Ligue 1 results so far this weekend:
Lorient 1 - Lyon 4
(Moffi 57) (5, 78, Dembélé 26, Ekambi 59)
Lens 0 - Brest 1
(Honorat 59)
Nice 1 - PSG 0
(Delort 88)
Saint Étienne V Metz - Kicks off at 12:00 GMT - Live on BT Sport 3
Saint Étienne‘s resurgence was halted at the Parc Des Princes last week. After three wins and a very creditable draw at Strasbourg Les Verts lost 3-1 to PSG. They’d started so well in the game and took the lead when Denis Bouanga robbed Danilo of the ball and executed a nice left foot finish. The Gabonese International’s fourth goal of the season made fans wonder if another shock PSG defeat was on the cards. The Parisians showed their quality though and turned things around. Despite the defeat there was a performance from Pascal Dupraz’s team and they look so much stronger than they were under Claude Puel.
The loss sees them drop back into the bottom three but they are level on points with the three teams around them. This week’s opponents Metz are just above them by a 3-0 goal difference. A victory against the Eastern team could move Saint Étienne as far as 16th if other results go their way. Les Stephanois will be without defender Saidou Sow and veteran forward Romain Hamouma due to injury. The latter is a particular blow for Les Verts. Hamouma has missed large parts of the season through injury but was in good form in the last few games. Strikers Wahbi Khazri and Enzo Crivelli are back in training but not fully fit so may not be risked in this game.
Metz picked up their second consecutive point last week with a second consecutive 0-0 draw. Whilst the clean sheets and points are welcome Metz need to find a way of scoring goals if they are to stay up. Les Grenats have scored just one goal in five games. They are the third lowest goal scorers in the league with only Lorient and Troyes scoring less. Metz are not helped by the suspension of their Manager Frederic Antonetti. The Corsican started his 7 match ban last weekend following his touchline altercation with Lille sporting director Sylvain Armand. His assistant Benoit Tavenot directed the team during the home draw with Nantes and will do so for the next 6 games.
Discipline in general has been an issue all season for Metz. Against Nantes defender Vincent Pajot was sent off for a dangerous tackle and has been given a four match ban. Metz will still be without right back and joint top scorer, with just four goals, Fabien Centonze due to injury. January signing, defender Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik is also out with a knee injury.
French Footy prediction: Saint Étienne 1 - Metz 0
Nantes V Montpellier - Kicks off at 14:00 GMT
Nantes have had a good week in what is turning out to be an unexpectedly good season for them. The way they are playing, Les Canaris may have been disappointed in last week’s‘s 0-0 draw at Metz. It was another point though in what became a run of just one loss in eight league and cup games. The best was yet to come on Wednesday night in the Coupe De France semi final at home to Monaco. With the game finishing 2-2 Nantes held their nerve to win 4-2 on penalties. The three time Cup winners are in the final for the first time since 2000. It’s an unbelievable turnaround for a club that started the season under a cloud after narrowly missing relegation and little recruitment of players. If Antoine Kombouaré wins the cup with Nantes and finishes in the top 8 of Ligue 1 should he be considered for Manager of the season?
The Coupe De France final will be played at the Stade De France on the 8th May against Nice. For this match Nantes have no new injuries or suspensions so should be confident of getting something.
Montpellier are one of a number of Ligue 1 teams that can beat anyone on their day yet struggle for consistency. Last week’s home loss to Rennes (4-2) was their fifth defeat in seven games. They scored two fantastic goals to pull it back to 2-2 (a left volley from Oyongo and an overhead kick from Wahi) but were overrun by Rennes. Win here and they’d overtake Nantes and possibly jump as high as fifth. Lose and they remain eleventh with a European place becoming an uphill battle. The League is so congested that Montpellier are only six points from fourth place. That makes the next two weeks crucial with games against Nice and Bordeaux following this one. There is no doubt La Paillade have missed key players particularly centre back Mamadou Sakho, left back Mihailo Ristić and attacking midfielder Stephy MavididI (8 goals- 3 assists). Unfortunately the trio are unlikely to be fit for this match either whilst right back Arnaud Souquet is suspended. This is an important game for both clubs.
