Rennes V Clermont - Kicks off at 1800
Rennes lost again on Sunday but losing at Marseille was not as surprising as their losses at Angers and at home to Reims were. Les Rennais have a good squad and are managing good results in Europe but they have no consistency in their league form. After six games they have just the single victory and lie 16th in the table. Almost every week I expect them to turn it around and they don’t. They are desperate for a win here and have to go for the three points. They have missed the energy and the speed of Winger Jeremy Doku who is still out with a hamstring injury. Forward Martin Terrier missed the Marseille game with a knee problem and is unlikely to feature here either. With that in mind it will be interesting to see if Rennes Manager Bruno Génésio sticks with the 4-4-2 formation he used at Marseille or starts with Sulemana with a front three. An attacking trio of Sulemana, Guirassy and Laborde should score goals against anyone. Sulemana has the pace, Guirassy the physical presence and Laborde the industry and finishing. Gaetan Laborde got his first goal for the Club in the recent Europa League draw with Tottenham. He will score goals for Rennes if they create chances for him as Montpellier did last season.
The Bretons will have to create more here than they did against Marseille if they are going to win. Will this be the game where they turn things around?
Clermont’s draw at home to Brest was a decent result after recently receiving their first loss to PSG the week before. Once again the newly promoted team showed plenty of fight and spirit in pulling back a 1 - 0 deficit with ten men to earn another point. Clermont will be without Midfielder Johan Gastien following his sending off at the weekend. Les Lanciers are without a win in four games but must be delighted with how they are doing. Just one loss in six games in their first season in the top flight of French Football. They have scored in each of those games bar the defeat at Paris and have goal scorers in Rashani (4 goals) - pictured and Bayo (3 goals).
Another draw would not be a bad result for them here either. They currently sit sixth in the table after as many games. Who‘d have thought they’d start this well?
Frenchfooty prediction: Rennes 2 V Clermont 1.
Nantes V Brest - Kicks off at 1800
Nantes had a great result on Sunday winning 4 - 1 at a previously unbeaten Angers. Les Nantais scored early from a corner with Centre Back Andrei Girotto heading in for his first goal of the season. That goal came in the third minute and must have given Antoine Kombouaré‘s side confidence to keep attacking. They pressed Angers high up the pitch and were rewarded with a penalty when Kolo Muani was taken down in the box. Ludovic Blas converted for his second goal of the season. There was more to come with Kolo Muani scoring his second of the season and Blas his third. This was a big win for Nantes and a relief after losing three games in a row without scoring. If Nantes had been as clinical as they were against Angers when they played Nice ten days ago, they‘d have got something from that game too. There’s been a lot of unrest at Nantes through the summer and start of this season. Les Canaris narrowly avoided relegation last season and there were no significant signings. Kombouaré does have talent at his disposal though, particularly in Blas (pictured) who could be the key to them staying up.
There was a first start for Wylan Cyprien after his summer loan move from Parma. Cyprien could now be a mainstay in the midfield and will lend some experience and energy to the team.
Brest are still without a win this season but are holding their own in most games. Les Pirates have lost two games but one was at home to PSG, almost a given, and the second a bit of an off day at Strasbourg. Last weekend they got a creditable draw at Clermont who have started well. The Bretons earnt their fourth point of the season with their fourth 1 - 1 draw of the season. The game changed on 50 minutes when Clermont's Johan Gastien was sent off for a foul on Romain Faivre. Faivre floated in the resulting free kick which was nodded in by defender Brendan Chardonnet. That was Chardonnet’s first goal of the season and Faivre’s third assist. It’s no coincidence that Faivre was absent for the defeat at Strasbourg. The 23 year old is integral to how Brest play, sitting behind the Striker in a number 10 role. According to France Football magazine Faivre refused to play in that game after not being sold to A.C Milan. Faivre was upset that a price could not be agreed before the window shut. Keeping hold of Faivre until the end of the season could be the difference between Brest staying up or going down to Ligue 2.
