Marseille-Lyon: Aubameyang celebrating, Lovren and OL in distress... The tops and the flops

TOPS

He already seems far away with his index finger in front of his mouth to silence the critics of the Vélodrome after opening the score against Ajax Amsterdam (4-3). Six days later, the Gabonese player was the big man in Marseille's outing against OL on Wednesday evening (3-0). A team against whom the former Stéphanois had never scored in his career before the knockout goal (55th). ). Before that, the Gabonese delighted his people in another register, that of the pass: an “assist” full of altruism for Vitinha on the opening score (20th) and a perfect cross for Murillo (26th), to carry his total to five assists this season in Ligue 1. All to conclude a successful week at home, where he scored five goals in three matches to end with an ovation. What to (finally) launch your season?

Vitinha's reference matches can be counted on the fingers of one hand. This is one. Scorer (20th) then passer for Aubameyang (55th), with whom the association had never seemed so fluid, the Portuguese regained confidence in a hot match. Like his friend, he weighed on a defense - admittedly easily worried - by stretching the block on each call. To his credit again, 100% successful passes, therefore a decisive one for Aubameyang. Before another ovation, deserved there too.

This is not necessarily the statistic we expect from OM, even less was it the opponent to bring it down. Still, with this new clean sheet at home, the Olympians have gone a sixth game in a row without conceding a goal on Boulevard Michelet. The longest unbeaten streak in the five major championships. A solidity confirmed by a serenity embodied in particular in the placement around Captain Gigot, perfect commander of the careful five-a-side defense in the evening.

FLOPS

A first half in line with the start of the season. 11 lost balls and a litany of incoherent choices accentuated by a casualness which recurrently accompanies it. Slightly better after the break, but still far from his standards with the French junior team. He is still not the X factor that the people of Lyon are hoping for.

OL did not score this Wednesday, so their defender Jake O'Brien remains the club's co-top scorer (3 goals like Lacazette). But that's not what we expect from the Irishman. Neither is what we saw this Wednesday evening. Too often missed on calls, he sometimes manages to compensate with his speed, but that is rarely enough, not to mention his technical errors on the restart. But the collapse of the Lyon defense is just as much embodied by Dejan Lovren, completely overwhelmed on each goal, and even pushed to the ground by Vitinha on the third. Relaunched by interim coach Pierre Sage, the 34-year-old Croatian, who returned to bring his experience, is far from reassuring his people behind. And OL now find themselves the worst defense in the championship. In his place, finally.