Lille took a big step towards a domestic double on Saturday evening with a 1-0 win over Paris Saint Germain in the French Cup Final, courtesy of a last minute Ludovic Obraniak free-kick. Rudi Garcia’s team resume league matters this upcoming Wednesday and, four points ahead of the pack with just three games remaining, can take a crucial step towards sealing Ligue 1 with a home victory against sixth-placed Sochaux.
The league leaders’ impressive season is illustrated in the stats: Lille are top scorers in the division, have the second best defence, the best game Possession (57%) and are second for Pass Accuracy, with 79%. Clearly, they have demonstrated a real consistency throughout the season. Here’s a look at their key performers in what is lining up to be a remarkably successful campaign.
The Battler
Playing central midfield in the team’s 4-3-3 formation, Yohan Cabaye adds plenty bite and energy to Lille’s play, with his ball-winning ability crucial to the side‘s approach. He makes 3 Tackles and 2.9 Interceptions per game -second top for the side in each category- and his commitment to the cause is shown in 10 Yellow cards thus far, as he makes 2 Fouls per game.
Cabaye’s distribution is also eye-catching; he has an 82% Pass Accuracy, making 6 Successful Long Balls and 1.73 Key Passes per game, which has seen him pick up 9 Assists, joint-top for the club.
He’s caught the eye going forward, too; Cabaye has scored 2 Goals this season but given he manages 1.8 Shots per game, perhaps should be scoring more. His displays have seen the midfielder pick up 5 Man of the Match awards and an average rating of 7.22.
The Playmaker
Wide left in the front three, Eden Hazard has been voted Young Player of the Year the previous two seasons and the Belgian has maintained his brilliance once again this term, with a series of performances that have many of the biggest names in Europe chasing his signature.
Hazard has 7 Goals so far but is more of a creator than a clinical finisher; he manages just 0.9 Shots per game. 2.51 Key Passes per game makes him the club’s main creator and a return of just 7 Assists indicates he’s been let down by his team mates’ finishing.
Hazard’s skill and trickery on the ball means he averages 2.8 Successful Dribbles per game (Gervinho is Lille’s next best with 2.1) and is the most-fouled player in the team, 3.6 times per game, as opposition teams seek to nullify his threat. With 4 Man of the Match awards, the 20 year old has an average of 7.30 in our ratings, the highest of any Lille player.
The Goalscorer
Playing in the middle of the front three, Moussa Sow has fired the goals that see Lille stand on the verge of the double. Top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 of his side’s 62 goals, Sow has excelled thanks to the excellent service provided by the likes of Hazard, Cabaye and Gervinho. His distribution of goals is fairly even too, with 12 at home and 9 on the road.
Unsurprisingly he has the most Shots per game, averaging 2.4 attempts, with Gervinho next best on 2.2. Sow makes 1.1 Successful Dribbles and 0.85 Key Passes per game (from which he has 2 Assists this season) but, for a centre-forward, wins a surprisingly low 38% of Aerial Duels.
Sow’s game is not about tracking back or regaining possession- he makes just 0.5 Tackles and 0.8 Interceptions on average, the lowest at the club. His goals, though, have earned him more Man of the Match awards than any Lille player (with 6) and an average rating of 7.16 for the campaign.
