OM kick-off the month of March at home to Lorient on Sunday. Against the ninth placed side of the L1, Didier Deschamps's men will be looking to continue their run against an opponent who will have to be taken seriousmy.
- OM - FC LORIENT
- Sunday 7 March 2010 at 17h00 - Stade Vélodrome
- Ligue 1 - Week 27
- Referee: Philippe Kalt
Foot +
A victory for Heinze, a draw for Mbia, a defeat for Koné: the OM internationals experienced diverse fortunes on Wednesday night. It doesn’t matter, Didier Deschamps expects his players to close this “individual parenthesis, to throw themselves back into their OM life” as quickly as possible. For this first match in the month of March, the coach does not want to lose the dynamic which OM managed to create in February. With seven victories from eight matches last month, Deschamps and his men put in a great shift, and there can be no question of them slowing down. “To stay on track”, is what the coach desires. “We are in a good period and will be trying to make sure that it stays like that for as long as possible”.
There next obstacle is called Lorient, the first stage in a long marathon which will last three months, with 36 points up for grabs before the end of the league campaign. Even if the confrontation with the Breton club, ninth in the league table, is not a gala match, the task will not be easy for OM. “Lorient are not a big club, but they have a good team. I know things are going to be difficult on Sunday”, warns the coach.
The past as an example
It is as connoisseurs that the Olympians will welcome the “Merlus” to the Vélodrome. Didier Deschamps still has in mind the match earlier on in the season at the Moustoir, “they give us a really tough time, they are a side who play good football”, while a certain number of his players will be able to draw from the painful experience at the Vélodrome last season (a 3-2 defeat for OM). The excuse of a surprise cannot be used by an OM squad who want to continue their run despite the fact that there is always “a little risk concerning motivation when it is not a so called big match”.
Motivation, the OM players will be looking for it principally with the desire to “win their place” in the starting eleven because, apart from Heinze, Didier Deschamps will be able to count on his entire squad. “There isn’t space for everyone, I have choices to make”, he warns. And whatever the decisions, the technician expects that his players will give their “maximum”. “Everyone is ready. In the vast majority, they are close to their best level. It’s better for the collective expression”.
For the opposition, the strong point will be without doubt their collective understanding. Lorient, a team who "through their style of play create problems for their opponents", as much at ease with the ball as they are without it. The coach then went on to remind everyone that Lorient did better than OM in Paris, by "going 3-0 up in less than 35 minutes”.
If he isn’t expecting a relaxing 90 minutes, Didier Deschamps is planning on watching "calmly in his armchair" the big match between Bordeaux and Montpellier, after having won at the Vélodrome, of course.
