FC Lorient were on their way to achieving automatic promotion to Ligue 1 as they lead the table in Ligue 2, but due to COVID-19 the season did not finish. However, they were promoted to Ligue 1. Their game again Rodez AF was an example of how clinical they could be in away matches in the 2019/2020 Ligue 2 season, as they won 0-1.
Lorient used two formations in their away win at Rodez: 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 with Pierre-Yves Hamel as the sole striker. He managed to score after 10 minutes and Lorient held on to that lead for the rest of their match, getting a very important win in their promotion push.
Ratings
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Player profile:
- Nationality: French
- Age: 22
- Date of birth: 04/05/1998
- Current club: FC Lorient
- Career: Stade Lavallois
- Position: Right back
- Secondary position: Centre Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Houboulang Mendes is a versatile right back playing in the four-man defence employed by FC Lorient in their 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 formation. He is a strong and quick right back with an impressive stature, standing at six foot. This also can be seen in his duels, both in 1v1s as in the air – he is a force to be reckoned with and poses an attacking threat from set pieces as well.
His defensive awareness is decent as he always keeps the defensive line and ensures that his positioning is not too high up the pitch, in order to avoid exposing the space in behind him. He doesn’t shy out from tackles and interceptions with a strong mental attitude and he is quite brave going into challenges.
His passing style can be characterised as conservative as he passes to the low defensive block in the 4-2-3-1 or to the sole defensive midfielder in the 4-1-4-1. Often he passes to the rest of the defenders as well. Defensively he is a solid defender in a very good Ligue 2 side, but his attacking qualities do not match his team’s intentions. He doesn’t make a lot of progressive runs and if he does, he loses the ball and so he often refrains from venturing too high up the pitch.
Rating: B1
Mendes is a very good player at his position and his primary tasks and could definitely play in Ligue 1 with FC Lorient. If he goes to a more attacking minded side, he does need to improve his game in that respect.
Player profile:
- Nationality: French
- Age: 20
- Date of birth: 03/02/2000
- Current club: FC Lorient
- Career: FC Lorient (Y)
- Position: Centre Midfield
- Secondary position: Defensive Midfield, Attacking Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Enzo Le Fée is not a strong player at all and standing at just 5’7, he can easily be muscled off the ball at times, Despite not being able to shield the ball properly, he is incredibly agile and very good with the ball at his feet, sometimes he seems impossible to dispossess.
He is a very technical player and loves to distribute the ball to the other attacking players and his striker. His passing style is to always look to pass forward and be progressive. His first touch is great and he remains calm with the ball, looking to create chances via a through ball or a cross. He receives the ball openly which makes it easy for him to turn or move quickly in tight spaces.
In the 4-2-3-1 formation he positioned himself as the ’10’ and moved more forward than in the 4-1-4-1 formation, where he played as a central midfielder rather than an attacking midfielder. On his feet he definitely is a very good attacking midfielder, but in the aerial duels he is far from a force and does not make any difference.
Rating: A2
Le Fée is an excellent attacking midfielder on Ligue 2 level and could do very well in Ligue 1, if we look at his technical abilities. Although he is agile and strong on his feet, his lack of physicality could be a worry for a Ligue 1 side.
Player profile:
- Nationality: French / Democratic Republic of Congo
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 03/09/1996
- Current club: FC Lorient
- Career: Club LB Chatearoux (Y), SCO Angers, Stade Lavallois (L), SCO Angers, AC Ajaccio (L), SCO Angers
- Position: Left Wing
- Secondary position: Left Midfield, Striker
- Preferred foot: Right
Yoane Wissa is a great attacking player in FC Lorient’s side. He is quick, good with the ball at his feet and strong. Going forward he is excellent in 1v1’s and can either play as a striker or as a winger. The latter is where he operated against Rodez AF. He a very technical player and because of his positive first touch, he is ready to take on the defenders and progress the attack.
His awareness in attack is decent and when he gets the opportunity to make a run down the line, he provides a cross for the other attacking plays and can be a creative threat in the final third. His passing style is quite direct when he does not opt for a cross, but gets the ball to his fellow attacking players in the midfield.
He has an all-attack attitude which can be useful in a counter-attack, but it can also show his lack of vision and inability to be balanced when attacking. This can lead to losing the ball and he does not track back to defend with the other players, which can lead to frustration. His defensive side of the game is just not up to scratch compared with the rest, but that is not his first concern as a winger in Lorient’s system.
Rating: A2
Wissa is an attacker who would definitely play well at Ligue 1 level and quite possibly be successful as well. As long as he is tasked with attacking only he will be a great asset for Lorient in the Ligue 1, but he has to be more composed in the final third.