What is the reason for the upturn in fortunes for Lille?

I realise most won't be interested in this or even know enough to contribute but i noticed they have improved rapidly results wise.

I don't get to see them very often, what are the reasons for this? has Garcia changed anything tactically?

Also i noticed Dmitri Payet is having a very impressive season statistically how good is he in reality/can he be?

Good thread Mole.

Its little to do with individual performances as their squad has been seasonally stripped of its core quality. It comes down to how much Garcia has evolved along with having the balls to reform and start from scrap.

Lille played a 4-2-3-1 for 2 seasons since Garcia's tenure and mid-season he finally revamped the system into a 4-3-3, pressed a higher line acquired more width (although the wide players cut inside a lot) and gave more freedom within the midfield.

In the process they concede many goals yet score even more as the top sides of France all played quite cautiously against their fearsome attack (tactically).

Garcia also is a master in changing the game when the card aren't aligned. Quite a good manager.

signing Kalou.

Harry Redknapp wrote:signing Kalou.

the image of arry drinking coffee makes ur comment even better

The demise of a great team, i think we can list a couple of factors:

1) they have never been able to replace their key players. they survived the loss of Rami, and won the league but then they lost Gervinho, Moussa Sow (who stopped performing before leaving), Cabaye... big losses. Hazard carried them through the last year and took them pretty high in the league with Debuchy still around. but problems in the team were obvious: they had no competent CF. they signed payet to replace Gervinho and he was not good at all. problem at LB, Landreau turning to shit, etc... Lille had a great system and they remain a top Ligue 1 team for 3 years but now they are going downhill. their system need a top CM to lead the midfield and quality widemen to make plays, with the likes of Kalou and Payet cant carry Lille forward, they suck.

2) fatigue of champions, happens to everyone really.

3) competition increasing, Montpellier first and then PSG.

Nick I think you completely missed the point of the thread.

Nick Adil Rami was still with them when they won the league. They lost him, Cabaye and Gervinho in the same window (summer '11), that's when they crumbled.

CBarca wrote:Nick I think you completely missed the point of the thread.

Yep it is still interesting to see how they completely fell apart from double winners though.

I see Arq i had a feeling it would be a tactical switch from Garcia who i do rate very highly myself.... as do a lot of Newcastle fans most of which have him at top of our wishlist to replace Pardew but in reality unfortunately it is not realistic option to pursue.

Not sure, i'll ask my ligue 1 insider.

The reason for their upturn is that since selling so many of their stars and moving to a new stadium, they were disjointed at the start of the season with many off form players.

They have finally clicked together and Payet is becoming what hazard/Gervinho used to be for them.

Many people believe Lille will be a force next year however the problem is that with the new 75% tax thing, they will have to sell Kalou and other big contract players. But that might not be a problem since There are low profile players in France who will be as good if not better than the ones they will sell

Payet was very average to start the season and has been the best player in Ligue 1 in 2013... even better than Ibra. Has a huge impact on the game almost every time. 11 goals and a league leading 10 assists as the AM. Always had the talent; but didn't have the competitive fire. He's found the competitive fire.

Rodelin has also emerged on the attack and creates a lot of problems with his speed.

Kalou is playing much, much better and he's actually a scoring threat lol.

You also have Digne who is the best LB prospect in France...

For me, the early struggles were mostly due to the serious injury to Mavuba... he was the general of the team in the midfield. He did everything for them with Balmont. They had to get players to step up and overcome Mavuba's loss. It took a while. Imagine Xavi being out for the year... that's what Mavuba means to Lille.

Because Payet took his game into another level when Mavuba once down and Kalou is having his usual late season run of good form.

Messiah "Aggerswagger" wrote:Nick Adil Rami was still with them when they won the league. They lost him, Cabaye and Gervinho in the same window (summer '11), that's when they crumbled.

What are you on about? They comfortably finished 3rd last year with a team which consisted of Hazard and scrubs.

Cheers guys.

about the 75% tax thing firstly i thought that wasn't happening and also wouldn't that give Monaco a major advantage?

Also Digne is better than Umtiti?

debuchy, landreau, mavuba, balmont and Obraniak were not scrubs Gil. You also had Pedretti, Chedjou and others there that are solid players. You just didn't have the star power of previous years other than Hazard. Joe Cole helped a bit too, although he was inconsistent.

Monaco football club was just forced to live by the same taxation rules as every club in France.

75% tax thing gets voted on every year as long as the government keeps proposing it. If it ever passes, Ligue 1 crumbles... very simple.

And yeah, DIgne is better than Umtiti right now. He's defends and attacks. Umtiti can play both fullback spots and CB anyhow. He plays opposite Digne with France U20.

Lille are going to be immense next year once Thauvin comes back. Lad is a dribbling machine.

...Oops, nevermind. Misread.

Gil wrote:Lille are going to be immense next year once Thauvin comes back. Lad is a dribbling machine.

He's been incredible this year and getting better all the time. As well as Kalou has been doing lately... they still need a true CF imo. If i'm Lille, i'd go after Remy since QPR is doomed.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Cheers guys.

about the 75% tax thing firstly i thought that wasn't happening and also wouldn't that give Monaco a major advantage?

Also Digne is better than Umtiti?

Digne and Corchia and Haidara are the best U-21 Fullbacks in my opinion as possibly over Umititi. Corchia my pick of the lot personally yet Digne since he is 2 years younger.

Garcia isn't an unrealistic option as he has talked up leaving Lille despite his long-term deployments and contributions to the team. If Newcastle would get him, well it would be perfect considering he is a Frenchman (and a terrific manager) unlike Frauddeux.

Hazard and scrubs? Who said that? Gil?

sportsczy wrote:

Gil wrote:Lille are going to be immense next year once Thauvin comes back. Lad is a dribbling machine.

He's been incredible this year and getting better all the time. As well as Kalou has been doing lately... they still need a true CF imo. If i'm Lille, i'd go after Remy since QPR is doomed.

Remy is incredibly injury-prone though. His talent is undeniable of course but he gets injured every 2 months lol.

They should search for a striker from abroad IMO. Maybe they could strike gold like they did with Hazard and a few others.

Should try to lure Gameiro. Would be perfect for them.

But can see him move abroad

Hazard was playing with a bunch of journeymen. Their decline in fortunes once he left proves this lol. The year prior when they won the Championship they obviously had a good season but last year it was basically a one man team. He was directly involved in like 65% of their goals in the League alone last yearn, just behind Messi.

It took Payet to turn into Ronaldinho for half a season to regain last season's form.

Still not convinced they'll finish 3rd despite this run anyway. Lyon can't play this badly forever and St Etienne haven't been winning much lately but they aren't losing either.

So Thauvin is a god then? wonder why we were pushing for him so hard

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:So Thauvin is a god then? wonder why we were pushing for him so hard

Ben Arfa MK2

Yeah i did hear that from French posters on NUFC forum thought they were just hyping though

As for Remy i think Spurs will go for him, considering past interest and the fact he has proven he's comfortable in the PL as well as the price being a lot lower than before.