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| PSG lead the Ligue 1 table with three points above champions Monaco as we enter the ninth round |
The Ligue 1 table has a familiar look to it as we head into the ninth round of fixtures with PSG leading the way from Monaco and Marseille.
The international break would no doubt have scuppered the momentum of some clubs while others – who were battling for form – would have welcomed it with open arms. So without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s matches!
Friday 13 October
14/10 Lyon | Draw 11/4 | Monaco 33/20 (20:45)
We open up matchweek nine with what looks to be the fixture of the round as a struggling Lyon side welcome Monaco to the Groupama Stadium. The hosts have been on a dreadful run of form which has seen them win just once in their last seven matches in all competitions. The run has seen the pressure ramp up on Bruno Genesio who desperately needs to turn things around to save his job. Monaco come into this tie needing to win to stay in touch with PSG at the top of the standings following their disappointing 1-1 draw with Montpellier before the international break. That draw was preceded by a 3-0 Champions League against one of the weakest Porto sides we’ve seen over the last 10 years or so. Neither side is in good touch, however, I can see Monaco coming away with a narrow win here.
Saturday 14 October
17/1 Dijon | 15/2 | PSG 1/8 (17:00)
Lowly Dijon will need nothing short of a miracle to beat the visiting Parisians on Saturday afternoon. The side from central France did manage to grab two decent draws prior to the international break against Lyon and Strasbourg. Having said that, however, they simply don’t stand a chance against Neymar and co. PSG’s glittering array of superstars should have very little trouble dispatching Dijon at the weekend. The away side on the (-1) Handicap at 7/20 is the only way to go here.
11/10 Guingamp | 23/10 | Rennes 5/2 (20:00)
Guingamp are an absolute punter’s nightmare. The men from the North of France are wildly inconsistent – in fact, their last three games have seen them win, draw and lose. With all of that said, they should prove a bit too strong for Stade Rennais who look as though they could be fighting relegation this season. Rennes haven’t won in their last three matches and will be desperately keen to arrest that run of form come Saturday. The result will likely hinge on which Guingamp side decides to show up at the Stade de Roudourou at the weekend. I’d advise against having a strike on this match. If you must have a go, take the home side at 11/10.
17/20 Toulouse | 23/10 | Amiens 37/10 (20:00)
Toulouse are struggling at the wrong end of the table, having only managed two wins from their eight outings this season. A single win from their last six games doesn’t bode particularly well, although they’ll welcome the chance to face Amiens who find themselves in a similar predicament. Amiens have really battled at the start of the season. They’ve failed to score in 71% of their matches thus far and sit on a total of four goals scored in eight matches. They’ll fancy their chances away at Toulouse, though. Pascal Dupraz’s men have the second worst defensive record in the league. There won’t be many goals in what looks as though it’ll be a cagey affair. Get on the Both Teams to Score (No) market at 13/20.
11/20 St. Etienne | 31/10 | Metz 5/1 (20:00)
A promising start to the season for St. Etienne has all but evaporated following a run which has seen them win just once in their last four outings. They’ll be confident of putting things right against lowly Metz this week, though. Indeed, a good result this week could be the catalyst they need to get their season back on track with a number of very winnable fixtures looming on the horizon. Metz have been woeful this season, losing seven of their eight matches. As a result they find themselves rooted the bottom of the table on three points. Interestingly, their one win this season did come on the road against Angers. They won’t repeat that this week though. The home win is the only way to go at 11/20.
13/20 Lille | 11/4 | Troyes 9/2 (20:00)
Lille fans will not be at all happy with their side’s start to the 2017/18 campaign. The 2010/11 league winners have endured a nightmare start to the league and find themselves in 18th place on the standings. They’ve not scored in their last four matches, losing three of those. A win is an absolute must against this weekend’s opposition. I have no idea why Troyes are priced up at 9/2 here. They’ve been pretty solid this season and will no doubt be expecting to beat Lille at the weekend. Jean-Louis Garcia’s men have won their last two matches and are probably one of the few clubs in the league that would have been cursing the timing of the international break. Take the away side here at VERY generous odds of 9/2.
29/20 Caen | 2/1 | Angers 21/10 (20:00)
Caen certainly are punching well above their weight this season, finding themselves in fifth place on the standings. They’ve won five of their last six matches and will be keen on making it six wins from nine games when they welcome draw specialists, Angers to Stade Michel d’Ornano. When I say that Angers are draw specialists, I really do mean it. They’ve played out to stalemates in six of their eight league games this season, including an extraordinary 3-3 match against Lyon last time out. With this in mind, you might want to look at backing the draw at 2/1.
Sunday 15 October
15/20 Bordeaux | 5/2 | Nantes 39/10 (15:00)
Our next stop is wine country as Bordeaux welcome Nantes to Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux. The hosts have been excellent this term with only PSG able to beat them. That defeat came just before the international break as the Parisians dished out a 6-2 footballing lesson to the then undefeated side. They’ll go up against another side punching well above their weight in Nantes. Claudio Ranieri’s men have almost perfected the art of scoring once, then shutting out the opposition. It’s a far cry from Ranieri’s swashbuckling Leicester side that won the Premier League a few seasons ago, however, it’s just as effective so long as they continue to grind out the wins. A tricky one to call this, however, a low-scoring match is expected. Get on the Under 2.5 Goals market at 11/20.
29/20 Montpellier | 43/20 | Nice 39/20 (17:00)
Montpellier are another team struggling for consistency this term. They’ve battled to string any sort of run together and find themselves in 13th place on the log as a result. Their only saving grace this weekend is that they welcome a team that is just as unpredictable as they are. Avoid this game at all costs. It really could go either way.
26/10 Strasbourg | 5/2 | Marseille 1/1 (21:00)
We wrap up the weekend action with second-bottom Strasbourg welcoming high-flying Marseille to the Stade de la Meinau. The hosts haven’t managed a win in their last six and will do well to come away from this match with anything. Marseille, on the other hand, are on a three-game winning streak, a run they’ll not want to let slip as they continue to put pressure on Monaco in second place. They should have very little trouble dealing with Strasbourg this weekend, although things in football are never so simple, are they? That said, take the away side at even money here.
TREBLE @ 14/1
PSG (-1) Handicap 7/20
Troyes Win 9/2
Marseille Win 1/1
Written by Jason Dewey
