No more Lens…French football in total chaos!
By: Jay |
7 Comments
Well its official! Lens is no more…..the state of French football is in chaos as a pathetic Toulouse side were able to survive, thus sinking Ligue 1 along with their miserable victory. Goodbye Lens, goodbye Ligue 1 and good luck to the five Toulouse supporters who usually show up to their home games when they are not watching a rugby match. The 40,000 plus fans who pack the Stade Felix Bollaert will be no more for France’s top flight. Black saturday indeed for all of French football…..cheers!
Jay
Category: Team News
Coupe de la Ligue Final Lens vs. PSG Live on Setanta Sports
By: Jay | 1 Comment
Setanta Sports of North America will be broadcasting the Coupe de la Ligue final between Lens and PSG at 3:55 eastern standard time, or New York time.
Judging from their last encounter this final figures to be a cracker with the Lensois hungry for revenge against the capital club. A victory would also serve as a valuable catalyst for saving the club from relegation.
SQUADS:
Lens:
Le Crom, Runje - Belhadj, Coulibaly, Demont, Laurenti, Ramos, Hilton - Carrière, Si.Keita, Kovacevic, Mangane, Monterrubio, Sablé - Boukari, Dindane, Maoulida, Monnet-Paquet, Rémy
PSG:
ALONZO Jérôme
ARMAND Sylvain
ARNAUD Loris
BOURILLON Grégory
CAMARA Zoumana
CEARA Marcos
CHANTOME Clément
CLEMENT Jeremy
DIANE Amara
EDEL
EVERTON Santos
LANDREAU Micaël
LUYINDULA Peguy
MABIALA Larrys
MENDY Bernard
NGOG David
NGOYI Granddi
PAULETA Pedro
ROTHEN Jérôme
SAKHO Mamadou
SANKHARE Younousse
WILLAMIS Souza
Category: Team NewsEric Mouloungui future Lensois?
By: Jay | 1 Comment
According to several French publications Lens president Gervais Martel continues to follow the progress of Gabon international Eric Mouloungui, currently of RC Strasbourg. Lens coach Jean-Pierre Papin knows Mouloungui well having coached him last season when the former led the Alsatian club.
Mouloungui is well known in France for his brilliant technique which many consider unrivaled in Ligue 1. He has scored 3 three goals in 30 matches so far this season whilst netting 11 in the last campaign.
Category: Team NewsLoïc Rémy in blue
By: Jay | 1 Comment
On loan from Lyon, young rising star Loic Remy has gotten the call from national coach Raymond Domenech of France.
Following an injury to Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena, coach Domonech has decided to go with the red hot Lens forward.
Les Bleus face England in a friendly at the Stade de France on Wednesday evening, whilst an ‘A’ team will line up against Mali the night before.
Remy joined the Lensois in January on a loan deal that could become permanent for a fee of around £6 million.
The speedy striker has scored three goals in his six appearances to date for Lens, and recently netted in the 3-3 draw at home to Marseille.
Remy has previously been capped by the France Under-21 side, but this is the first time he has been selected by national coach Raymond Domenech.
Category: Team NewsOlivier Thomert shines as Lens goes down again
By: Jay | 1 Comment
As Lens prepared for the final descent a former Lensois ran his former mates ragged on sunday. Former Lens great Olivier Thomert, much maligned by obnoxious fans at the Stade Felix Bollaert who felt he never lived up to his immense talent, dazzeled the audience in Brittany with his magnificent runs, tight passes and technical brilliance.
THE MATCH
Rennes seemed to cope better with the typically awful conditions of Brittany in the first half.
And they took the lead when former Lensois Jerome Leroy collected a pass from Stephane Mbia and scooped a beautiful lob over a stiff Vedran Runje from 15 yards.
Toifilou Maoulida, who had an early shot tipped aside by Rennes goalkeeper Patrice Luzi, equalised from close range just after the half-hour mark.
Loic Remy’s header from a left-wing free-kick hit the post and Maoulida reacted quickest in the ensuing scramble to power home an easy finish into the top corner of the net.
The hosts had the perfect chance to go back in front in the 42nd minute when they were awarded a penalty after Leroy was chopped down by Adama Coulibaly. A very questionable call indeed.
But Runje guessed the right way and superbly tipped aside Jimmy Briand’s well-struck spot-kick.
From the resulting corner, however, Nadir Belhadj sliced Leroy’s cross from the left side of his foot due to the rainy conditions no doubt and Mikael Pagis stole in at the back post to head in.
But it would once again be the brilliant Thomert who made the game safe eight minutes into the second half, side-footing home into an empty net after more solid work from Leroy.
Leroy struck two more efforts in the final half-hour as Rennes looked to pile it on.
In the end all that was left was a beaten and bruised Lens side who indeed prepares for the final descent.
