Maxwel Cornet, Tino Kadewere, Karl Toko Ekambi ... Several players have been stalling for a few weeks in Lyon, which plays in Brest on Friday (9:00 p.m.) in Ligue 1, but nothing indicates that coach Rudi Garcia wishes to upset his eleven basic.
The defeat at home against Montpellier (2-1), Saturday, was a stop for OL, admitted the technician before going to Finistère at the opening of the 26th day of L1.
But, questioned about the possibility of injecting fresh blood after the good entries into play against the Héraultais, Rayan Cherki and Islam Slimani in particular, the technician remained very evasive on Wednesday at a press conference.
The tone employed rather suggests that he could still trust, in Brittany, the starting eleven which broke away during the first part of the season.
“It's a good sign if the substitutes push because that's what I expect from them.
Now I can also show the starting XI, as I did after Metz (1-0 loss, January 17), that they had done things so well so far that the players deserve to continue.
No position is fixed, ”he replied.
Hierarchy difficult to move
Not certain, therefore, that the typical team of OL, whose hierarchy has been well established since mid-September, is upset, especially with one match per week for a private club in Europe.
The only certainty in central defense, Marcelo, one of the strong men currently, will be absent due to injury.
But there is no guarantee that the Belgian Jason Denayer, back in the squad after an injury behind a thigh, will be able to start the meeting.
"We have only lost three times this season," said Garcia to temper the ardor of the supporters of an upheaval, recalling that his team had chained sixteen matches without defeat after its first failure in Montpellier on September 15 (2- 1).
However, for several meetings, Maxwel Cornet, former striker, has been struggling with his left-back position, where Garcia has reconverted him for several months.
The interlude he made as a left winger in the Coupe de France against Ajaccio, scoring the third of Lyon's five goals, was not enough to put him back in the saddle and he struggled again on Saturday.
The "KTM" out of realism
It is especially the attacking trio Kadewere-Toko Ekambi-Memphis Depay (KTM) which has shown less efficiency since the start of the year, despite many chances.
“The players need to be more realistic, more killer.
Our game leads to having opportunities.
You have to be focused, ”says Rudi Garcia.
Kadewere, whose goal counter has been stuck at nine since his brace at Saint-Étienne (5-0) on January 24, no longer finds the spontaneity that was his strength before the break.
Disappointing against Montpellier, Karl Toko Ekambi has only scored twice since early January, against Bordeaux (2-1) and Strasbourg (3-0), with an assist in Dijon (1-0).
Among the lane players, only defender Léo Dubois, on the right, follows an upward curve, with two assists against the Greens for Marcelo's double, and an incredible goal against the Girondins which gave the victory to OL in additional time (2-1).
Garcia likes to remember that Toko Ekambi and Kadewere do not really animate the corridors and share the axis, in a system where the winter recruit, Islam Slimani (32 years old), with a different profile, especially in the aerial game, could therefore have his say.
Just like the young Rayan Cherki (17), if he confirms his match against Ajaccio and his entry into play against Montpellier.
But there is no indication that the change is for now, in a group where captain Memphis Depay remains inescapable with five goals and two assists since the break.
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