French Footy prediction: Nantes 2 - Montpellier 2
Reims V Strasbourg - Kicks off at 14:00 GMT
Reims had a fantastic result last weekend with a 2-1 win at Monaco. Two late goals turned around a 1-0 deficit for an important three points. Reims’ confidence in playing out from the back was admirable if bordering at times on the insane. It shows the brand of football Oscar Garcia is determined to instil in his side. Reims did have chances in the game before scoring most notably Fraser Hornby’s fierce strike crashing off the bar. It was in the latter stages however that the game really turned Reims’ way. Monaco scored a comedy own goal then had a player sent off. In the 93rd minute Reims broke with speed and substitute Nathanaël Mbuku finished well for his second goal of the season. The win sees them 13th in the table and seven points off the bottom four. I didn’t think Garcia would be a good fit for Reims and they were sure to be relegated. They’ve proved me wrong. The fact that they are defying expectations is even more impressive given their injury list. Top scorer Hugo Ekitike (9 goals 2 assists) is out for the second game running with a hamstring injury. Defenders Andrew Gravillon and Thomas Foket are out injured as are midfielders Moreto Cassama and Jen’s Cajuste and forwards El Bilal Toure and Anastasios Donis. A point here would be another great result.
Strasbourg are another team defying expectations. Their 0-0 draw at home to Nice last week means they have only lost once in eight games and won seven of the last ten. They were the better team against third placed Nice and were denied a win by some good goalkeeping by Benitez. Habib Diallo had the best chance of the game but couldn’t take it. If he had Strasbourg would be third instead of fifth in the table. There have been rumours this week that Les Coureurs are interested in Montpellier full back Junior Sambia. With Anthony Caci, the clubs only recognised left back, leaving for Mainz in the summer, I would have thought a left footer was more of a priority. We’ll see how that plays out. That being said Manager Julien Stéphan knows exactly what he's doing.
His first season at Strasbourg is much more successful than I was expecting, particularly as there has been hardly any investment in the squad. If he gets this team in to Europe he'll have completely over succeeded. Apart from a few long term injuries Strasbourg will be without young back up striker Abdul Waris and midfielder Adrien Thomasson (7 goals 4 assists). French Footy prediction: Reims 1 - Strasbourg 2
Rennes V Angers - Kicks off at 14:00 GMT - Live on BT Sport 3
Rennes had lost their four previous away games before travelling to Montpellier last weekend. They had no such issues this time creating plenty of chances, scoring four and winning 4-2. They looked fantastic particularly going forward. Right back Hamari Traoré was impressive at right back setting up the first two goals for Terrier and Bourigeaud. Les Rennais were pegged back to 2-2 by half time but a Gaetan Laborde penalty and a neat finish from Lovro Majer win them the points. That’s now eight goals scored in two games for Bruno Génésio’s team.
There is so much to admire about their attacking play and they have scored more league goals than anyone bar PSG. If they can just get some consistency until the end of the season they have a great chance of beating Marseille and Nice to second place. Another positive was the return from injury of Belgium winger Jeremy Doku. Unfortunately centre back Loic Bade winger and Kamaldeen Sulemana are still injured and striker Lovro Majer has picked up a hamstring injury.
Angers have now lost five games in a row after their 2-1 home defeat to Lens. They had taken the lead on 49 minutes through Angelo Fulgini’s fifth goal of the season. The 25 year old showed his talent with a great left foot strike from outside the box. The game really changed on 69 minutes when France Under 21 striker Mohamed-Ali Cho was sent off for two bookable offences. Four minutes later they fell behind through a ridiculous own goal when an attempted clearance bounced off defender Batista Mendy and in to his own jet. Just three minutes after they Lens scored again. Even with this awful run of form Angers are seven points from the bottom four teams. They have to get something here to avoid getting dragged into a relegation scrap. It’s hard to see with how Rennes have performed in the past two games. Cho is suspended for this match and winger Jimmy Cabot is still out with a sprained ankle. French Footy Prediction: Rennes 2 V Angers 1
Bordeaux V Troyes - Kicks off at 14:00 GMT
Bordeaux picked up a point at Clermont last week which was not enough to get off the bottom of the table. They remain on 22 points as are the three teams above them but their goal difference is costing them dear. They can score goals but have conceded so many. New Manager David Guion was brought in to tighten them up at the back. In his three games in charge they have conceded just twice and won two points. A win here would be a big step to getting out of trouble, possibly getting them out of the bottom three and definitely overtake Troyes. Not having Alberth Elis available is a blow for Guion. The Honduran striker has scored nine goals in sixteen games since arriving from Boavista in the summer. Elis has missed the last three games and will be unavailable for this game too with a knee injury. First choice goalkeeper Benoit Costil is still injured as are defenders Enock Kwateng and Ricardo Mangas, midfielder Tom Lacoux and striker Jimmy Briand.
