Top 14: LOU are you there?

"Looking up." This was the watchword this week in Lyon before the reception this Saturday (5 p.m.) at Aviron Bayonnais. We could have added: stop the spiral of defeat. In November, LOU did not win a single match, losing in the Racing 92 arena (22-20), before seeing Stade Français Paris win at Gerland (32-36), then being humiliated by the promoted Oyonnax, last week, during the derby (38-20). Black November…

Three setbacks to fall to 12th place. Not on fire, again, after only seven days, but we will quickly have to get things back on track or risk a difficult season. Fabien Gegenbacher, the new sporting director of the Lyon club, knows that he is playing big. That a series of defeats lasting a little too long could put his position in jeopardy.

The statistics seem to limit the problem: Lyon is having the worst difficulty taking the game into its own hands. Only 46% possession (the worst percentage at the start of the Top 14), 13th place in terms of field occupation and, finally, the 13th defense in the championship (29.7 points conceded on average per match) . A final symptomatic figure when the Lyonnais display the highest total of tackles made and the best success (nearly 90%) in this sector. But, by putting up with it, by not being able to loosen the grip, the Lyon dike ends up cracking.

The same ailments have been coming back for a month. A lack of physical commitment in the fight for the ball - on the ground as in the air -, determination on alternating current, a hectic scrum, a deficit of precision in an attack which therefore lacks volume. Add to this a squad which lacks depth due to numerous injuries - Berdeu and Doussain behind, two pillars, three second rows, the two number 8s as well as, the latest blow to date, the flanker Dylan Cretin, victim of a ruptured cruciate knee ligaments and was out for at least six months - and that's a lot to expect to win.

However, we will have to return to success this Saturday. “With these three consecutive defeats, we have fallen behind (Clermont, 6th and last potential qualifier, already has 7 points more). Up front, no one will wait for us. The first thing now is to win at home. This puts even more pressure on us when we host Bayonne,” recognizes Gegenbacher. With only two victories in seven days, it goes without saying that time is running out...