Brest were without their first team Striker Steve Mounie for the game at Clermont and he's likely to miss this game too with a foot injury. In that case 19 year old Youssouph Badji should start up front. Brest Manager Michel Der Zakarian would have hoped his team could have held on for the win against ten men but it wasn’t to be. This will be a close game and could go either way but with Nantes at home and coming off a good win they should be favourites.
Frenchfooty prediction: Nantes 2 V Brest 1
Montpellier V Bordeaux - Kicks off at 1800
Montpellier seem to be adjusting to life without their main goal scorers nicely. With Laborde and Delort leaving at the end of the transfer window Montpellier fans must have been fearing the worse. Yet it’s been two games without their top scorers and one win and a draw. Mavididi and Germain scored to see off St Etienne at home before Savanier‘s 87th minute strike was enough to earn a point at Troyes last weekend. That after going down to ten men as well. Téji Savanier has been playing particularly well and seems to be the player that makes La Paillade tick. The attacking midfielder was given the Captaincy after Andy Delort's recent departure for Nice. He works hard, makes excellent runs and links well with Mollet and Mavididi who flank him on either side. That trio are playing just behind the industrious Valerie German who signed as a free agent a few weeks ago. I feared for Montpellier when Delort and Laborde left so late in the window. However if Manager Olivier Dall'Oglio doesn’t lose one of these four attacking players to injury maybe they’ll be fine. Brazilian Centre Back Matheus Thuler will miss this game after his sending off at the weekend.
Bordeaux finally got their first win of the season at fellow strugglers Saint Etienne on Saturday. The bottom of the table clash was played in awful conditions with the ball at times getting stuck in the water logged pitch. The game was not called off though and Les Bordelais took home the points with a 2 - 1 victory. Both goals were scored by last seasons top scorer Hwang Ui-Jo.
Hwang had 12 goals and three assists last season and was integral to Les Girondins staying up. They finished twelfth but were only five points above the relegation play off place. The win at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard was huge for many reasons. The first of the season but also the first for new Manager Vladimir Petković. Three points won over a the team just above them in the table and a jump in the league from bottom to seventeenth. Petković's team have yet to keep a clean sheet this season but Captain and defender Laurent Koscielny is still out with an ankle injury that will not help. Bordeaux will have gained huge confidence from that result but I'm not sure they'll have enough to beat Montpellier on their own turf.
Frenchfooty prediction: Montpellier 1 V Bordeaux 1
Monaco V Saint-Étienne - Kicks off at 1800
Monaco had yet another league game without a win but a draw at Nice was a decent result in the circumstances. Les Monegasques became the first team this season to score against Les Aiglons and Nice are playing particularly well this season. Monaco have surprisingly not scored many goals this season and struggled to create chances. Scoring against the League‘s best defence should be the turning point Niko Kovac’s team need. They also had a bit of luck that perhaps they haven’t had this season. Nice we’re awarded a late penalty that they then missed. Monaco were always going to change their bad form at some point. Maybe we’ll see them go on a bit if a run now. Last season‘s top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder (20 league goals last season) got off the mark at Nice with a penalty. What odds he’ll get another one here too?
Saint-Étienne will provide some stubborn resistance against Monaco today. If Les Monegasques are at their best though they will be confident of winning this.
Six games in and Saint Etienne are bang in trouble. Three draws followed by three losses, with only 6 goals scored and eleven conceded. Worse still they lost at home to the only side below them in the league at the weekend. Claude Puel's defence was ripped apart in just seven minutes with Hwang passing the ball in to the net. Les Verts had more possession and clearer chances than Les Bordelais but couldn't find the net until the 73rd minute when Wahbi Khazri got his third of the season. Khazri looked lively coming of the left and had earlier hit the post and another shot saved well by Costil. The Thirty year old Tunisian harassed the Bordeaux defence and got his rewards when he stole the ball in the opposition area and finished. Played in the most difficult conditions on a severely water logged pitch a draw would probably have been a fair result but poor defending let in Hwang for his second. Saint Étienne might have got an equaliser had it not been for the amount of water holding the ball up so it wouldn't cross the line. Claude Puel is now under real pressure to get a result. He has some good players at his disposal but there is a lack of experience and leadership in his team. It's hard to see what he or any other Manager can do to change things around. The Club is up for sale, got a lot of players of the wage bill in the summer and only made one signing.
