Between requirement and contagious confidence, why Lyon considers itself “in full swing” with Peter Bosz

At Parc OL,

The match against Strasbourg (3-1) had been over for a good half hour, Sunday at Parc OL, when Peter Bosz concluded his on-field interviews for televisions. The new Lyon coach was then amazed to see that part of the north turn was still giving voice, with a “Red and blue are our colors, Lyon is our heart” chanted in a loop. The Dutch coach then decided, even before the local players Anthony Lopes and Rayan Cherki, to thank them verbally, at the microphone, in a sequence saying a lot about his esteem for the public.

“I really saw a big difference between the first games at home [deux nuls contre Brest et Clermont] without the supporters of the north turn [opposés au protocole de pass sanitaire dans les stades] and today, assures Peter Bosz. There was a special atmosphere in the stadium, as if it was full [33.267 spectateurs en fait]. The players need this help to push them. And there, the supporters really helped us. “

Coach Peter Bosz addressed Kop Virage Nord at the end of the match #OLRCSA. pic.twitter.com/NBEF6FFVdn

– Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) September 12, 2021

Shaqiri acclaimed by all the north turn and decisive passer in stride

We want to believe it, as the festival of songs and pre-match smoke, in the two turns, set the tone. During this almost perfect evening, the planets aligned to the point of seeing the Bad Gones chanting the name of Xherdan Shaqiri, a few seconds before the Swiss rookie distils a delicious and decisive cross with his right foot for the break goal of Jason Denayer (2-0, 65 ‘). Really a fluke?

With his “offensive and attractive” football in mind, as he insists with every media solicitation, Peter Bosz is doing everything to give a prominent place to the supporters, as well as to the key players he has targeted in the workforce. Three examples are already obvious after five days, starting with Anthony Lopes, a time destined to become the lining of André Onana (Ajax) and currently performing.

“The season is finally launched”

Frustrated with Rudi Garcia, Bruno Guimaraes is one of the players transfigured by the paw Peter Bosz. “His method takes time but we have confidence in his work and I know he has confidence in me,” confides the Brazilian midfielder. With him, I like the game of possession. We work a lot with one or two touches of the ball, like in the second half against Strasbourg. »Finally, Moussa Dembélé went from a dynamic disaster last season, both in Lyon and Atlético, with 1 goal scored in all and for all, to a status of co-top scorer in L1 (4 goals) . The Lyon fans even had to pinch themselves to convince themselves that the control sequence of the chest-volley of the left foot was signed Moussa Dembélé.

At the microphone of Amazon Prime, the former center-forward of Celtic Glasgow is also enthusiastic about the arrival of Bosz: “We are in full swing, the season is finally launched. Obviously, we try, we play together, collectively, it is important for us and we must continue like that ”. In addition to this contagious confidence, between coach and players, the former technician of Ajax, Borussia and Leverkusen shows a requirement that could bear fruit. “Tonight, it must be said: the first period was not good, he launches and cash. Strasbourg were better than us and we didn’t show anything until the goal. It’s normal to lose balls in football, but not easy balls as we have lost a lot. “

“We’re going to be a lot better than what we’ve seen tonight”

Is this complicity and the sense of requirement pushed as rarely at OL already perceived this weekend by the opponents of the Lyonnais? “Lyon is a growing team and it gave us a lesson in realism tonight,” notes Alexander Djiku. His trainer Julien Stéphan completes, with an unmasked admiration for Moussa Dembélé: “We take a first goal of great class, from a player who makes a gesture of very very high level”. The former Rennes coach can imagine “a great match” next Sunday between PSG and OL, three days after a first European trip to Glasgow.

“In my head, we’re going to be much better than what we saw tonight, is projected. But I’m already very happy with the second half. In an interview for the UEFA website, Peter Bosz recalls the vision of his total football. “I want people, when they get home, to talk about the game they’ve seen for days and days,” he says. This is not always possible, of course. But that’s what I prefer. For some clubs, I turn on the television with pleasure. “

With Peter Bosz at the helm, Lyon supporters should not often be itching to turn it off when there is a match.