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Ligue 1 Preview: Round 19
The last round of fixtures prior to the two-week winter recess in France take place in midweek, with several big sides looking to bounce back from poor weekend results…
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.80 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £31.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £24.00 | Draw £30.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.80 | Draw £32.00 | FC Lorient £30.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | AJ Auxerre £23.50 | Draw £31.00 | FC Lorient £28.50 |
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Dec 22, 2009 2:40:00 PM
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 (all kick-off times CET)
21:00 Racing Club de Lens vs. Saint-Etienne
Wednesday, December 23
19:00 Le Mans vs. Monaco
19:00 Lorient vs. Valenciennes
19:00 Olympique Lyonnais vs. Montpellier
19:00 Olympique de Marseille vs. Auxerre
19:00 Nancy vs. Lille
19:00 Nice vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
19:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs. Grenoble Foot38
19:00 Sochaux vs. Stade Rennais
21:00 Toulouse vs. Girondins de Bordeaux (full preview)
Racing Club de Lens vs. Saint-Etienne
With one defeat in eight, Lens are a side steadily scaling the Ligue 1 table, ever distancing themselves from the drop zone. Back-to-back away draws against PSG and Valenciennes must be considered good results, but they will want to conclude a successful year with three points.
Once more head coach Jean-Guy Wallemme will have a complete squad to pick from, and with many players in-form, he faces welcome selection headaches.
Saint-Etienne would relish les Sang et Or’s position of 14th as they currently languish in 17th. Christophe Galtier took over from sacked Alain Perrin as the head coach of the Loire club last week. This was a move that had immediate success, with les Verts claiming a 0-0 draw with Marseille at the weekend, despite being depleted in numbers for 82 minutes after Stathis Tavlaridis’ early red card.
Le Mans vs. Monaco
Arnaud Cormier’s honeymoon spell in charge of Le Mans abruptly ended on Sunday, when the Sarthe outfit were picked apart by a rampant Lille side. Within half an hour of kick-off MUC were three goals down and simply aiming to make the match a damage limitation exercise.
The new boss took the chance to rotate his squad for the weekend fixture, so he should have a fresh panel available for the visit of les Monegasques, though there are still a number of injury problems hampering the club, including Geder and Roland Lamah. Joao Paulo is banned.
Monaco, meanwhile, fielded a full strength side against Lyon at the weekend, plundering a 1-1 draw, though they had chances to win the game. Alejandro Alonso is a fresh injury concern for head coach Guy Lacombe.
Lorient vs. Valenciennes
Lorient face the prospect of finishing 2009 on an undeserved low when they tackle Valenciennes on Wednesday evening. Christian Gourcuff’s side were comprehensively outplayed by Bordeaux at the weekend, Kevin Gameiro’s late strike scant consolation in a 4-1 loss.
Gameiro was surprisingly rested on the bench for that game along with Marama Vahirua. Both will be unleashed from the outset against VA as the Bretons attempt to finish 2009 in the top half of the table.
Valenciennes’ form has also faded somewhat in recent times. Consecutive home 0-0 draws against Auxerre and Lens will have done little to warm their fans, who had seen their side score freely in the early weeks of the campaign. Bobo Balde is expected to be sidelined once more, whilst Jonathan Lacourt and Nicolas Penneteau are still long-term issues.
Olympique Lyonnais vs. Montpellier
Another turgid performance at the weekend saw Lyon stumble to a 1-1 draw with Monaco. General manager Claude Puel has insisted that his side can still win the title, but given the 10-point gap to Bordeaux and the remorseless form of the champions, that seems to be little more than politicking.
Puel is coming under increasing pressure from sections of the club’s support, and a negative result against Montpellier will only serve to heighten the anxiety he must be feeling. Mathieu Bodmer is available again to OL, who need an emphatic success in order to stop the jeers of fans who booed after les Gones’ 1-0 win over Boulogne last time out.
