The present season has certainly become nothing short of a rollercoaster ride for fans of Lyon, with their attention focused on the wrong end of the table.
For a club with such a rich and successful history, the managerial carousel this season has perfectly depicted the fall of a side once challenging alongside similar French powerhouses for a shot at the Ligue 1 title.
Previous head coaches Laurent Blanc and Fabio Grosso were undeniably great on the pitch, having both lifted the World Cup during their playing careers- but this failed to translate to operating a high-functioning football team from the sidelines.
So up steps inexperienced Frenchman Pierre Sage, a figure synonymous with the development of youth talent, but supposedly lacking the managerial CV to effectively navigate one of the toughest tasks in European football.
Having taken charge with Lyon at rock bottom of the table and only winning 1 of their previous 12 matches, Sage has reinvigorated his team, positively affecting team psychology and steering them in the right direction.
With Lyon creeping back into the top half of Ligue 1 and a semi-final encounter in the Coupe De France, the future appears much more optimistic with a man who has been credited by his players for increased defensive stability and harmony within the dressing room.
This Olympique Lyon tactical analysis will begin to highlight how Pierre Sage tactics have worked to rectify lingering issues that threatened to topple the French goliaths before his appointment.
With a focus on an increased tempo and a modern aggressive style, the present analysis will address how his tactics and philosophy are deeply engrained within his footballing values, placing emphasis on positional play and creativity.
Pierre Sage Tactics & winter rebuild
Whilst the majority of the credit can be placed upon the shoulders of Pierre Sage for the way he has transformed this Lyon side in such a short amount of time, it would be remiss to ignore the increased investment we observed in the January window.
In an attempt to negate glaring issues and areas of weakness, Lyon invested over €50 million in the acquisition of new stars- making Les Gones the largest spenders across the entirety of Europe during the winter transfer period.
These signings included loan deals for Premier League players Saïd Benrahma and Orel Mangala, a double swoop for KAA Gent’s Malick Fofana and Gift Orban, along with the acquisition of experienced defensive midfielder Nemanja Matić.
Whilst desperate times have called for desperate measures to be taken by owner John Textor, these necessary signings have integrated well into the existing squad, allowing Pierre Sage to instil his principles and highlight his squads strengths with increased competition and depth.
Despite only being in and around the club for a matter of weeks, a number of the winter transfers have become integral to Sage’s philosophy, positively impacting Lyon’s results.
Pierre Sage style in possession
When taking charge at Lyon after the dismissal of Fabio Grosso, Pierre Sage identified the most crucial immediate change would be to start winning matches in whatever way possible.
As results have begun to swing in their favour regularly, Pierre Sage has had the opportunity to introduce different tactical adaptations that aim to develop footballing principles and values over the long term.
Tactical shifts can be simple, especially when looking to gel with a new set of players, with all eyes focused on the collective goal of staying in the division.
Sage has been credited by his players for ‘bringing Lyon fresh air’ whilst simplifying team tactics to be more efficient on both sides of the ball.
Throughout 2024, we have seen Lyon set up in the 4-3-3, a formation integral to the way that Sage wants to play and how he feels he can maximise the output of his star players.
Their desired formation usually consists of a 3-man midfield anchored by winter signing Nemanja Matić, with the likes of Maxence Caqueret and Corentin Tolisso given the freedom to roam further forward as the advanced No.8s.
It had become consensus that the creative talents of Caqueret were being wasted in a deeper role under previous management, forcing Sage’s hand to deploy him higher up the field.
The wise, assured figure of Matić has been excellent since his inception at Lyon, providing a useful balance between defensive actions and progressive distribution.
His 100% passing accuracy from 83 passes in their recent encounter against Lorient epitomises his ability to control the midfield and often instigate the first phase of build-up play.
With Matić as the midfield general, Caqueret has been able to impact the game in more advanced areas, operating between the lines and having the opportunity to make darting runs in and around the penalty area to stretch the defensive line.
This has also provided further opportunity to coordinate with the Lyon offensive trio, as Rayan Cherki can often be seen dropping deeper to collect the ball in pockets of space.
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