OM are making the trip to their "bogey ground" on Saturday night. A real test before the game against Liverpool, but also the chance to confirm, against a direct opponent, their fantastic start to the season.
Saturday at 21h00
Stade Chaban-Delmas
Referee : M. Layec
Live on Orange Foot
« I heard about that … ». The famous « Bordeaux statistic » touche Baky Koné as much as water off a duck’s back. That can only be a good thing. OM’s newest attacker is neither deaf nor blind. So he has « heard » all about this « curse » which has stopped OM from winning away to Bordeaux in over 30 years. But maybe he is also aware that his team-mates came very close to changing that last year (see below). But for him it is just an anecdote rather than a key element in the game he is getting ready to play in on Saturday night.
We wouldn’t have thought anything else. Of course we’ve spoken of this subject that ritually comes up before a Bordeaux-OM. But with a barely disguised hope that it would be the last time. Especially as these « anomalies », as Pape Diouf calls them, are a part of football. They spice things up a little for the football fan. They must not, however, get into the head’s of the players. Or,if they do, only as an extra source of motivation, in no way must they provoke fragility. Happily enough this is not the impression we got by listening to Bakari Koné. The same goes for Benoît Cheyrou.
« We are better armed than we were last season », stated Erik Gerets on Thursday night. He didn’t know at the time if he would be able to incorporate Hatem Ben Arfa into the squad. « He can turn a match on it‘s head, but even if he isn’t available (he is in the squad that has travelled), we have a good chance of breaking this run and leaving Bordeaux seven points behind us in the standings ».
This last statement shows what is really at stake in this match. Marseille and Bordeaux see each other as direct opponents, which is logical when you look at their respective finishing positions last season, their recruitment over the summer and their legitimate ambitions of knocking OL off their perch. Bordeaux’s relatively poor start to the season compared to OM’s fantastic debut has changed the prognosis. OM could take a good lead on Saturday night and the fact that they are up against the most difficult opponent they have faced since the start of the season, just before their Champions League game, makes this big test look very exciting.
Mears, a first
Arriving at OM on the final day of the transfer market, Tyrone Mears is in the OM squad for the first time this season. It remains to be seen whether he will be on the team sheet. Erik Gerets has taken 20 players to Bordeaux.
Goalkeepers : Mandanda, Riou
Defenders : Bonnart, Taiwo, Zubar, Hilton, Mears, Erbate
Midfielders : Cheyrou, Kaboré, Cana, M’Bami, Ziani, Valbuena, Zenden, Ben Arfa
Forwards : Niang, Grandin, Koné, Samassa
A curse? Yes, but only 1 defeat away to Bordeaux since 2003
30 years without a win … Yes, we know.... But on the last three visits to Chaban-Delmas, OM have scored first, giving a slight glimpse of a happy ending. But each time, just like last year, Bordeaux have made sure of their invincibility by equalising.
This said, and taking into account the quality of the opponents, it’s not quite right to say that OM don’t do very well at Bordeaux. They have only lost there once in their last 4 visits!
A big match for Liverpool
Liverpool also have a « classic » to play this weekend in the League. The Reds will be up against Manchester United at Anfield Road, before making the trip to Marseille. Benitez’s side, after two wins and a draw, will be trying to beat United for the first time in years in the League. The time of the match is typically English: 12h45!
Ramé (groin) is present. Fernando is suspended, while Saunier (groin strain), Jussiê (muscle tear), Saivet (broken toe) are all out.
4The number of victories for OM at Bordeaux in the League. They have been blocked at 4 since the 1st of October 1977. Before that, OM had won against Bordeaux in 1963, 1968 and 1972.
It’s going to change from the last few games we have played at the Vélodrome where we were up against 7 or 8 defenders in the opposition penalty area. Against Bordeaux the game will be much more open and should be much more fun. Maybe that will make the game a little easier. We cannot wait for kick-off to come around."
