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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 – Game Week 5 & 6
- End Of The Transfer Window
We’re into the final phase of the summer transfer window. Thank goodness. And while most French clubs will be satisfied with business done there are still deals working their way through the system. Amine Gouiri looks likely to head to Rennes with Gaetan Laborde headed the other way to Nice. Fabian Ruiz and maybe even Carlos Soler look likely to bolster PSG’s midfield options. Marseille look likely to shift Bamba Dieng and Cederic Bakambu.
However, the best work done this summer may well be by clubs who feared losing key players but who’ve managed, so far, to hold onto them. I’m thinking Nantes who still have Alban Lafont, Ludo Blas and Moses Simon on the books. Or Lille who, while picked apart in some areas, managed to hold onto Jonathan David. Or, indeed, Strasbourg and Lens who, at the time of writing, had retained the services of Ludovic Ajorque and Seko Fofana.
It’s worth remembering that whilst delighted to see the back of the main transfer window, in France the Joker Window opens directly as the Summer window slams shut. The Joker allows clubs to make one intra-France signing. So things could still change for some clubs, although not likely at the top of the French pyramid where the Joker rule is rarely enacted.
Here are the latest betting odds for Ligue 1 at the time of publishing:
2. European Fade
Champions and Europa League draws last week. On a general note I think most will be satisfied with their draws. Marseille and PSG could have received far tougher draws. Monaco too, in the Europa, have an easy group. Nantes and Rennes could have had better, they could also have had a lot worse. But my key thing to watch here is how the European rhythm affects Ligue 1 clubs with smaller squads. Nantes stand out here as a club I think could be severely adversely affected. They have a small squad inexperienced at the European level. And whilst they’ve started the league season, well I’d be wary of how results fare once the Europa League group stages begin. That’s not to say that any of Monaco, Marseille or Rennes won’t also feel the burn. They will.
3. Handling PSG
PSG had started the season like a freight train. Up until last weekend they’d scored 22 and conceded 4 in five games including the Trophee des Champions. They’d carved teams up for fun with Neymar scoring six and assisting the same number. However, when Monaco came to town they gave a glimmer of hope to other teams. Monaco’s midfield, including debutant Mohamed Camara, overran and overpowered PSG’s successfully nullifying their threat for long periods. They didn’t blunt PSG entirely with the Paris side generating 2.4 xG on 18 shots. However, Phillipe Clement showed that PSG’s current system can be contained enough to take points off the previously seemingly invincible champions.
Ligue 1 – Game Of The Week – Stade Reims vs RC Lens
Stade Reims vs RC Lens, 4th September 14:00 (UK time)
It’s a double gameweek this week as the fixture list stacks up. As such this game is neither clubs’ immediate next game. However, it is one at the weekend that I’m very much looking forward to.
I’ve got a real soft spot for Stade Reims. Especially their scouting and recruitment. Hugo Ekitike, Junayo Ito, Jens Cajuste, Predrag Rajkovic and others are testament to a hugely successful transfer strategy. And whilst they don’t often tear up trees under Oscar Garcia they can cause bigger teams problems. As they did for Lyon last weekend. After a poor start to the season Reims have secured two 1-1 draws against Strasbourg and Lyon consecutively. They play a solid and effective low block but create good chances springing forward too. And in players like Cajuste, Ito and Balogun they have the ability to convert.
As a polar opposite, Lens have had a superb start to the season. Sat pretty in third place having beaten Brest, Monaco and Rennes already. And with a good chance of beating Lorient this Wednesday too. As I’ve said previously Franck Haise is working miracles on a shoestring. He’ll be snapped up soon enough by a bigger club. If they keep Seko Fofana behind deadline day and players like new boy Lois Openda and Florian Socota keep up their good form then I’d expect Lens to score against most opponents. Reims are no different.
Where Reims will find hope is in their own good performances against Strasbourg and Lyon plus Lens’ own struggles in a draw against lowly Ajaccio in gameweek 2. That’s a template game and one in which Reims’ superior firepower would likely have seen them score one of Ajaccio’s chances created in that game. I know the odds say a Lens win is most likely but I feel a score draw coming here. It should also be a great watch.