Montpellier’s form has taken something of a dip over the last week, losing back-to-back home games against Bordeaux and Nancy. La Paillade performed very well against les Girondins and did not deserve to lose, but the same cannot be said about their showing on Saturday. First choice goalkeeper Johann Carrasso trained with the team for the first time this season earlier in the week.
Olympique de Marseille vs. Auxerre
Any slips that Marseille are making at present are being sternly punished by Bordeaux, who moved eight points clear of les Phoceens on Saturday evening. Didier Deschamps’ side were left kicking themselves as they failed to beat a Saint-Etienne side who played 82 minutes with 10 men.
Mathieu Valbuena seems primed to leave the club in the winter transfer window so is not involved from the outset, while Mamadou Niang remains the key absentee in the Provence club’s ranks.
Five matches without a win have seen Auxerre fall from top spot in Le Championnat down to seventh in the matter of three weeks. Jean Fernandez’s side will be eager to arrest such a slide at Stade Velodrome but will have their work cut-out as they lost 4-0 at the venue last term. They have yet to be beaten when Ireneusz Jelen has started this term.
Nancy vs. Lille
Two of Ligue 1’s in-form sides meet in Lorraine on Wednesday evening. ASNL have won three of their last four matches in an impressive manner, though even that is eclipsed by the achievements of LOSC, who have scored 19 goals in winning 12 points from a possible 12.
Nancy produced one of the performances of the weekend to dispatch Montpellier 2-0 away from home. Pablo Correa’s side, who have shown glimpses of such excellence this season, looked in impressive touch going forward and may take some stopping.
No team has scored more goals than Lille this term, though. Led by Ivorian winger Gervinho and central striker Pierre-Alain Frau, les Dogues have suddenly become red-hot, irresistible going forward and impressive at the back. Expect an attractive fixture.
Nice vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
An equalising goal from Chaouki Ben Saada late in Saturday’s fixture against Grenoble prevented Didier Olle-Nicolle’s side becoming just the second outfit this term to lose to GF38. Instead they arrested a four game losing streak, yet still look someway off their best.
Suspensions are currently the main obstacle the club faces, with Onyekachi Apam out until January 10 and Mamadou Bagayoko sidelined until February due to serious indiscretions. Olivier Echouafni heads a short injury list.
Boulogne, meanwhile, had their scheduled home match against Sochaux called off due to a frozen pitch and the prospect of worse weather. The break has done little for Laurent Guyot’s side in terms of recuperating injured players; they will still go into the match largely bereft of strikers, with Gregory Thil and Daniel Moreira the two most prominent absentees.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Grenoble Foot38
PSG’s inconsistent season continued on Saturday, when they were defeated 1-0 by Rennes in Brittany. Antoine Kombouare’s troops produced a wholly disappointing performance after a bright opening 10 minutes. They will look to recapture the kind of form that saw them steamroller Saint-Etienne on December 13 when they host Grenoble.
GF38’s worries this season have been well documented. Mecha Bazdarevic’s side lie at the foot of the Ligue 1 table, boasting just seven points to their name. A remarkable turnaround is required if they are to somehow find safety.
Gregory Coupet and Guillaume Hoarau are still sidelined for the hosts, while Sofiane Feghouli and Josip Tadic are the most notable absentees in the ranks of the visitors.
Sochaux vs. Stade Rennais
Francis Gillot, head coach of Sochaux, was livid that his side was made to travel to Boulogne at the weekend, despite the virtual certainty of the match being postponed. He will want his players to channel his aggression into the midweek fixture against Rennes, which will conclude les Lionceaux’s league programme for 2009.
Strikers Charlie Davies and Vaclav Sverkos will both sit this game out, while Ivan Stevanovic and Bojan Jokic will also be sidelined for the Doubs outfit.
Rennes have crept up to fourth in the standings on the back of a 1-0 triumph over PSG. The Breton side have looked slick at times going forward this term but seem to lack killer instinct. Coach Frederic Antonetti has no serious injury concerns for this match, with only Bruno Cheyrou and Cheikh N’Diaye missing at the weekend.
