AS Saint-Etienne : The cheat sheet of the OL – ASSE derby (2-1): And finally, Garcia comes out of it grown | ASSE News

In this derby, OL played the roles of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He put on his worst face first. Apathetic, dominated in the commitment, incapable of doing violence to himself, he first suffered the law of a remarkably organized Stéphane team, with a very compact block and a rapid projection forward. Then Lyon woke up with both daring and winning coaching from Rudi Garcia, who made three changes shortly before the hour mark. The Gones suddenly found all their bite and expressed all their talent, finally exploiting the speed of their attackers in the corridors. This allowed them to reverse a compromised situation, even if their victory was due to the lack of realism and Stéphanois success, like the penalty missed by Denis Bouanga.

He had dreamed that he would score two goals in this derby. Tino Kadewere made this dream come true when he was not titular. He changed everything in this match where Memphis Depay also found all his splendor after the coaching operated by Rudi Garcia, and in particular the impactful entry of Thiago Mendes. Before, and even after in front of Romain Hamouma, Anthony Lopes signed decisive saves which largely make us forget his goal against his camp. His alter-ego Jessy Moulin had also held the house before committing a fatal error on Kadewere’s second goal. At ASSE, Yvan Neyou confirmed all his talent with an XXL performance in the middle.

He is the one who made Saint-Etienne dream by “forcing” the goal against his camp Anthony Lopes on the opener. He is also the one who dashed the last hopes of Saint-Etienne. Denis Bouanga had a golden opportunity to equalize on a penalty obtained after the intervention of VAR for a hand from Jean Lucas. She flew away when the Stéphanois striker, frankly nonchalant in his run-up, did not catch the frame of Anthony Lopes. And he thus precipitated the sixth defeat of the Greens. Cruel.

It was tight, this derby. And finally, the result also reflects this impression from a historical point of view. Because the victory of OL allows him to equalize in his confrontations against his favorite rival. We are now at 39 successes on each side and 31 draws. What to give a little more flavor to the next opus of a poster that never fails, anyway.

His starting team surprised more than one. Because Rudi Garcia had made strong choices in recent weeks and they had paid off. Even if it means leaving Bruno Guimaraes, Maxence Caqueret and Moussa Dembélé on the bench. Trying to revive them for a match as important as the derby could have made sense, especially considering the very precarious state of form of the Greens. But it turned into a fiasco.

Who knows what would have happened if Rudi Garcia had not changed his tune shortly before the hour mark? Three changes at once, even if there was one due to injury (Aouar), it was still a big bet at this stage of the match. It paid off. Also because the satisfactions of the last few weeks, Thiago Mendes and Tino Kadewere, have been able to remain mobilized despite a legitimate disappointment at not starting this derby. They changed the course of the game. And finally agreed with Garcia.

The coach of Gones comes out grown. But not necessarily for this winning coaching which also reflects an error in its starting composition. Especially because he sent a strong message to all of his players. In particular by involving those who were less so lately even if they were not efficient. It is a particularly delicate exercise in the case of a coach who has a very rich workforce for a club without a European Cup to play. It could have turned against him. But in the end, and even if it was played on details, Garcia comes out grown.