Having made an intense start to life in France, sustaining his run will be vital to Christophe Galtier’s side’s chances of success
Victor Osimhen’s blistering start to life at LOSC Lille took him into the club’s history books last Wednesday, when a goal in the Great Danes’ 2-0 win over Strasbourg, which took his tally for the season to six in seven appearances, made him the fastest Lille signing to reach that number in over 50 years.
When the 20-year-old made the switch in the summer, he’d probably not envisioned flying out of the blocks in this fashion. Nonetheless, his amazing spell in the opening weeks of the campaign can’t be ignored.
Having had physical issues affect his level in the German top flight with Wolfsburg, a temporary spell in Belgium with Sporting Charleroi restored his confidence and has consequently brought him back to the big leagues.
Osimhen’s impact has played a part in fans at Stade Pierre Mauroy not missing the departed Nicolas Pepe as much as had been predicted. The latter was involved in 33 (22 goals and 11 assists) of Lille’s 68 goals in his final season at the club in which they ended behind the dominant Paris-Saint Germain.
The Ivorian’s aforementioned return accounted for 48 percent of Les Dogues’ goals last term, and it was always going to be hard to replicate that sort of influence. However, Osimhen, admittedly with a smaller pool of games, is showing he can match Pepe’s effect.
Asides from his six strikes, the Nigerian has created two goals for Christophe Galtier’s side, taking his goal involvements to eight from Lille’s 11. That accounts for a staggeringly high percent of their goals, which is frankly unsustainable.
In the strangest of circumstances, this season’s start is consonant with the last campaign, in which the side from Northern France picked up 13 points from their opening seven games. They ended in second with 75 points, beaten to the title by a Paris Saint-Germain side that accrued 91.
So why is there a bit of hope of the Great Danes making a more sustained title challenge this term, or even making a mark in the Champions League, where they continue their campaign against Chelsea on Tuesday?
In addition to Osimhen’s brilliant start, Thomas Tuchel’s PSG have been somewhat unrecognizable in Ligue 1 so far, having lost two of their opening seven fixtures. Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat by Stade Reims at the Parc des Princes may have been unforeseen, but totally deserved on the balance of play.
Tuchel’s side won 17 and drew two of their 19 home games last term, so Reims’ win in midweek came as a surprise.
PSG have been somewhat unconvincing in the early weeks of the season, and while that is understandable given the absences of Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe, their performances gives the chasing pack some optimism in the title race.
If Osimhen and co. are to make up last term’s 16-point deficit on the champions, they’ll have to improve on a poor away record that’s seen them score once in three games, while conceding four times. Expectedly, their away blues leaves them winless on their travels, and that run was extended with a draw away at OGC Nice last weekend.
In the context of Galtier’s side’s season, being over reliant on their home form won’t take them to their first league title since 2011, but will only be enough for a continental slot.
Furthermore, the sustainability of Osimhen’s form over the course of the campaign is unclear, but chances are he won’t keep producing at the current rate till May. It’s no coincidence that the forward’s goals have come in matches they have won, all on home turf, and without him, they’ve lacked other options.
As it stands, the youngster’s form will make or mar their league chances, which might prove to be too much a burden for a 20-year-old to bear, as he’s bound to slow down at some point this season.
Lille’s away form, which was the second best of all the sides in the division last term, needs to get better if they’re to stand a chance at league success.
Frankly, Galtier will need an alternative to the Nigeria international if they’re to usurp a PSG side that’s showing weakness at the start of the season. It’s likely to be a similar story in Europe; where Osimhen’s domestic form wasn’t evident during a muted European debut against Ajax, as Lille were defeated 3-0 in their first group game.
Any hopes that Lille could have capitalised on Chelsea’s poor form under Frank Lampard have been dimmed by the Blues’ upturn in fortunes, as they’ve won their last two matches in all competitions.
Whether Osimhen sustains his form enough to keep the Great Danes in the hunt for glory this term remains to be seen.
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