If the cards were stacked in PSG’s favour for the title last week they are even more so now. Monaco losing at Lorient on Friday and Paris winning means Les Monegasques are already 5 points behind their title rivals. This is before Messi and a host of other star players have featured.
Angers V Lyon - Kicks off at 1200 - Live on BT Sport 3
Angers had a fantastic start to their season winning 2 - 0 at Strasbourg. It will be a huge boost for a club who struggled last year and will be expected to fighting relegation this year. They had more shots than the home team and scored with both on target efforts.
What a start for Gérald Baticle in his first Managerial role. Baticle engineered the win over the Club he Captained and won the Coupe De La Ligue with in 1997.
Other than Clermont's win at Bordeaux this was probably the result of the weekend. It will be interesting to see if they can put Lyon under pressure here as Brest did last Saturday.
Lyon really should have lost their opening game. Brest didn't take their chances though and Lyon Keeper Anthony Lopes made a superb double save to keep the score at 1 - 0. New Manager Peter Bosz's second half substitution paid off when Slimani equalised two minutes after coming on. Despite them snatching a draw it was a disappointing start for a side who will expect to be pushing for the title this season. Lyon really need to go for a win. With Angers winning their first game you'd think they'd be delighted with a point here so they may prove difficult to break down.
Frenchfooty prediction: Angers 1 V Lyon 1.
Reims V Montpellier - Kicks off at 1400.
Given that I think Reims will really struggle this year their opening draw at Nice was a good result for them. They were outplayed for large parts of the game but managed to hang on for the point.
It's difficult to see where Reim's goals will come from now Boulaye Dia has gone and I don't see them winning here. How new Manager Óscar García can get more out of them I just don't know. Last week Garcia set his team up with five at the back and it worked in as much as Reims won a point. Will he be a little more adventurous at home?
Montpellier were being being outplayed by Marseille but countered well making the most of OM's erratic defending to go 2 - 0 up.
Laborde's curling left foot shot for La Paillade's was a screamer. In the second half they didn't exploit the spaces left by Marseille's all out attack or defend well enough to keep them out. Michel Der Zakarian must be have been infuriated that his new side threw that lead away. Montpellier have goals in their side though, particularly through Laborde, Delort and Mavididi and Reims don't carry anywhere near the attacking threat that Marseille do. Montpellier should win this.
Frenchfooty prediction: Reims 0 V Montpellier 2
Nantes V Metz - Kicks off at 1400
Nantes' opening day draw at Monaco was a very good start. Monaco will be pushing for the League title whilst Les Canaris could be in for yet another tough season. Whilst Monaco outplayed them Antoine Kombouaré's side fought well to hold on for a point. They will need the same tenacity if they are going to keep picking up points this season. Nantes played Monaco with a 4-1-4-1 formation but could play a little more adventurously being at home to Metz.
They will still be without new signing Wylan Cyprien and Striker Kalifa Coulibaly due to injury. Nantes fans will be hoping to see more of Right Winger Ludovic Blas on the ball as he is a danger when running at defences. Blas is one of Nantes' bright sparks along with talented young Keeper Alban Lafont. Lafont made a huge save to keep last week's game level and will be integral to any success Les Nantais have this season.
Metz also started with a draw last week against Champions Lille. That wouldn't have been a bad start but for the fact they threw away a two goal lead. Seven minutes in to stoppage time Goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja scored an own goal for the game to finish 3 - 3. Metz Centre Half Boubakar Kouyaté was sent off on 56 minutes so will be suspended for this game. Manager Frédéric Antonetti is also missing forward Opa Nguette through injury. Antonetti will be hoping Striker Ibrahima Niane will show a bit more form after a long injury lay off last season. A plus point for Les Grenats was the performance of right wing back Fabien Centonze (pictured above). The 25 year old scored one and forced Lille's Sven Botman in to an own goal. This could be a close game and a decent indicator of how the teams will perform this season.
Frenchfooty prediction: Nantes 1 V Metz 1
Clermont Foot V Troyes - Kicks off at 1400
The two teams promoted from Ligue 2 face each other early on in the season. Each side won their respective home games against each other last season by a goal apiece. Clermont had a fantastic start to life in Ligue with a 2-0 win at Bordeaux last week. Last season's top scorer Mohamed Bayo got off the mark and midfielder Jodel Dossou finished things off in stoppage time. A fantastic result and performance that gives the team from the Volcanic region of France a platform to build on. Manager Pascal Gastien favours a 4-2-3-1 formation spearheaded by Bayo. It's the system that got them promoted from Ligue 2 and gave them their first ever Ligue 1 win last week so why change it?
