Lyon's backline patrolman Cris has given a candid interview about former teammate Hatem Ben Arfa. Even though Inara wrote an excellent "cathartic" piece on HBA's departure and most of us have closed the file on Hatem's Lyon career, I thought this would be of interest.

Well, after 30 appearences and 7 goals for Lyon, It looks like we finally found a buyer for the "Blank Czech," Milan Baros. Phyeeeeew!!!! It looks like it's official now. Lyon and Galatasaray are said to have reached a verbal agreement on Monday, and apparently Baros was in Istanbul today Tuesday, to finalize the deal.

You know when you were in junior high? And you were terrified to show your parents the D you got in Math? But when you got home, they'd just learned that your sister was pregnant?* This is kind of like that. OR: Thank GAWD for Italy. * Laurie

I really don't want to write a post match review (notice how I tend to avoid doing those for games that Lyon lose?), but I have to be brave and face up the fact that last night, Lyon once again fell short of their - and our - expectations.

Side note: do you guys believe that if you say something enough times, it eventually becomes true?

In a recent interview in L'Equipe, Alain Perrin spoke about his relationship with Jean Michel Aulas and certain members of the Lyon coaching staff during his tenure as manager. Perrin described the internal and external pressures- JMA and two members of the coaching staff- which created an atmosphere of hostility and the eventual scapegoating that marred his term as coach.

Disclaimer: I know that it's been a week now since Hatem Ben Arfa left Lyon for Marseille. Both John and Magnusson have covered this topic very thoroughly, so most of you are probably tired of hearing about it.

But I just can't let this go.

NOOOOOOOOO.

My very worst nightmare is coming true.

I'm a huge Hatem Ben Arfa fan. He has some faults, but I adore him. He's so talented and has so much potential. I just know he's going to be one of France's biggest stars.

A goodbye kiss?

France Football magazine, Lyon's #1 enemy, recently revealed the fact that Jean-Michel Aulas had offered Jose Mourinho the coaching position at Lyon.

Apparently, Aulas approached the Special One with the offer of heading Lyon's long term project, which is to win the Champions League within two to three years.

Remember the game that Lyon barely won against Valenciennes? Well, two weeks and three games later, Lyon prove that they can play even more fantastically shitty. Hell, they make it look easy!

So if you've been wondering why I haven't been around the last week or so, it's because Lyon have been embarrassing themselves lately, and I didn't want to associate myself with that.

Be still my heart.

Gregory Coupet has designated Nice's Hugo Lloris as his perfect successor. Geez, what more proof does Hugo need of my Lyon's love for him? According to the media, Lloris would not be opposed to a move to Lyon - but not as Coupet's backup.

I'm not a fan of Alain Perrin, but I'm starting to think he's getting the raw end of the deal.

Here's a guy who finished the year with 79 points, who led Lyon to their first ever domestic double, who - after an admittedly bad start to the Champions League - resurrected Lyon's European campaign admirably well, who helmed Lyon during one of the worst injury crises in their history, who put up with the overbearing pair of Jean-Michel Aulas and Bernard Lacombe, who takes crap from everybody, and who, despite all this, remained discrete and never once mouthed off in the press.

Yesterday I wrote about how Alain Perrin will probably be sacked. Today, let's go over the possibilities for the guy who will be Lyon's ninth manager in the Aulas era.

For some odd reason, Lyon struggle to attract the kind of coach that match their ambitions. As attractive as Lyon might be, Ligue 1 itself was (and still is) considered relatively uninteresting.

I'm not a fan of Alain Perrin, but I'm starting to think he's getting the raw end of the deal.

Here's a guy who finished the year with 79 points, who led Lyon to their first ever domestic double, who - after an admittedly bad start to the Champions League - resurrected Lyon's European campaign admirably well, who helmed Lyon during one of the worst injury crises in their history, who put up with the overbearing pair of Jean-Michel Aulas and Bernard Lacombe, who takes crap from everybody, and who, despite all this, remained discrete and never once mouthed off in the press.

Liverpool have been tentatively linked with a move for disgruntled Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Juninho Pernambucano.
Juninho recently told l'Equipe that he may leave Stade Gerland this summer, as he is less than satisfied with Lyon's decision to sack Alain Perrin as coach and hire Claude Puel in his stead.

Lyon's favorite son and patron saint of goal-scoring, Karim Benzema expressed his feelings about the upcoming season in a recent interview in L'Equipe. Karim speaks about the changes in the club this season, as well as his thoughts on his coaches- new and old- and his newfound superstar status on the pitch.

Stuff to read while you listen to Emmanuel Adebayor mimic a wounded cow in labor..... The regression of the Roman derby. (Football Italiano) You're a lot more like Thierry Henry than you think. Probably. (Reuters Soccer Blog) A gilded blueprint in Ukraine for 2012. (Guardian Unlimited) More proof playing isn't a prerequisite for a proper WAG.

Let's get something straight. Almost everyone hates Raymond Domenech. He says outrageous things, pisses off players and managers alike with his antics, and has so many enemies that he ought to look into hiring a bodyguard. But he brings a smile to my face, and dammit, I like the guy.

This has got to be the worst year for Lyon in terms of injuries. Important players keep dropping like flies, right when things are getting crucial.

Last weekend against Marseille, Jeremy Toulalan and Fred were both carried off the pitch within the first half hour.

Alain Perrin on the atmosphere surrounding him at the moment:

"It doesn't stop me from sleeping. We'll see what happens at the end of the season. The president said he'd make a decision after the last league match (against Auxerre on May 17). Regardless, my departure has been the main topic all season.

If any of you are keeping up with the U17 Euro Championship, France defeated Ireland 2-1 in the tournament opener, thanks to goals from Lyon players. Four of them started the match (Clement Grenier, Yanis Tafer, Enzo Reale, and Sebastien Faure), and the fifth, Alexandre Lacazette, was brought on in the second half.

Should Alain Perrin - the man who won Lyon their first ever double while also masterminding several humiliating defeats - remain as manager next year?

I have a longer post planned on this, but I thought I would see where everyone stands with this. Don't worry about who will replace him, as that's an entirely different matter.

Lyon have officially announced that they are "reorganizing" the management of the club.

From the press release on the official website:

The Board of Directors of OL Groupe convened this morning to review the 2007/2008 season of Olympique Lyonnais' men's team.

Fred was very pissed yesterday when, as he was walking off the pitch during a substitution, he was booed rather voraciously by the home crowd at the Gerland. Sayz Fred:

"It's very difficult. Every time, it's the same thing - the fans are angry with me and whistle at me.