Drawing at home to 2nd placed Marseille last week was a good result for Troyes. Particularly as they rescued the point by scoring in the 90th minute. Striker Yoann Touzghar came off the bench after 77 minutes and got his third goal of the season turning in a lovely ball across the six yard box from Youssouf Koné. That point was enough to just keep l'ESTAC above the bottom three by just two goals. The bottom four are all on 22 points which means this game massive. Troyes are now five games without a win and mist get something from this game. They have only won five games all season and quite frankly the change of Manager from Laurent Battles to Bruno Irles has made little difference.
The 46 year old former Monaco player has stated the importance of the month ahead with games against Nantes and Saint Etienne to come. A draw would not guarantee them dropping in to the bottom three but would keep Bordeaux below them.
French Footy prediction: Bordeaux 1 - Troyes 1
Lille V Clermont- Kicks off at 16:05 GMT - Live on BT Sport 3
Lille had an important win last weekend beating Lyon 1-0 at home. Les Dogues had a bit of luck on their side as Lyon were disallowed a late equaliser through VAR when its was judged that the goalkeeper Léo Jardim had been fouled. As it was Gabriel Gudmundsson's first goal of the season was enough to take all three points. The 22 year old Swede joined Lille in the summer from Dutch side FC Groningen. He can play at left back or left midfield. Perhaps this goal give him the confidence to kick on in French football and help his team get the consistency they have been so sorely lacking.
This victory was significant as it moved Les Lillois above Lyon in the table. They now sit 9th and need another victory to push them in to the fight for European qualification. Back to back wins have not been easy to come by for them this season. Only twice have they managed it in Ligue 1 and it's easy to forget they are the current champions. Striker Burak Yilmaz is out with a groin injury but Lille are otherwise fully fit. They must go for the win here.
Clermont's draw at home to Bordeaux last week was a much better result for them than it was for Les Bordelais. The point kept Clermont in 15th place but more importantly stopped Bordeaux moving to within three points of them. Coming off the back of their surprising win at Marseille the previous week Clermont have a nice buffer of of six points over the bottom four teams in the table. Manager Pascal Gastien must be delighted with where his team are at this stage of their first ever Ligue 1 season.
Les Lanciers have only lost once in five games and if they continue with that form would surely stay up. They have no injuries or suspensions to worry about here.
French Footy prediction: Lille 1 - Clermont 0
Marseille V Monaco- Kicks off at 19:45 - Live on BT Sport 2
Marseille must be hugely disappointed with drawing 1-1 at 17th placed Troyes last week. Les Marseillais took the lead on 28 minutes when Mattéo Guendouzi won a penalty. Dimitri Payet smashed the in spot kick for his 9th league goal of the season. Payet was pushed further forward for this game by Jorge Sampaoli, playing up front rather than his preferred wing or number 10 role. There is no doubt Payet is more mobile than recognised striker Arkadiusz Milik but the Polish striker is the best finisher Marseille have. Given Marseille's recent form and the way the game at Troyes ended I would think Milik should start. The previous all out attack style of Sampaoli have been replaced by a more pragmatic approach with good results regarding goals conceded. The goals have dried up though and their is conflict between the need for goals and Sampaoli's preferred style of play. It's a shame because if Milik continues to be used sparingly he will leave in the summer. To my mind that would be a mistake as he's the best goal scorer Marseille have had since Drogba. Let's see if Milik starts here in a game Les Marseillais really need to win in order to hold on to 2nd place. Nice and Rennes are in form whilst Marseille are stuttering. They have no injuries or suspensions and should be fresher than last week with there being no midweek European fixture. They must go for a win against a side in as much need of one themselves.
It's been a bad week for Monaco. They were winning against Reims last week up until the 84th minute. Wissam Ben Yedder scored his 15th league goal of the season then nearly made it 16 shortly after but clipping the woodwork.
In the latter stages of the game it all went wrong. In the 84th minute striker Kevin Volland headed past his own keeper with a finish he'd have been proud of at the other end. Four minutes later midfielder Jean Lucas was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Then Reims broke quickly and scored the winner in the 93rd minute. Worse was to come later in the week. Monaco played out a 2-2 draw at Nantes in the semi final of the Coupe de France but were knocked out on penalties. With that avenue to Europe now blocked Les Monegasques must improve their league form to try and qualify through their league position. Currently in 10th place they must improve quickly if they are going to have any chance. Whilst Marseille's home form isn't great the Velodrome remains a hard place to win. This is another huge game with bot teams desperate for points. Monaco have long term injuries to defender Benoit Badiashile and forward Kreppin Diatta whilst Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin (3 goals 5 assists in all competitions) remains out with a groin injury.
French Footy prediction: Marseille 1 - Monaco 1
Comments