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Monaco vs Rennes | Ligue 1 Weekly | Ligue 1 Betting Tips

 

Genesis is an expert on all things French football and runs an excellent Twitter channel here. There is a whole lot more to Ligue 1 than simply PSG, Messi, Mbappe and Neymar.  It is increasingly becoming a highly entertaining league with a wealth of young and exciting talent.

Each week, Genesis will be sharing his inside knowledge on the happenings within French Football and Ligue 1, so you can be well equipped to spot value betting opportunities each week.

 

 

Ligue 1 Weekly Review

 

What To Look Out For In Ligue 1 This Weekend

  1. PSG 3-4-1-2

PSG were devastating on pre-season tour in Japan, they were devastating against Nantes in the Trophee des Champions and were devastating against Clermont in game week one. And yes, you are correct when you note that they are yet to come up against anyone very strong since the start of manager Christophe Galtier’s tenure. However, Nantes are no joke and we’re taking the Trophee pretty darn seriously. Galtier is, for the first time in a while, showing some tactical flexibility again. The sort of strategic moves that had him crowned the very best French manager around at the moment. He’s weaned himself off his catnip, the chronically dull but near bullet-proof defensively 4-4-2 and switched the Parisian giants to a pretty creative 3-4-1-2 formation. He has three world-class or near world-class centre-backs; Elite young full backs; a permanently underrated midfield maestro; and three of the world’s most potent forwards all playing in a shape that seems to draw the very best from each one of them. Now, the formation was not without hiccups against Clermont and Nantes. They will concede this season. However, if the team continues to click and Galtier can reign all the mega egos under his charge, then I’m confident that Galtier’s PSG could come close to breaking the Paris club’s own points and goals record on the league this season.

 

 

Here are the latest betting odds for Ligue 1 at the time of publishing:

 

 

2. Olympique Lyon’s  High Defensive Line

It’s worth saying that I remain at a loss as to what Peter Bosz is attempting to develop at Lyon. It’s also worth saying that I remain confident that he is on the hottest of hot seats, especially bearing in mind vocal new majority shareholder John Textor might have some ideas about who he wants in charge. Finally, it is also worth saying that I’m firmly of the belief that whoever is in charge, I think we’ll see some positive regression from OL in 22-23. They’ll win more and likely score more. Where I think they’ll continue to fall down though is in defence. Watching them across pre-season and then against newly promoted and goal-shy AC Ajaccio, they showed the same tactical issues and confusion as last season. The suicidally high line is a known weakness, one that remains and teams seek to exploit it. And this is despite having some of France’s brightest talent at the back in Castello Lukeba and Malo Gusto. The defence and midfield spend long periods looking as confused at what’s going on as those watching in the stands. Bosz remains utterly incapable of coaching and setting up a team defensively. For further evidence see his previous work at Leverkusen and Dortmund.

 

3. Toulouse

Every season, at least early on, one team surprises. It’s not always a promoted team but a team that many have written off. Angers last season, Lens perennially. This season there is a consensus amongst Ligue 1 watchers that the surprise package could well be Toulouse. They strode through Ligue 2 last season and come to Ligue 1 with a set-up that is the most ‘Ligue 1 ready’ of the three promoted sides. They deserved more than a draw against OGC Nice in game week 1 and looked threatening in attack. Their maestro from last season, Ajax academy product, Branco Van Boomen, young French winger Nathan Ngoumou and new striker Thijs Dallinga will cause problems for more teams this term.

 

 

 

 

Ligue 1 – Game Of The Week – Monaco vs Rennes

Monaco v Rennes Sat 13 August 4pm (UK time)

 

The two teams best placed to end the season in 2nd place (no one is challenging PSG for the title this year). The deepest squads, serious financial backing and a body of work from last season that demonstrated what both could achieve.

 

Thus, this match has enhanced significance even at this early stage in the season. It lays down a marker. It’s safe to say that Rennes were anything but convincing against Lorient, themselves considered a potential relegation candidate, in week 1. Yes, they created chances. But not many clear-cut ones. There was none of the swashbuckling attacking play of last season. Coach Bruno Genesio was pretty scathing post-match commenting that his players seemed more interested in pretty flicks than getting the win. That being said, Rennes are stacked and remain my personal favourite to finish second. They’ve reinforced at the back having lost Aguerd to West Ham and have, so far, retained Terrier, Bourigeaud and Doku amongst others.

 

Monaco on the other hand scored a great win in week one against last season’s overperformers Strasbourg in Strasbourg. That’s a major result. It was not an easy one. But Les Monegasques were pretty convincing in the end. That win, tagged onto their run at the end of the last season, means Clement and Monaco were unbeaten in 12 games across all competitions until defeat to PSV on Tuesday.  Embolo, Gelson and Diatta all looked very dangerous at the weekend.

 

Both Rennes and Monaco produced a lot of chances at the weekend, over 20 shots each in their respective games. They are both naturally attacking outfits. As such you’d have to predict goals in this one. With both sides very capable of scoring. Monaco swept Rennes last season winning 2-1 at home and 3-2 in the reverse fixture. They’re the slight bookies’ favourites in this one too. Home advantage swinging the odds makers no doubt. 

 

For me, it’s a tough one to predict. Monaco will be fatigued after their brutal trip to Eindhoven. Extra time and incredibly hard fought all the way. Monaco are at home but we have to assume heavy rotation or very tired legs. Rennes were bad against Lorient. I have to imagine they’ll be better against Monaco. But, like the bookies, I think it’ll be close. A draw seems most probable but if you fancy going against the bookies then Rennes will have a great shot at taking Monaco down this weekend.

 

 

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