11/21/2008 - Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyon manager Claude Puel described the team's schedule as "totally crazy," but emphasized the club has to remained focused on each game.
Lyon visits PSG in France's Ligue 1 on Saturday, its 10th match in five weeks. The seven-time defending French champions then face Fiorentina in Italy in the Champions League on Tuesday.
With the busy club schedule, not to mention international call ups, Lyon asked unsuccessfully for this week's game against PSG to be postponed.
"If it had been accepted, I would gladly have taken it," Puel said at a press conference. "But we just have to deal with it."
Lyon travels to Parc des Princes this weekend with a seven-point lead, but Puel doesn't want to look at the cushion and rest any players he doesn't have to.
Jeremy Toulalan and Fabio Grosso are already doubtful for the PSG match after sustaining injuries on international duty.
Jean II Makoun may be rested after returning to France on Friday after playing for Cameroon in South Africa. Makoun spent three hours on a bus for the match, which Puel called "incredible."
Luckily, leading scorer Karim Benzema should play despite a hamstring strain and defender John Mensah resumed training this week after missing time due to a groin strain and should be available.
Puel knows he might have to piece together a lineup - and he would like to have fresh players - but has to do whatever it takes to get through the busy run.
"I would like to have the players just a little fresher, a little less in- demand [for international duty] and treated with more consideration," said Puel. "I have no idea [who will play]. I'm waiting to have more information before I decide anything."
PSG features a number of former Lyon players, not to mention an ex-Lyon boss. Paul Le Guen coached Lyon to three league championships from 2002-05 and Jeremy Clement, Peguy Luyindula and Ludovic Giuly are former OL players.
In addition to figuring out what he has to do this week, Puel also knows PSG is a tough side to face without a full strength squad.
"At the moment, they are in form, very solid, very realistic, they are a team that can count on players like Giuly who has refound his form, or Hoarau up front, who is very altruistic, who creates a lot of work for defenders and brings a lot to his team," Puel said.
Also Saturday, Bordeaux hosts Rennes, Valenciennes hosts Sochaux, Lorient hosts Toulouse, Grenoble hosts Le Havre, Caen hosts Auxerre and Saint Etienne hosts Nice.
On Sunday, Monaco hosts Le Mans, Nantes hosts Nancy and Marseille hosts Lille.
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The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
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