Lille to concentrate on going forward
PARIS - Following a bitter draw in their Champions League opener, Lille need to switch to forward gear if they are to go past Sochaux when Ligue 1 action resumes on Saturday.
The French champions blew a two-goal advantage against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday as they sat back after an hour of free-flowing, attacking football.
"It shows we are not made to play only defensively," coach Rudi Garcia told reporters.
"As long as we play our game, everything is going our way."
Lille, who are third in the standings two points behind pacesetters Montpellier, will have to make do with the absence of the injured Dimitri Payet.
The former Saint-Etienne striker will undergo knee injury, leaving the door open for English international Joe Cole, on loan from Liverpool, to snatch a place in the starting line-up.
Cole showed glimpses of his brilliant best on his Ligue 1 debut last weekend, setting up a goal during a 25-minute appearance.
"It's now time to forget this [CSKA] game. We're going to switch forward to the league game," said Belgian prodigy Eden Hazard.
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Leaders Montpellier will welcome back influential midfielder Younes Belhanda from a two-match suspension when they travel to Stade Brest.
On Sunday, Olympique Lyon will host Olympique Marseille after both sides put on convincing displays in the Champions League.
Second-placed Lyon snatched a goalless draw at Ajax Amsterdam while Marseille, who have yet to win a league game this season, grabbed a confidence-boosting 1-0 win at Olympiakos Piraeus.
"We had not won in a long time," said coach Didier Deschamps, referring to Marseille's last win in the Trophy of Champions against Lille on July 27.
"It will help us be calmer, it will boost our confidence."
"I felt the squad were very focused. Everybody made big efforts to defend. We have to stay on that path."
Marseille, the 2010 champions, lie 17th in the standings with only three points from five games.
Fourth-placed Paris Saint-Germain, who play against Salzburg in the Europa League later on Thursday, will travel to promoted Evian TG on Sunday.