OCG Nice – Lille OSC: Tactical Adjustments Salvage Draw in Ligue 1 Stalemate (2-2)

In one of the standout matches of the Ligue 1 weekend, top-four contenders Nice and Lille faced off at the Allianz Riviera on Sunday afternoon in the ‘Le Derby’. Both teams would have felt the significance of the tie with both so close to each other in the table. 

Tactical analysis and match report by William Sutton.

Lille's away form had been particularly impressive, as they were averaging two points per game on the road. Defensively, they had also been solid, conceding just once in their last five away matches and maintaining three consecutive clean sheets.

Draws have become a familiar theme for Nice this season, particularly at home, where four of their six matches have ended in a stalemate. This fixture, too, has often produced its fair share of deadlocks in recent years.

New injuries for Lille included Thomas Meunier. Andre Gomes and Gabriel Gudmundsson started on the bench being replaced by Mitchell Bakker and seventeen-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi. It’s good to see Bouaddi getting starts again. 

There was no new injury news from the Nice camp as all three players: Morgan Sanson, Terem Moffi and Hicham Boudaoui were all still sidelined. There were some changes though since their domestic game against Brest. Dante and Mohamed Abdelmonem were replaced by Tanguy Ndombele and Melvin Bard.

Lille going forward

Nice clearly set out in a 5-4-1 out-of-possession shape from the beginning of the match and were content to give possession to Lille. Lille were looking to recycle possession through their defense and hit their wingers after they came deep . . .