With PSG’s loss at Lyon the state of French football is in total chaos.
Category: Team NewsSidi Keita injury
By: Jay | Add Comments
Well it seems as if most of the news coming out of La Gaillette these days is nothing short of depressing and today’s post practice news runs along the same lines.
Sidi Yaya Keita who has been knicked up since suffering a minor concussion a few weeks ago now seems to be feeling the after effects of Sunday’s thrilling draw against Marseille.
The young Mali international is suffering from an ankle injury and missed today’s practice session but the club’s official website has not released any further details. It would be quite a blow to Lens’ relegation hopes if Keita were to be shut down for any extended period of time.
Category: Team NewsInstant classic at the Bollaert
By: Jay | Add Comments
Sunday’s clash between Lens and Marseille turned out to be one of the most exciting affairs of the drab season. In a comback reminiscent of the recent St. Etienne classics the Lensois stromed back from certain defeat and once again proved they can be one of the most exciting Ligue 1 sides on any given day.
Marseille showed no ill-effects from its embarrassing UEFA Cup loss to a…..gasp….Russian side (Zenit St. Petersburg) in dominating the first half at the Stade Felix-Bollaert.
They overwhelmed Lens early on with their quick passing in midfield, and it was from a swift move that young star Sami Nasri opened the scoring in the 24th minute.
The rising France international playmaker sprinted toward a cross from the right by Bruno Cheyrou and slotted home in a tight angle from 15 yards.
Cheyrou, in fine form himself would double the lead four minutes later when he pounced on a pathetic clearance by Lens captain Vitorino Hilton and curled in a low strike from 25 yards.
The mercurial Djibril Cisse, who seriously deserves to be back on the France squad fired a strong effort into the side netting as the OM searched for it’s third but it would be all blood and gold after the break.
The Lensois scored three goals in a 17 minute period as the visitors faded in the cold damp air of the Stade Felix Bollaert.
Former OM striker Toifilou Maoulida, who is becoming one of the best winter signings in Ligue 1 snapped in the first from close range in the 56th minute after controlling deadly Loic Remy’s cross shot.
And the impressive Kader Mangane, who had earlier missed from six yards out with the goal in front of him, levelled the thrilling affair by running onto Nenad Kovacevic’s through ball, holding off young Guadeloupian star defender Ronald Zubar and slotting home a sweet finish.
it was once again the unstoppable Remy who put Lens ahead in the 73rd minute, the on loan Lyon winger/striker driving a powerful shot in at the near post after Gael Givet stupidly failed to clear. The strike was one of the most beautiful goals I have seen all year long and further confirms the rare talent the young Remy possesses.
But it would appropriately be Djibril Cisse who would have the last laugh by volleying in Kanga Akale’s cross from five yards out and making a goat out of the hapless Vedran Runje who stood like a lifeless statue as the equalizer sailed past his hideous Slavic gait. Indeed, the former OM man might have been accused of helping out his old side on such a stupid error which cost his club the three valuable points to offset impending relegation.
How appropriate that Akale, a man of such immense talent totally ignored by Lens coach Jean-Pierre Papin would make his parent club pay for the error of their ways. The nauseating Lens supporters at the Bollaert were sent home in tears by the man who they had earlier jeered. And indeed it could have gone worse as it appears the officials missed a penalty in the injury period, Akale once again the author of the sparkling run which almost ended in calamity for Lens.
So yet again Lens finds itself firmly in relegation danger even if this week was much more exciting than the recent run of dreadful performances. We shall see what Rennes with former Lens great Olivier Thomert have to say next week……..
Category: Team NewsProblems continue…..
By: Jay | 1 Comment
After going on a bit of a revival Lens have once again fallen on hard times as they gave up a late lead to a dreadful Toulouse side which kept them firmly in the bottom of the table. This came as a surprise for those of us who were able to witness the dramatic 5-4 Coupe de la Ligue victory over Le Mans earlier this weak, but the league performances continue to hamper the blood and gold.
On to the action…..
The Lensois took the lead in the ninth minute when Milan Bivesac released the red hot Loic Remy, who rolled one neatly past a stunned Nicolas Douchez. These beautiful shots are becoming commonplace for Remy who continues to shine and is quickly becoming a Ligue 1 star.
The great Aruna Dindane should have doubled the lead just 10 minutes later but Douchez made amends for his earlier stupidity with a solid parry of a deadly Aruna strike.
Le Tefece looked dreadful as usual and were subdued for the entire first half but they did well to keep the damage to a minimum, and this would ultimately cause the Lensois dearly.
Indeed, Toulouse almost made them pay five minutes after the break when Albin Ebondo fed Johan Elmander, but the Sweden international’s strike was blocked by Vedran Runje.
