Lyon switch suits Mvuemba

Lyon midfielder Arnold Mvuemba says he is relishing life at the club after his move from Lorient earlier this month.

Mvuemba praised team-mate Jimmy Briand’s role in helping him settle at the club since his move, and he believes Lyon have the ingredients to be successful this season.

Lyon were held 1-1 at Lille last week and face Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Sunday as they look to keep the pressure on league leaders Marseille.

“I feel good,” Mvuemba said.

“There is a good squad, full of confidence. My friend Jimmy Briand helped me to integrate in the team. And with a good squad, it is always easy anyway.

“They (Bordeaux) are a good team.

“I think they are unbeaten since last season, and they are a team full of confidence. They haven’t recruited so the players know each other very well. But, it’s up to us. We are playing at home. If we play well, we will put them under pressure and we would win.”

Mvuemba recognises centre forward Lisandro Lopez as the key man for his new team, and believes a change in approach helped the Argentine to net a late equaliser against Lille.

“He (Lopez) is a great player, a great striker,” he said.

“With the tactic we used (against Lille), the 4-4-2, we struggled to pass him the ball. We were not very well organized. There were a lot of spaces between our lines. When we changed our system, and he (Lisandro Lopez) played in the left wing. He seems more confident in that position. He scored. He changed the game. That’s very good for the team.”

Lyon have underwhelmed early in the season, failing to produce the entertaining style demanded by the supporters at the Stade de Gerland.

But Mvuemba feels recording positive results should be their first priority, with the plaudits for flare to follow.

“A lot of people like the good football,” he said.

“But we need to keep in mind that we are second in the league, we had some good results, the squad is full of confidence.

“We are not showing our best football, but the results are there and the good football will come later. Efficiency is the most important thing.”