Lyon enjoyed a solid start to their league campaign but dropped off the pace, consequently falling behind in the race for Europe. They lost two goals to one at home against 16th-place Strasbourg in their last Ligue 1 game. They are ranked ninth in the league with 25 points, with the likes of Nice and Reims having the same point total in the 10th and 11th positions, respectively. Lyon are on a run of back-to-back failures to win a match and have failed to win in their last three matches, drawing one and losing two. They lost one-nil at home to Clermont, who are now in eighth place with 28 points.
This season in Ligue 1, Lyon’s form is average overall with seven wins, four draws, and eight losses. This performance currently places Lyon ninth out of 20 teams in the Ligue 1 table, winning only 37% of matches. Lyon’s home form is good, as they have five wins, two draws, and three losses. While their away form is considered poor as a result of only two wins, two draws, and five losses. Lyon have scored a total of 28 goals and let in 23 this season in Ligue 1.
We now look at some of the stats that show how Lyon are struggling to find form based on their recent performances.
Overall performance so far
The above viz shows the percentile rank of the team in comparison to other teams in Ligue 1. It can be observed that the team is ranked decently in the division. They have done well to pass the ball and maintain possession but have lacked recoveries, making 88.63 recoveries per 90. Lyon are disappointing when it comes to their percentile rank in other departments like attack, goal contribution, and xG.
Lyon in front of the goal
Lyon have scored most of their goals from inside the box, as shown in the above viz. They have taken a total of 252 shots so far this season, accumulating an xG of 31.52 with a 0.13 xG per shot taken. The team averages 13.47 shots per 90 minutes and scores 1.47 goals on average. Lyon have a 1.87 x g per 90 as well. The top scorer for Lyon in the 2022–23 French Ligue 1 is Alexandre Lacazette with 11 goals (10.50 xG).
Recent woes
The above viz shows the shot map for Lyon from their last three Ligue 1 fixtures in 2022/23. It can be observed that the team has not managed to score a single goal from open play, bringing down their xG to a mere 4.3 for 50 shots attempted. The only goal they have managed to score was against Strasbourg, thanks to a Lacazette penalty. They have shots on goal from inside and outside the box, but none have gone in. Their xG per shot is 0.09.
Lower than the lowest
Lyon have one of the lowest xG per shot in the Ligue 1 2022/23 season, and even the likes of Angers and Ajaccio, who are in the relegation zone, fare better as compared to Lyon. The league average is 0.13 xG per shot, with 13.47 shots per 90 and a shot accuracy of 43.4%. The team has an xG of 1.81 per 90 minutes as compared to 1.3 for their opponents. The inability to find the back of the net has cost crucial points for Lyon in their recent fixtures, which has built up to a possible downfall in the league this season.
Cracks in defence away from home
Lyon’s defence has lacked balance this season, having conceded 23 goals this season, of which they have let in fourteen on the road. The above viz shows the defensive territory of the team for their away games this season in Ligue 1. It indicates that Lyon were involved in a lot of defensive actions in the defensive third and in their own box. They have made 42.78 average interceptions, compared to 50.33 by their opponents. Lyon wins 47% of the aerial duels and 61.4% of the defensive duels contested away from home per 90. Most of their defensive action comes in their defensive third and middle third. They have given up a foul in the box. They commit 14.67 fouls on average and concede 1.56 goals per 90 minutes away from home.
Overall, Lyon are nine points adrift of the European places, a gap that could grow before the season concludes. They have won just one of their last six league outings. Lyon have suffered another setback in a difficult season in their recent matches, especially in terms of their failure to score goals. The team has also lacked defence away from home, as they have conceded most of the goals on the road. Lyon needs to score more and find a way to get points on the board as soon as possible to have a chance to rescue their current campaign.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
