With the arrival of Arnaud Bodart, LOSC has slightly changed its mercantile strategy with regard to guards. Lucas Chevalier, the Taulier, no longer needs to be “cuddled”.
Former goalkeeper of FC Metz, whom he left freely after six short months in Ligue 2, Arnaud Bodart (27 years old) engaged two years with LOSC. The Belgian, summoned several times with the Red Devils, arrives in Lille to succeed Vito Mannone, free party. He assumes the role of second behind Lucas Chevalier in the hierarchy of northern porters, a role that has evolved over time. The signature on July 1, the presentation to the press the next day, everything went very quickly.
The description
Alongside his new recruit, Olivier Létang made the presentations and described a goalkeeper capable of bringing something new to the group made up of Lucas Chevalier and Marc-Aurèle Caillard: “We were looking for a second goalkeeper who is in capacity and who are used to playing, experienced Alsohe was quoting to start. Arnaud (Bodart) participated in European club competitions, he was called a number of times with the Belgian team. It is someone who will be able to understand and push Lucas (knight), to be fully at all training. It must allow us to continue to increase the level of requirement on a daily basis ”he insisted, terms which will return several times during his media intervention.
“The objective of this new season is to continue to raise the level an almost everywhere”
The President of LOSC continues in this sense, highlighting qualities that can be less visible on land:
“He's a player who has a super mentalitywho left a beautiful image wherever he went (two clubs) and which also has a role of locomotive and leader.
It is also important for us, because last year, if we resume our season, We can consider that we have had a great season, but there is still this little frustration. SO The objective of this new season is to continue to raise the level one little everywherealso among the guards. That is on a daily basis in training, in attitudes … so that it is in competition “explained Olivier Létang in front of the media.
An evolving n ° 2 role
The profile of Arnaud Bodart, described previously, remains very different from that of his predecessors. The last three were much more experienced doors with Ornestis Karnesis (34 years old at the time, 39 today), Benoît Costil (35 years at the time, 38 today) and Vito Mannone (35 years old when he arrived, 37 years today), both by age and by the number of clubs represented and lived epics. Asked about this, Olivier Létang was fully aware of it, judging, however, that these profiles supposed to support Lucas Chevalier in his evolution were no longer necessary.
“The position of Lucas (knight) was not the same at the timehe added, leaping into the past to explain himself. If you go back two to three years, you needed someone there to help Lucas on a daily basis. This is what we went to seek with Benoît Costil in January 2023. The relationship between Lucas (knight) and Léo Jardim was not fluid, because Léo Jardim absolutely wanted to play, so he was not there to help Lucas on a daily basis. We finally had the opportunity to sell it, and
Benoît Costil played this role of older brother ultimatelywith all his experience. It was also the case with Vito (Mannone) »declared the president of LOSC, detailing his will in this position.
“Injury, suspension, it can happen in one and the same season”
“It may also be the case with Arnaud (Bodart)continued Olivier Létang. But there he is younger, he is used to playing. It's really someone who will be there on a daily basis, that grows on all training sessionsbecauseWe need quality and requirement on all training sessions »he insisted once again on this desire to see Lucas Chevalier being jostled.
Arnaud Bodart also allows the LOSC to have a second goalkeeper capable of responding present whenever this is necessary: “During a season, it can happen. An injury, a suspension … So we need someone, in number 2, capable of taking over on 5, 10, 15 games, depending on what can happen.
He must have the mentality, the state of mind, the frameworkcome actually to help, play a role in the group, very important, and be able to play if there is ever a problem ”thus concluded Olivier Létang, explaining the evolution of the role of second goalkeeper among the Dogues.
