Gary O’Neil arrived in Strasbourg in January after Liam Rosenior departed for Chelsea. His club debut was a 6-0 win. The goals haven’t stopped since.
| Strasbourg vs Lens | Odds |
|---|---|
| Both teams to score & Over 2.5 total goals | 1.87 |
Odds courtesy of Parimatch. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Goals galore under O’Neil
Every single Strasbourg game under Gary O’Neil has gone over 2.5 goals. Eight matches, eight overs. It’s been an emphatic start from the former Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss.
Those numbers span all competitions, including O’Neil’s club debut 6-0 triumph over French fourth-tier outfit US Avranches in the Coupe de France. Strasbourg enter Ligue 1 Round 24 following an excellent result over the weekend. They beat Lyon 3-1, ending their remarkable 13-match winning streak.
This was following their 2-2 draw with Marseille – meaning they’ve gone unbeaten in successive outings against two of the top four teams. Before that mini run, they suffered narrow 2-1 defeats to Le Havre and Paris Saint-Germain.
Seven of O’Neil’s opening eight fixtures have cashed the BTTS & Over 2.5 total goals double bet. The only outlier was the cup tie against the Championnat National 2 side, where Strasbourg did all the scoring themselves.
All of this has come despite losing key players. Dilane Bakwa, Habib Diarra and Mamadou Sarr all departed to Premier League clubs. For many teams, that level of turnover would disrupt momentum. Yet, O’Neil has Strasbourg operating with freedom and attacking intent, regardless of opposition.
The results speak for themselves. Strasbourg have won five, drawn one and lost two under the Englishman. They sit seventh in Ligue 1 with 34 points, three behind Rennes and Lille. European football is firmly in sight.
Strasbourg are formidable at Stade de la Meinau. They have won five of their last six competitive home fixtures and scored multiple goals in each of their last two.
Notably, Strasbourg are the only Ligue 1 side yet to trail before the interval in a home game this season. That early defensive organisation allows their offensive talent to flourish as games progress.
The front three of Joaquin Panichelli, Martial Godo and Emanuel Emegha have contributed 24 of the team’s 39 league goals. Panichelli alone has 13, second only to Marseille’s Mason Greenwood in the Ligue 1 scoring charts.
Only three teams – Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille and Lens – have outscored Le Racing this term. Strasbourg create chances, take risks, and more importantly, entertain.
The bet writes itself
Lens arrive in Alsace bruised but dangerous. Over the weekend, they surrendered three points and the top spot in dramatic fashion. Les Sang et Or collapsed to a 3-2 home defeat as Monaco netted thrice in the space of 10 second-half minutes. It was just their second loss in 16 matches.
Pierre Sage’s men typically respond well to setbacks. They have bounced back with a win after each of their last eight losses.
Lens boast the league’s third-best attack behind PSG and Marseille, having scored 44 goals in 23 games. The trio of Wesley Said, Odsonne Edouard and Florian Thauvin account for 26 of those strikes.
Lens are formidable on the road. They have won seven of their last eight competitive trips, netting two or more in each of the triumphs. Lens’ last three Ligue 1 trips have seen them produce nine goals, including a 5-0 thrashing of Paris FC in the French capital.
Each of their last eight away games has also seen over 2.5 goals. The trend is overwhelming. What’s crucial for this bet is Lens do not settle for stalemates. They have drawn just one league game all season – a joint-low across Europe’s top-five leagues. They either win or lose, and goals flow either way.
Defensively, neither Strasbourg nor Lens inspire confidence for clean sheets. Lens have conceded in two of their last four away trips and in three of their last five competitive games.
Strasbourg have kept just one clean sheet in eight matches under O’Neil. Also, 10 of Le Racing’s last 11 competitive matches have seen both teams score. The only exception was the cup rout of Avranches.
Their head-to-heads at the Meinau have consistently produced goals. Three of their last five meetings when both teams scored have cleared the 2.5 mark.
Strasbourg continue their push for a top-six finish and European football. O’Neil has built a highly attacking side in Alsace. They score freely, concede at times, but are never dull.
Meanwhile, Lens are still reeling from losing the first place and are desperate to reclaim it. Both need points, so it’s unlikely either will sit back.