Ligue 1 - Round 11 - Friday and Saturday games

Saint Etienne V Angers - Kicks off at 20:00 Friday 22 October - Live on BT Sport 3

I was really expecting Saint Etienne to go on a positive little run of results after picking up a hard fought point at home to Lyon a few weeks ago. I was not expecting them to travel to Strasbourg and get absolutely thumped 5 - 1. Les Verts found themselves 2 - 0 down on 38 minutes after a goal conceded from a corner then Zaydou Youssouf slid in to intercept a ball in the box and inadverdantly poked the ball past his own Keeper. Six minutes later Youssouf was sent off for a foul on Ludovic Ajorque. That followed Goalkeeper Etienne Green being taken off with an injury. Despite that Les Verts rallied and won a penalty when Arnaud Nordin was taken out in the box. Wahbi Khazri dispatched the penalty for his fifth goal of the season on the stroke of half time. The second half was all down hill. Three unanswered goals. A dismal result for Claude Puel who returns to intense pressure to save his job.

The problem Saint Etienne have is they can’t really afford to sack Puel and get a new Manager in. There has been no investment in the squad so what can a new Manager do anyway? On the flip side the owners will find it even harder to sell the Club if it’s in Ligue 2. Saint Etienne have players in Khazri, Bouanga and Nordin to pick up points but they are already playing catch up. They have a run of games now where they should and must pick up points. This should be a close game but will depend on how Saint Etienne react to their drubbing last week. If they lose this Puel might well be gone. Zaydou Youssouf will miss this match due to suspension after last weeks red card. Goalkeeper Etienne Green is a doubt with the concussion he picked up at Strasbourg and defender Timothée Kolodziejczak is out with a thigh injury. That leaves Les Stephanois really short at left back as Trauco and Silva have been out for some time. Les Verts need a result so badly here and I hope the crowd gets behind them as they did against Lyon.

Angers were beaten for only the second time this season at PSG last week. It was a narrow defeat to the league leaders so no disgrace. Les Scoistes actually took the lead when the in form Jimmy Cabot robbed Verratti of the ball deep in the Angers half. Cabot broke well and found Sofiane Boufal who set up Angelo Fulgini to score.

That was Fulgini’s first goal of the season. Angers led until the 69th minute and were then undone by a late and dubious penalty. There was a foul on Romain Thomas in the lead up then Icardi headed the ball on to Pierrick Capelle‘s hands that were against his chest. It was tough on Angers but they gave a good account of themselves yet again. Despite this narrow defeat they are fifth in the table, level on 16 points with Nice above them and Lyon below. There is so much to like about the way Manager Gérald Baticle has them set up this season. Organized at the back, but press high and look to break quickly. Angers have no new injuries or suspensions to worry about for this one.

French Footy prediction: Saint-Étienne 1 V Angers 1

Nantes V Clermont - Kicks off at 16:00 Saturday 23 October

Nantes picked up a point at Bordeaux last week with a 1 - 1 draw. They only had 40% of the possession but created far more chances than their hosts. Les Canaris went behind on 62 minutes when a curling shot from distance from Hwang Ui-Jo gave in form Goalkeeper Alban Lafont no chance. Antoine Kombouaré's side kept going though and equalised when midfielder Pedro Chirivella swept the ball in from inside the area. It was the former Liverpool player's second goal of the season.

Nantes may have won the game but Sébastien Corchia saw his free kick bounce off the top off the bar. Kombouaré will feel that his side should have won given the amount of chances they had but they have played well recently. Nantes just need a bit more consistency. They have a lot of power and pace in their side and can be hard to contain when they are on song. They haven't gone more than two games unbeaten yet this season and will be hoping to break that trend this weekend. It's a shame that Willem Geubbels will again be out injured. The 20 year old, on loan from Monaco, was looking good for Nantes on the right wing but has only featured in two matches due to injury. With that in mind we should see Bukari start on the right again with Ludovic Blas in the number 10 role behind Muani.

Clermont had a big win last weekend at home to an in form Lille. In an even game defender Vital N'Simba had to head a cross away two yards from his goal line early on. Johan Gastien then tested the Goalkeeper from distance with a thumping drive that was tipped around the post. Les Lanciers' goal came on 32 minutes when they broke quickly after winning the ball in their own half. The move was broken down but fell to Vital N'Simba who smashed in a bobbling ball along the ground from outside the box.

That was the 28 year old left back's first goal of the season. Clermont had other chances to go further ahead but held on for their third win of the season and first in eight games. As a newly promoted side Coach Pascal Gastien must be pretty happy where his team are after ten games. They sit in 14th place and are seven points from safety. Not bad for such a small club enjoying their first ever season in the top flight of French Football. Clermont have no new injuries to worry about so we should see the same side start that beat Lille.

French Footy prediction: Nantes 2 V Clermont 2

Lille V Brest - Kicks off at 20:00 - Saturday 23 October - Live on BT Sport 3

After winning three games on the trot Lille came thumping back to earth with their 1-0 defeat at Clermont last time out. Jocelyn Gourvennec's team did create chances but disappointingly only two of them were on target. Captain Jose Fonte had a late chance to equalize but didn’t quite catch his shot and it was easily held. Les Dogues have now lost four games which is one more than they did in the whole of last season. If they’d drawn at Clermont on top of the previous three wins it would have kept their form going. A loss to a team who hadn’t won in the previous seven games is a sickener. Perhaps this is just the way Lille’s season will go. Show in patches what a good side they can be without ever getting a good run going.

Lille drew 0-0 on Wednesday night at home to Sevilla and whilst not a terrible result it leaves them third in their Champions League group on just two points after three games. They have to go for the win here. The bad news for Gourvennec is centre back Sven Botman has a groin injury that could keep him out for four weeks.

It was important that Brest get something from their home game with Reims last week. They did with a 1-1 draw but remain winless and sit 19th in the table. Once again it was Franck Honorat that scored to earn the Bretons a point against Reims. Honorat hit a sublime right foot volley from distance which flew in to to the top left had corner. An incredible strike that deserves a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoVuWiSKumE That was the 25 year old wingers second goal in as many games and his third of the season. If Les Pirates have any chance of staying up this season Honorat (pictured) and play maker Romain Faivre will have a lot to do with it.

Both have talent, perform consistently and are often involved in any chances Brest create. Brest have to keep hold of them both in January or they'll have no chance of staying up. Although they are desperate for their first win of the season I don't think a draw at the Champions would be a bad result.

French Footy prediction: Lille 1 V Brest 1