Toulouse vs. Girondins de Bordeaux (full preview)
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
21:00 Racing Club de Lens vs. Saint-Etienne
Wednesday, December 23
19:00 Le Mans vs. Monaco
19:00 Lorient vs. Valenciennes
19:00 Olympique Lyonnais vs. Montpellier
19:00 Olympique de Marseille vs. Auxerre
19:00 Nancy vs. Lille
19:00 Nice vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
19:00 Paris Saint-Germain vs. Grenoble Foot38
19:00 Sochaux vs. Stade Rennais
21:00 Toulouse vs. Girondins de Bordeaux (full preview)
Racing Club de Lens vs. Saint-Etienne
With one defeat in eight, Lens are a side steadily scaling the Ligue 1 table, ever distancing themselves from the drop zone. Back-to-back away draws against PSG and Valenciennes must be considered good results, but they will want to conclude a successful year with three points.
Once more head coach Jean-Guy Wallemme will have a complete squad to pick from, and with many players in-form, he faces welcome selection headaches.
Saint-Etienne would relish les Sang et Or’s position of 14th as they currently languish in 17th. Christophe Galtier took over from sacked Alain Perrin as the head coach of the Loire club last week. This was a move that had immediate success, with les Verts claiming a 0-0 draw with Marseille at the weekend, despite being depleted in numbers for 82 minutes after Stathis Tavlaridis’ early red card.
Le Mans vs. Monaco
Arnaud Cormier’s honeymoon spell in charge of Le Mans abruptly ended on Sunday, when the Sarthe outfit were picked apart by a rampant Lille side. Within half an hour of kick-off MUC were three goals down and simply aiming to make the match a damage limitation exercise.
The new boss took the chance to rotate his squad for the weekend fixture, so he should have a fresh panel available for the visit of les Monegasques, though there are still a number of injury problems hampering the club, including Geder and Roland Lamah. Joao Paulo is banned.
Monaco, meanwhile, fielded a full strength side against Lyon at the weekend, plundering a 1-1 draw, though they had chances to win the game. Alejandro Alonso is a fresh injury concern for head coach Guy Lacombe.
Lorient vs. Valenciennes
Lorient face the prospect of finishing 2009 on an undeserved low when they tackle Valenciennes on Wednesday evening. Christian Gourcuff’s side were comprehensively outplayed by Bordeaux at the weekend, Kevin Gameiro’s late strike scant consolation in a 4-1 loss.
Gameiro was surprisingly rested on the bench for that game along with Marama Vahirua. Both will be unleashed from the outset against VA as the Bretons attempt to finish 2009 in the top half of the table.
Valenciennes’ form has also faded somewhat in recent times. Consecutive home 0-0 draws against Auxerre and Lens will have done little to warm their fans, who had seen their side score freely in the early weeks of the campaign. Bobo Balde is expected to be sidelined once more, whilst Jonathan Lacourt and Nicolas Penneteau are still long-term issues.
Olympique Lyonnais vs. Montpellier
Another turgid performance at the weekend saw Lyon stumble to a 1-1 draw with Monaco. General manager Claude Puel has insisted that his side can still win the title, but given the 10-point gap to Bordeaux and the remorseless form of the champions, that seems to be little more than politicking.
Puel is coming under increasing pressure from sections of the club’s support, and a negative result against Montpellier will only serve to heighten the anxiety he must be feeling. Mathieu Bodmer is available again to OL, who need an emphatic success in order to stop the jeers of fans who booed after les Gones’ 1-0 win over Boulogne last time out.
Montpellier’s form has taken something of a dip over the last week, losing back-to-back home games against Bordeaux and Nancy. La Paillade performed very well against les Girondins and did not deserve to lose, but the same cannot be said about their showing on Saturday. First choice goalkeeper Johann Carrasso trained with the team for the first time this season earlier in the week.