Troyes had perhaps the toughest start they could have had in facing Champions elect PSG. They gave a good account of themselves, only losing by a goal and actually taking an early lead. Last week Manager Laurent Batlles set his team up with five at the back, probably in a bid to frustrate PSG. It will be interesting to see if he goes with a more open formation here like the 4-2-3-1 he favoured last year. Veteran Striker Yoann Touzghar is likely to lead the attack again and add t the 16 goals he scored for Troyes in Ligue 2 last season.
Both these sides have a similar business model. Clermont are owned by Core Sports Capital who own three European clubs of similar stature (Austria Lustenau and Vendsyssel FF of Denmark being the other two). The three Clubs are then allied in transfer policy, the running of academies and set up of a global scouting system. Troyes are run by City Football Group that has a bigger group of Clubs including those of a much bigger structure than Troyes themselves. Both setups have worked very well thus far for these particular Clubs. The problem with the latter is that City Football Group has Manchester City as it's Flagship team. Whilst Troyes can benefit by sharing the Scouting system and getting young players on loan from City and other Clubs in the group they will never be able to play in the same European Competition. If Troyes had an unbelievable season and qualified for the Champions League they would be ineligible to play as they have the same owners. I only learnt this recently whilst listening to "The Farmer's Corner FC" Podcast (worth a listen especially for an introduction to this Ligue 1 season.) Whilst unlikely that both Clubs will be qualify for the Champions League next season it's not unfeasible that both could qualify for the Europa League in years to come. This set up hampers Troye's potential progress. For the moment though both clubs are very well run and have a good chance of staying up.
Frenchfooty prediction: Clermont 1 V Troyes 1
Brest V Rennes - Kicks off at 1400 - Live on BT Sport 3
This Breton Derby features two sides that drew their opening games 1 -1. Brest will be kicking themselves after squandering a great chance when they were 1 - 0 up in the second half.
They had eight shots on target but only took one of them. New Brest Manager Olivier Dall'Oglio will be pleased however with how his team played. They looked very comfortable on the ball and looked to counter quickly. Perhaps Brest will not struggle as much as I thought they would. If they are going to progress this season they will need more goals from forwards Steve Mounie and Franck Honorat (pictured) who got 17 goals between them last year.
Rennes may be a little disappointed to not win their first game at home to Lens. They have some good players in Camavinga, Doku and Guirassy. Manager Bruno Génésio will be delighted than new signing Kamaldeen Sulemana scored on his League debut. The 19 year old Ghanaian looks like an exciting prospect. Rennes generally have a better squad than Brest but if the latter play like they did against Lyon it could be another close game. Frenchfooty prediction: Brest 1 V Rennes 1.
Lens V Saint Etienne - Kicks off at 1600 - Live on BT Sport 3
These sides also started with a 1 - 1 draw. Lens had a much better season than Saint Etienne did last season.
With Lens being at home and having fans back at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis I would think Manager Franck Haise will be going for the win. Striker Ignatius Ganago and forward Gaël Kakuta are the main threats for Les Sangs Et Or. Generally if they play well Lens do. It was midfielder Seko Fofana who's equalising goal gained a point last week after good work from Banza.
Saint Etienne have bought no one in at all as yet whilst some players were let go. Last week they had to rely on experienced striker Wahbi Khazri to get them out of trouble with a 70th minute penalty.
Claude Puel is a pragmatic Manager at the best of times. With a smaller squad than the last campaign it's hard to see them ever be more attacking. This famous old Club that enjoys such fervent support is currently up for sale so Puel has to work with what he's got. He has made Saint Etienne difficult to beat but this could be a long season for them.
Frenchfooty prediction: Lens 2 V Saint Etienne 1
Marseille V Bordeaux - Kicks off at 1945 - Live on BT Sport 2
Marseille were caught cold by some erratic defending last weekend but did brilliantly to fight back from 2 - 0 down to win at Montpellier. Dimitri Payet was outstanding in the second half scoring two goals. Payet was clearly more effective when Benedetto came on up front letting Payet drop deeper. With Striker Arkadiusz Milik still out with a knee injury Benedetto may start.
Bordeaux’s opening day loss at home to Clermont was a disaster. Things just aren’t going Bordeaux’s way on or off the pitch.
The last thing they need is going to a packed Stade Velodrome against a buoyant attacking Marseille side. Marseille under Sampaoli are always liable to concede so Bordeaux should show some attacking intent. Les Bordelais have last seasons top scorer Hwang Ui-Jo (pictured) back in contention so he should start in place of Jimmy Briand. If Marseille start well they should win this. Frenchfooty prediction: Marseille 3 V Bordeaux 1
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