If they sack Puel who would take over and to what end? They wouldn't have any money to spend in January either. There were reports this week that the Crown Prince of Cambodia, Norodom Ravichak is prepared to put a bid of 100 Million Euros for the Club. Whether anything comes of it is another matter and even if it's bonafide it would take a long time to resolve. It's going to be a long tough season for this famous old club but I still think they'll stay up.
Frenchfooty prediction: Monaco 2 V Saint-Étienne 1
Lille V Reims - Kicks off at 1800 - Live on BT Sport Extra
I keep thinking Lille will turn things around and get a bit of form but keep being proven wrong. The Derby of the North last weekend saw Lille lose 1 - 0 to their close rivals Lens. Les Lillios, the current Champions, sit 15th in the table with just the solitary win. They'd performed pretty well against the Bundesliga's early leaders Wolfsburg during their Europa League clash but can't get any type of run going. The clean sheet they got against the Germans has yet to be replicated in their league form and they are not scoring regularly either. Last season's top scorer Burak Yilmaz had chances against Lens but made a mess of a close range header then saw another chance smothered by Lens Goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca. In a game that was marred by crowd violence which caused the second half to be delayed by 45 minutes, Lille just didn't really threaten enough. On paper they have a good enough side to give anyone a game. It's just not happening for them though. New Manager Jocelyn Gourvennec must be feeling the pressure now. Will tonight finally be the turning point for him to start getting the best out of a talented and balanced squad?
Les Dogues will be without their Portuguese Midfielder Xeka who is suspended after an accumulation of yellow cards, New signing Amadou Onana may start in his place. Jonathan Bamba and Renato Sanches are still injured.
Reims are another team who continue to prove me wrong but for different reasons. They keep picking up points and are proving difficult to beat. The team from the Champagne region got their first win of the season at Rennes (0 - 2) ten days ago and picked up a point on Sunday at home to Lorient (0 - 0). They have only lost once and that was to PSG so they've had a much better start than expected. Manager Óscar García (pictured) continues to get some nice football out of his young team despite having no established stars.
Garcia's team move the ball very well but just lack a bit of a cutting edge up front. That was certainly the case in the match against Lorient where Reims were reduced to a lot of long range efforts. The best chance came to substitute Anastasios Donis who couldn't turn the ball in to the net from close range. I still think Reims will struggle to score goals regularly this season. Fair play to Garcia though for being brave enough to play an attractive style of football and not constantly have 10 men behind the ball to pick up points.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lille 1 V Reims 0
Metz V PSG - Kicks off at 2000 - Live on BT Sport 2
Metz are in trouble after another loss at the weekend leaves them bottom of the table on just three points. They are on a run of ten league games without a win running from last season. We say the same about Metz every week. They have talented players in Habib Maïga, Pape Matar Sarr and Ibrahima Niane but are not clinical enough in taking chances and leak too many at the other end. The longer this run goes on the more the pressure goes on young Striker Niane to score goals. The 22 year old will score goals if chances are created for him but he needs the service. Metz did show some attacking intent at their close rivals Strasbourg last Friday night but were beaten convincingly 3 - 0. The first goal was a penalty given away by a rash attempt to win the ball from Goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja. Metz's poor defending gave Strasbourg Striker Habib Diallo too much time and Metz found themselves 3 - 0 down by half time. Les Grenats's best chance came in the second half when Centre Back Boubakar Kouyaté (pictured), of all people, fired on to the post.