The visiting faithful would not have to wait long for the equaliser however, when former PSG man Paulo Cesar beat two players down the right wing and Achille Emana’s quick strike defeated the pathetic Runje.
But Toulouse would lose any semblance of momentum when Nicolas Dieuze was presented a straight red for a dangerous tackle.
But Dieuze’s idiocy would not deter the Brazilian Cesar, who provided Elmander with another fine opportunity, but Runje did well this time to parry and secure a much-needed point and avoid a total collapse.
Despite earning the point Lens now finds itself only three points ahead of Toulouse and the dreaded relegation zone. Oh when will our suffering end?
Category: Team NewsLens back in the danger zone
By: Jay | 1 Comment
Quietly, lens have slipped back near the relegation zone and coach Jean-Pierre Papin once again finds himself in a spot of bother.
The Lensois produced the first chance of the game in the sixth minute when shining Nadir Belhadj released Eric Carriere on the left to set up the red hot Kader Mangane, who applied a terrific header only to be denied by an equally impressive save from Nancy’s erratic keeper Gennaro Bracigliano.
Benjamin Gavanon’s corner for the hosts then found Moroccan international stalwart Youssef Hadji, but the striker’s header was parried wide by a nervous Vedran Runje.
Nancy’s dangerous Brazilian striker Carlos Henrique Kim then tested Runje, who managed again to deny the hosts. But the overrated Croatian looked shaken and it would only be a matter of time before he gave one up.
Lens took the lead in the 41st minute when Mangane and Carriere beautifully exchanged passes and the impressive Senegalese midfielder applied an unstoppable volley to give the blood and gold a half-time lead. Mangane once again proved he deserved to start. Unfortunately, Papin and Lens fans’ nauseating love affair with the pathetic Nenad Kovacevic has kept Mangane’s rising star pinned firmly on the bench when he should be dominating the midfield alongside Sidi Keita on a regular basis.
The Lensois had an excellent chance to double their lead shortly after the break when the super talented substitute Razak Boukari found legendary Aruna “danger man” Dindane just back from the African Cup of Nations but Bracigliano was somehow equal to the great Ivorian’s volley.
And the Italian’s save proved essential as Berenguer met Moroccan international Mickael Chretien’s corner to head home his side level in the 73rd minute.
The hosts would complete their comeback victory a mere four minutes later when substitute Moncaf Zerka another Moroccan international, found the incomperable Hadji in the box, who fired home the winner past the flailing pathetic figure of Runje.
So once again the Lensois find themselves in terrible danger with a dangerous Le Mans side looming and the dreaded prospect of relegation that this season’s Lensois simply can’t seem to shake.
Category: Team NewsLens destroys Caen 4-1: Remy and Belhadj unstoppable!
By: Jay | 3 Comments
Oh what a thrilling match to behold on Sunday as the Lensois thrashed an unsuspecting Caen side at the Stade Michel d’Ornano. Unsuspecting being the operative term as the Lensois opened the scoring 21 seconds into the match with an absolutely stunning run from Loic Remy and an equally magnificent cross from Nadir Belhadj that found a completely unmarked Toifilou Maoulida to head home the opening score.
On to the action…..
Following the opening whistle, a scintillating Loic Remy sent Nadir Belhadj racing away, and the the galactic man placed an absolutely stunning cross to Maoulida who finished with a perfect soft header into an empty goal after the ball had sailed straight over the head of stunned goalkeeper Vincent Plante.
Caen had a chance to equalise on 19 minutes when Juan Eduardo Eluchans crashed a shot against the left post.
Then after half an hour of match time keeper Plante flailed at a cross again, this time from a corner, and big man Kader Mangane was left totally unmarked to head home the second. The goal was actually Mangane’s second score which he headed home, the first being nullified by a terrible offside call.
Caen had more chances to score in the second half before Loic Remy added the dramatic third. A deflected shot hit off of defender Eluchans and came back to Remy who made the finish look easy by striking powerfully and perfectly into the left corner of the net. It was a stunning shot to behold and an amazing start to a promising Lens career for the young espoir.
Reynald Lemaitre thought he had given the home side a lifeline three minutes later as he headed home a free-kick which Lens keeper helplessly watched crash into the net.
However, things would go from from bad to worse for Caen when captain Nicolas Seube turned a Jonathan Lacourt cross past his own keeper for an embarrasing own goal. Seube’s stupidity sealed Caen’s fate and made the scoreline taste just a bit more sour for the pathetic home side.
The man of the match was clearly Loic Remy who troubled the Caen defense all night long with his blazing runs and Nadir Belhadj continued to demonstrate what a terrible mistake Lyon made in deciding to stick with washed up Italian international Fabio Grosso over the talented young Algerian.
Category: Team News
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