Yannick Cahuzac says Lens must be more clinical after Bruges defeat

“We cannot create so many chances and not score,” Yannick Cahuzac said after Lens were beaten 3-0 in Bruges by Club Brugge KV. The coach's frustration was aimed less at effort than at what happened in both boxes, with Lens stuck on 3 points and 27th in the Champions League league phase.

Lens' wasted moments in Bruges

Cahuzac's post-match message was consistent. He said the performance had decent content, but going in at 0-1 hurt his side and they did not make enough of their strong periods. He also pointed to the details that kept the score moving against them, including hitting the post twice and running into an excellent goalkeeper.

The wider issue is easy to see in the numbers Lens have 3 goals scored and 4 conceded in the league phase, a thin margin for a side that has already left points behind. Cahuzac was not pretending the display was poor. He was saying it was not enough.

Rotation and rhythm in the squad

The selection calls in Bruges also fitted Cahuzac's wider thinking on fatigue. He said some choices were driven by the rhythm of his players, with Florian Thauvin left on the bench after asking not to start because he was starting to get tired. Cahuzac added that he wants players fielded at 100%, because the schedule does not let everyone repeat so many high-intensity matches in so little time.

Thauvin has 7 Ligue 1 appearances and 607 league minutes this season, so the workload point is not abstract. Thorgan Hazard was also part of the selection picture after being absent from circulation since 18 September before starting in Bruges. Cahuzac wants a base he can lean on, but the rotation in Belgium showed how much he is still juggling.