Metz's other chances came from set pieces that were easily saved. This is worrying times for Metz and their Manager Frédéric Antonetti. The last thing they need is a visit from PSG.
PSG had their biggest test of the season yet at home to Lyon last Sunday. Lyon were leading up until the 66th minute when Neymar Jr was awarded a dubious penalty decision. Neymar dispatched the penalty before substitute Mauro Icardi scored a 93rd minute winner. It was a huge win and PSG are sitting pretty at the top of Ligue 1 having won all six of their League games.
As in the game at Club Brugge last week we saw glimpses of Lionel Messi's class. The Argentinian had a nice run and shot that was heading in but hit Goalkeeper Lopez's legs. He later clipped the post from a free kick. That's twice in two games that Messi has hit the woodwork. You feel that it's only a matter of time before he scores. Mauricio Pochettino caused a bit of a stir by substituting Messi with 14 minutes to go. The six time Ballon D'Or winner was visibly unhappy at being substituted and appeared to snub Pochettino's handshake. That will matter for little though if PSG keep winning but Messi will not play at Metz due to a knee injury. Pochettino's biggest challenge will be how to manage this squad of players and give them all game time. Whoever plays in this game can be as sure of a win as they’ll ever get.
Frenchfooty prediction: Metz 0 V PSG 3
Lorient V Nice - Kicks off at 2000
Lorient have had their best start to a League 1 campaign since 2012. They are seventh in the table with just a solitary loss from the first six games. Christophe Pélissier's formation of 5-3-2 seems to suit his players. They don't concede many but do have a goal threat with young strike duo Terem Moffi (pictured) and and Armand Laurienté.
It's hard to see how far Lorient can take things this season but they are not looking like the relegation battlers I expected them to be at the start of the season. Lorient will be without midfielder Fabien Lemoine for this game for reasons personal to the player.
Nice continue to be unbeaten but did concede their first goals of the season last weekend at home to Monaco. Christophe Galtier will feel that his side should have won after in form Striker Amine Gouiri struck a late penalty wide of the goal. Nice are on form though. They are strong at the back but break quickly and with pace. Andy Delort got his first goal for the club against Monaco with a firmly planted header. The bad news for Les Aiglons is that Midfielder Mario Lemina is suspended for this game and Striker Kasper Dolberg is out with a knee injury. Delort and Gouiri will cause problems for anyone up front though and we should see the return of pacey winger Justin Kluivert (pictured) after missing recent games with injury. This could be one of many close game tonight but I think Nice may have enough to take the points.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lorient 1 V Nice 2
Lyon V Troyes - Kicks off at 2000
Lyon were very unlucky not to get something from their match at Les Parc Des Princes at the weekend. At 1 - 0 up and playing well they were awarded a dubious penalty against them which Neymar equalised with. Earlier in the game Angel Di Maria could have been sent off for a poor challenge on Maxence Cacqueret that he was only given a yellow for. To lose late on to a stoppage time winner must have been a bit of a sickener for Peter Bosz and his team. Les Lyonnais are on form though. Prior to this game they followed two league wins with a good 2 - 0 win at Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League game last week. Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá are playing particularly well. Guimarães from midfield and Paquetá in the number ten role just behind the Striker. The Brazilian took his goal well to put Lyon 1 - 0 up at the weekend. The fact that they gave PSG such a good test without star striker Moussa Dembélé also says a lot. Dembélé missed the game with an injury but thankfully for Lyon is back for this game.
Lyon will still be without right back Leo Dubois who has a calf injury. 18 year old Malo Gusto should continue in his place.
Troyes are unbeaten in their last two games with a win at Metz ten days ago and a home draw against Montpellier at the weekend. Troyes haven't played badly this season despite losing three of their opening four games. Laurent Batlles was furious though that his side were unable to hold on to a 1 - 0 lead against ten men Montpellier last weekend. Batlles has put together a well organised team who have given all their opponents a competitive game. They have a good focal point up front in Yoann Touzghar who scored his second of the season against Montpellier. The Tunisian might have got the winner but headed over the bar.