Olympique de Marseille vs. Auxerre
Any slips that Marseille are making at present are being sternly punished by Bordeaux, who moved eight points clear of les Phoceens on Saturday evening. Didier Deschamps’ side were left kicking themselves as they failed to beat a Saint-Etienne side who played 82 minutes with 10 men.
Mathieu Valbuena seems primed to leave the club in the winter transfer window so is not involved from the outset, while Mamadou Niang remains the key absentee in the Provence club’s ranks.
Five matches without a win have seen Auxerre fall from top spot in Le Championnat down to seventh in the matter of three weeks. Jean Fernandez’s side will be eager to arrest such a slide at Stade Velodrome but will have their work cut-out as they lost 4-0 at the venue last term. They have yet to be beaten when Ireneusz Jelen has started this term.
Nancy vs. Lille
Two of Ligue 1’s in-form sides meet in Lorraine on Wednesday evening. ASNL have won three of their last four matches in an impressive manner, though even that is eclipsed by the achievements of LOSC, who have scored 19 goals in winning 12 points from a possible 12.
Nancy produced one of the performances of the weekend to dispatch Montpellier 2-0 away from home. Pablo Correa’s side, who have shown glimpses of such excellence this season, looked in impressive touch going forward and may take some stopping.
No team has scored more goals than Lille this term, though. Led by Ivorian winger Gervinho and central striker Pierre-Alain Frau, les Dogues have suddenly become red-hot, irresistible going forward and impressive at the back. Expect an attractive fixture.
Nice vs. Boulogne-Sur-Mer
An equalising goal from Chaouki Ben Saada late in Saturday’s fixture against Grenoble prevented Didier Olle-Nicolle’s side becoming just the second outfit this term to lose to GF38. Instead they arrested a four game losing streak, yet still look someway off their best.
Suspensions are currently the main obstacle the club faces, with Onyekachi Apam out until January 10 and Mamadou Bagayoko sidelined until February due to serious indiscretions. Olivier Echouafni heads a short injury list.
Boulogne, meanwhile, had their scheduled home match against Sochaux called off due to a frozen pitch and the prospect of worse weather. The break has done little for Laurent Guyot’s side in terms of recuperating injured players; they will still go into the match largely bereft of strikers, with Gregory Thil and Daniel Moreira the two most prominent absentees.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Grenoble Foot38
PSG’s inconsistent season continued on Saturday, when they were defeated 1-0 by Rennes in Brittany. Antoine Kombouare’s troops produced a wholly disappointing performance after a bright opening 10 minutes. They will look to recapture the kind of form that saw them steamroller Saint-Etienne on December 13 when they host Grenoble.
GF38’s worries this season have been well documented. Mecha Bazdarevic’s side lie at the foot of the Ligue 1 table, boasting just seven points to their name. A remarkable turnaround is required if they are to somehow find safety.
Gregory Coupet and Guillaume Hoarau are still sidelined for the hosts, while Sofiane Feghouli and Josip Tadic are the most notable absentees in the ranks of the visitors.
Sochaux vs. Stade Rennais
Francis Gillot, head coach of Sochaux, was livid that his side was made to travel to Boulogne at the weekend, despite the virtual certainty of the match being postponed. He will want his players to channel his aggression into the midweek fixture against Rennes, which will conclude les Lionceaux’s league programme for 2009.
Strikers Charlie Davies and Vaclav Sverkos will both sit this game out, while Ivan Stevanovic and Bojan Jokic will also be sidelined for the Doubs outfit.
Rennes have crept up to fourth in the standings on the back of a 1-0 triumph over PSG. The Breton side have looked slick at times going forward this term but seem to lack killer instinct. Coach Frederic Antonetti has no serious injury concerns for this match, with only Bruno Cheyrou and Cheikh N’Diaye missing at the weekend.
Toulouse vs. Girondins de Bordeaux (full preview)
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
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