If the reigning champions of the Premiership are having a tough time winning matches then the French Ligue champs Lyons are also in a pickle and in 10th place. Both clubs have lost key players to injury. Lyons has questions on both the defensive and attacking end.
Lyons have lost goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, midfielder Sydney Govou, and in the biggest blow, their central defender and skipper Cris for the season. They now have Anderson Kleber from Benfica filling that spot.
But injuries only tell a partial story as there are a group of players in transition. Fred the disgruntled and injured Brazilian striker who seems to have made few friends at OL is waiting to be transfered to Sevilla. This deal will go through should Dani Alves leave Sevilla for Chelsea as expected. Juninho the attacking midfielder appears distracted by the constant transfer rumours involving him and Valencia. Sylvain Wiltord, Lyons super sub has finally transfered to Rennes.
One way of boosting their attack would have been to get Mancini, the attacking midfielder from AS Roma who has been in stunning form for the Serie runner up to augment Karim Benzema, Milan Baros, and Hatem Ben Arfa up front. But AS Roma has balked at selling him stating that Mancini is untransferable.
Karim Benzema has been magnificent for OL so far and leads in every statistical category but he needs help up front.
The biggest boon for French football will be if Lyon fail to retain the title this year.