Troyes will be fine this season and I think they'll stay up but it will be difficult for them tonight against an in form Lyon.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lyon 2 V Troyes 0
Lens V Strasbourg - Kicks off at 2000
Lens's good form continued at the weekend with a 1 - 0 victory over local rivals Lille. Midfielder Przemysław Frankowski finished well with his first goal of the season. Lens remain unbeaten and are third in the table. Franck Haise's team were unlucky not to qualify for Europe last season and I wonder if they can keep this form going to go one step further this season. Haise has a good attacking side and it will be interesting to see how they perform when they come up against some of the bigger sides in the division.
Strasbourg had a great win at the weekend winning 3 - 0 over local rivals Metz. That was just their second win of the season. Significantly there was a rare start up front for Habib Diallo who partnered Ludovic Ajorque instead of Kevin Gameiro. Diallo stepped and scored twice with Ajorque getting the other. That is now Diallo's third goal in two games so I would expect him to start again this evening. Strasbourg are still finding their way under new coach Julien Stéphan but they seem to be on the right track.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lens 1 V Strasbourg 1
Angers V Marseille - Kicks off at 2000 - Live on BT Sport Extra 1
Angers received their first loss if the season last Sunday at home to Nantes. Up until then they had belied everyone’s expectations with impressive performances and results. Gerard Baticle’s side dominated possession and created more chances than Nantes but couldn’t convert. Les Nantais were clinical and ran out 4 - 1 winners. Baticle will not be panicking as his team performed well enough. He just has to ensure this is a one off. Angers are likely to be a bit more careful against tonight’s free scoring opponents. Will Baticle dispense with his 3-4-3 formation that has worked largely so well this season? Alternatively will he keep the system his players are comfortable with and try and counter Marseille. Trying to outscore L’OM is a dangerous policy but they do leave gaps at the back with their all out attack style. Will Angers’ forwards Cho (1 goal this season), Fulgini (1 assist) and Boufal (2 goals) be able to exploit that space? Angers have no new injuries or suspensions to worry about.
Marseille are flying in the league. Unbeaten in five games with four wins and a draw. Unusually they have two clean sheets in their last two games. How much of that is down to the opposition or new Goalkeeper Pau López is hard to say. Monaco had no shots on target and Rennes managed only two at the weekend. López hardly came with a glowing reputation. He has been known to make huge and costly mistakes at Roma and didn't play at all for Tottenham's first team in his full season there. However Manager Jorge Sampaoli clearly doesn't seem to rate Steve Mandanda. It's a strange situation as Mandanda has made mistakes himself but has been a mainstay of the Marseille team for years. He has made some great saves in his time and Captained the Club. It may just be that Sampaoli wants to give Mandanda some Competition. At 36 though the French International will surely not be content to sit on the bench. If Lopez is picked again tonight for the fourth match running Mandanda could be on his way in January. It will be interesting to see how Lopez stands up to the scrutiny too particularly when tested more than he has been so far. Elsewhere on the pitch everything is going right for Sampaoli. His wingers De La Fuente and Ünder provide pace and creativity, Guendouzi energy and guile in midfield and Dieng and Payet's pace and goals up front. Dieng only played at Monaco two weekends ago as Payet was banned and Milik still injured. He scored two at Monaco, another against Rennes and is a constant threat with his explosive pace. Latest signing Amine Harit also did well at Monaco and got his first goal for the Club against Rennes. With Dimitri Payet carrying a thigh injury I'd expect Harit to start and continue to link up effectively with Dieng.
Marseille now sit second in the league with a game in hand. The postponed game at Nice due to crowd trouble will be played at a neutral venue on the 27th October. Can Marseille keep this wonderful run going? They are always susceptible to the counter attack but their attacking play is great to watch. Frenchfooty prediction: Angers 1 V Marseille 2
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