of the transfer window
In a winter transfer window context, Pierre Sage recognized a slight influence on the group : “The transfer window plays a little in the minds, but 90% of the players will stay.” Despite this, he praised the commitment of his men, insisting that there was no “no bad attitudes tonight, nor in training.”
For Lyon, this defeat takes the podium a little further away, a frustration for Sage: “Every time the opportunity for a podium presents itself, we face a quality opponent.” While progress is visible, it is not yet enough to reverse the dynamic.
