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Ligue 1 Preview: Racing Club de Lens – Olympique de Marseille

Following their European disappointment in midweek, OM will want to continue their good work on the domestic front...

Nov 27, 2009 12:00:59 PM

Ligue 1 : Benoit Cheyrou (Marseille) vs Cris (Lyon)

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Ligue 1 : Benoit Cheyrou (Marseille) vs Cris (Lyon)

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Kick-Off: Saturday, November 28, 2009. 21:00 CET
Stade Felix-Bollaert, Lens

Coming Into Focus

Few towns are football crazy enough to boast a stadium that could hold each of its citizens in it and still have room to spare, but that is exactly the state of play in Lens, where Racing Club are fervently supported. Indeed, with an average gate of close to 35,000, they remain one of the best backed teams in France.

To give an idea of the atmosphere the passionate fans generate, one needs to only look at the Championnat de Tribunes, a competition to find the country’s best supporters. A whole series of factors are taken into account on this table, and Lens lie second, which, given that it’s far easier to vocally back a winning team than a losing one, is quite a remarkable achievement.

But les Sang et Or, who lie 16th in the proper table, have began to win recently. Jean-Guy Wallemme’s job seemed in question only a few weeks ago, but a pair of 2-1 successes over Sochaux and Nancy have lifted some of the weight off his shoulders.

Last weekend’s home triumph over ASNL was dramatic. The first half was an evenly balanced affair but circumstances appeared to have contrived against the hosts early in the second period when Paul Afo’o Efoulou struck. Spearheaded by Sebastien Roudet, Lens’ rally was hugely impressive, though it took them until 81 minutes for Issam Jemaa to scramble home. Three minutes later Kevin Monnet-Paquet took advantage of some questionable goalkeeping to win the match.

Marseille will be in no mood to provide the hosts with such gifts, despite the baying masses in the stands.

Surging Forward

A blend of frustration and satisfaction appeared to be the mix of emotions for head coach Didier Deschamps after watching his side largely get the better of Milan in the San Siro on Wednesday evening. Their 1-1 draw was the least les Phoceens deserved, and had it not been for some sloppy finishing from Brandao, they would have claimed three points.

That tie, which feels a little like a defeat, has had a great negative impact on the club’s hopes of progression in the Champions League – they must now defeat Real Madrid by four goals if they are to guarantee progression. As they are still in with a shot, even if it is an outside one, the Ligue de Football Professionel have allowed their encounter with Sochaux on December 2 to be further postponed.

OM’s focus will therefore quickly shift to Saturday’s encounter against Lens and the follow-up match next weekend, which is against Nice. Having overcome jitters in the latter part of September and the early part of October, Marseille are enjoying a decent domestic run, going unbeaten in four matches.

All the problems evident in Europe against Milan, such as their awkward and rather unsettled defence, are clear in their day-to-day games, though it cannot be argued that their strikeforce is one of the most exciting in all of France. Indeed, only teams the calibre of Bordeaux and Real Madrid have prevented them scoring this season, so Deschamps must be backing his side to register at least once against Lens.

Four points off the summit, though with a game in hand, Marseille can really start to exert some pressure if they can post a pre-Christmas surge.

FORM GUIDE

Lens

WON 2-1 (h) Nancy (Ligue 1, Matchday 14, November 21)

WON 2-1 (a) Sochaux (Ligue 1, Matchday 13, November 7)

DREW 1-1 (h) Lorient (Ligue, Matchday 12, October 31)

LOST 2-0 (h) Toulouse (Ligue 1, Matchday 10, October 25)

LOST 2-0 (a) Monaco (Ligue 1, Matchday 9, October 18)

Marseille

DREW 1-1 (a) Milan (Champions League, Matchday 5, November 25)

WON 1-0 (h) Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1, Matchday 10, November 20)

DREW 5-5 (a) Olympique Lyonnais (Ligue 1, Matchday 13, November 8)

WON 6-1 (h) FC Zurich (Champions League, Matchday 4, November 4)

DREW 1-1 (h) Toulouse (Ligue 1, Matchday 12, October 31)

TEAM NEWS

Lens

Nenad Kovacevic missed last weekend’s game and also training in the early part of this week. The 28-year-old Serbia international joined up with the rest of the squad on Thursday and should be fine to participate.

There were slight doubts over both Abdoulrazak Boukari and Eduardo, but both have shaken problems that saw them sidelined earlier this week.

Geoffrey Doumeng is their sole concern.

Probable Starting XI: Runje; Demont, Sartre, Yahia, Ramos; Hermach, Kovacevic, Monnet-Paquet, Roudet, Boukari; Eduardo

Marseille

OM have received some bad news since their trip to Milan – Lucho Gonzalez is once again struggling through injury. The Argentine has barely managed a significant run in les Phoceens’ first team due to such problems and an ankle issue could keep him out of Saturday’s match.

Stephane Mbia didn’t recover from a problem picked up last weekend in time to play against the Rossoneri and again must be considered something of a doubt for les Phoceens.

Julien Rodriguez is out for the long-term.

Probable Starting XI: Mandanda; Bonnart, Diawara, Heinze, Taiwo; Cheyrou, Cisse, Abriel; Valbuena, Brandao, Niang

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lens

After a sparkling second half performance last weekend, Sebastien Roudet will be aiming to build on that form and take to bits Marseille’s rearguard. He showed his cunning as well as quick feet during the concluding 45 minutes of the victory over Nancy, and a powerful shot nearly caught out visiting goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano. More of the same is needed from the former Valenciennes man.

Marseille

The outstanding player at the San Siro in midweek was former Champions League finalist Edouard Cisse, whose powers of recuperating the ball in midfield allowed Didier Deschamps’ side to dominate for long periods of the encounter. He was a tireless worker. With an offensively minded team likely to be deployed, his role as a counterweight will be important.

PREDICTION

Given the offensive form that OM have shown in recent weeks, it’s difficult to see them failing to win up north. Though Lens have certainly improved in recent times, they are still struggling to score goals with regularity and will not have the firepower to blast past a side with the smell of the league title in their nostrils.

Racing Club de Lens 1-3 Olympique de Marseille

Robin Bairner, Goal.com

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