RC Lens found a solution to its offensive problem after the injury to Odsonne Édouard. The Artesian center forward, who underwent adductor surgery on Wednesday, will be absent for several weeks, leaving the club without its main scorer. Manager Yannick Cahuzac then announced that he was considering putting Thorgan Hazard at the center of the attack, after the Belgian's decisive performance in the match against Paris FC.
In this duel, Hazard marked the 2-1 victory by scoring the decisive goal in the 84th minute, after participating in the equalizer. Coming on in the 61st minute, he showed excellent reading of the game, moving into the appropriate spaces and combining effectively with Florian Thauvin. According to Cahuzac, these qualities make Hazard a player capable of playing as a number 9, even if he has a versatile profile. The coach stressed that his ability to move between the lines and attack the depth would be a major asset for the offensive animation of the Sang et Or, especially in the matches to come, notably the derby in Lille.
Despite this confidence, Cahuzac remains cautious. He said he would make his choices based on the performances observed in training, while maintaining a certain flexibility. “Afterwards, I will make my choices based on what I receive in training, but he has this quality of being able to play in several positions, I think,” he clarified. This approach leaves open the possibility that Hazard will not immediately become a starter, but that he could play an important role during Édouard's absence.
At the same time, the club must also manage the absence of Abdallah Sima, who will be unavailable until the end of November. With two key attackers off the pitch, Cahuzac's decision on Hazard's move is crucial to maintaining Lens' competitiveness in Ligue 1. The next few training sessions will help confirm whether Hazard can truly support Lens' attack in the long term or whether he will remain a back-up option. The club and its supporters are therefore waiting to see if this strategy will be implemented in future matches.