FM21 Lyon tactic and team guide. Club culture and board requirements, tactics, key players, youth prospects and potential transfers.
Football Manager 2021 Lyon tactic and team guide. Club culture and board
requirements, tactics, key players, youth prospects and potential transfers
in FM21.
About Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais or simply Lyon are a professional football club that ply their trade in Ligue 1. The club was nationally established in 1950 and is one of the most supported teams in France. Lyon have won the Ligue 1 title 7 times which also included a record of 7 consecutive title wins from 2001-2007.
They have also won 5 Coupe De France (French Cup) and 1 Coupe de la Ligue
(French League Cup). Lyon are the 3rd most supported team in France and have
the 2nd biggest home stadium. They have never won a European competition,
though they have made it to several semi-finals of European tournaments.
Lyon finished a disappointing 7th in the 2019-2020 League season and have no European football as a result. Their board requirements once you take over will be,
1. Make the top 3 of Ligue 1 (Qualify for the UEFA Champion’s League)
2. Reach the semi-final of the French Cup.
You will additionally be required to play attacking football, sign players based in France & develop players using the club’s youth system. The board wants you to be identified as the “best of the rest” in France.
Lyon have excellent training facilities and a superb youth system. You will learn to heavily depend on these once you establish yourself at the club.
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Lyon are a team that plays attacking football and prefer to move the ball to its wings quickly. A vertical Tiki-Taka style of football best suits the available squad of players. Alternatively, you can go for fluid counter-attacking football for tough away games where you need to maintain your defensive shape.
A 4-2-3-1 is probably the best-suited formation to the available squad of players. This also helps them maintain the width and releasing the ball quickly to counter opponents.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows,
Anthony Lopes as a sweeper keeper.
Jason Denayer & Marcelo as the 2 centre backs playing as Ball Playing Defenders.
Leo Dubois & Mattia Di Sciglio as the full-back and wing-back respectively. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Bruno Guimares as a deep playmaker on defence duty and Lucas Paqueta as a box to box midfielder.
Houssem Aouar as an attacking playmaker in a No:10 role.
Maxwell Cornet & Memphis Depay as the 2 wingers. They are versatile and can be played in multiple roles.
Moussa Dembele as the lone striker in a Pressing Forward role.
Alternatively, you can go with a 4-3-3 formation push Aouar back into midfield, especially for tougher away games to make the midfield more compact.
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Depay is a very versatile winger who can play in multiple roles in the attack. He contributes a lot of goals & assists from the wings and will be crucial to achieving results throughout the season.
Dembele is a prolific young striker who has a very good eye for goal. He has already scored around 44 goals for Lyon from 103 appearances and will only get better with age.
Aouar is one of the best young midfielders for his age. He will develop into one of the best midfielders in the game and will be your best player in the future.
The central midfielder was once considered as a world class prospect may not be as highly sought after as he once was but will still develop into a very good player.
To Summarize, Lyon are a very strong young squad who is very exciting to manage for most FM21 Managers. If you can hold on to your stars and maintain consistency you can build an empire with Lyon. Are you up for the challenge?
Board Requirements
Lyon finished a disappointing 7th in the 2019-2020 League season and have no European football as a result. Their board requirements once you take over will be,
1. Make the top 3 of Ligue 1 (Qualify for the UEFA Champion’s League)
2. Reach the semi-final of the French Cup.
You will additionally be required to play attacking football, sign players based in France & develop players using the club’s youth system. The board wants you to be identified as the “best of the rest” in France.
Lyon have excellent training facilities and a superb youth system. You will learn to heavily depend on these once you establish yourself at the club.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Lyon are a team that plays attacking football and prefer to move the ball to its wings quickly. A vertical Tiki-Taka style of football best suits the available squad of players. Alternatively, you can go for fluid counter-attacking football for tough away games where you need to maintain your defensive shape.
A 4-2-3-1 is probably the best-suited formation to the available squad of players. This also helps them maintain the width and releasing the ball quickly to counter opponents.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows,
Anthony Lopes as a sweeper keeper.
Jason Denayer & Marcelo as the 2 centre backs playing as Ball Playing Defenders.
Leo Dubois & Mattia Di Sciglio as the full-back and wing-back respectively. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Bruno Guimares as a deep playmaker on defence duty and Lucas Paqueta as a box to box midfielder.
Houssem Aouar as an attacking playmaker in a No:10 role.
Maxwell Cornet & Memphis Depay as the 2 wingers. They are versatile and can be played in multiple roles.
Moussa Dembele as the lone striker in a Pressing Forward role.
Alternatively, you can go with a 4-3-3 formation push Aouar back into midfield, especially for tougher away games to make the midfield more compact.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Tactics
Key Players
1. Memphis Depay
Depay is a very versatile winger who can play in multiple roles in the attack. He contributes a lot of goals & assists from the wings and will be crucial to achieving results throughout the season.
2. Moussa Dembele
Dembele is a prolific young striker who has a very good eye for goal. He has already scored around 44 goals for Lyon from 103 appearances and will only get better with age.
3. Houssem Aouar
Aouar is one of the best young midfielders for his age. He will develop into one of the best midfielders in the game and will be your best player in the future.
4. Lucas Paqueta
The central midfielder was once considered as a world class prospect may not be as highly sought after as he once was but will still develop into a very good player.
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1. The quality of backups in the squad especially in defence may not be up to the quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. The core of the squad is very young and the inexperience could show in big important games.
Lyon are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Jean Clair Todibo
· Boubakary Soumare
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Djamel Benlamri
· Tino Kadewere
There is a plethora of young talent with Lyon and some have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
The young French winger is already an important part of the Lyon squad despite being just 17. He goes on to become one of the best players in his position and will be an asset to any manager.
Caqueret is a player with high potential who is on the cusp of more first team football for Lyon. Provided the right opportunities he can go on to dominate French football for a lot of years.
The left-back could be Lyon’s one of the most important players in the future and is one of the best young players in his position in the game.
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Weaknesses
1. The quality of backups in the squad especially in defence may not be up to the quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. The core of the squad is very young and the inexperience could show in big important games.
Potential Transfers (in)
Lyon are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Jean Clair Todibo
· Boubakary Soumare
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Djamel Benlamri
· Tino Kadewere
Youth Prospects
There is a plethora of young talent with Lyon and some have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
1. Rayan Cherki
The young French winger is already an important part of the Lyon squad despite being just 17. He goes on to become one of the best players in his position and will be an asset to any manager.
2. Maxence Caqueret
Caqueret is a player with high potential who is on the cusp of more first team football for Lyon. Provided the right opportunities he can go on to dominate French football for a lot of years.
3. Melvin Bard
The left-back could be Lyon’s one of the most important players in the future and is one of the best young players in his position in the game.
RELATED: Best Football Manager 2021 Wonderkids
Summary
To Summarize, Lyon are a very strong young squad who is very exciting to manage for most FM21 Managers. If you can hold on to your stars and maintain consistency you can build an empire with Lyon. Are you up for the challenge?
