Ligue 1 Weekend Review

Result of the week to L’OM, for their 4-0 dismantling of Montpellier.

Marquee match-ups and unexpected blow-outs have tightened up the top of the Ligue 1 table considerably.

As cold has settled over Europe for the season, the Brest v. Lens match was postponed due to snow, with things moved to Tuesday, November 30th.

Of the matches that did take place, there were a few 1-1 draws and several lop-sided affairs, but the match that everyone was waiting for didn’t disappoint, as Lyon and PSG battled to an exciting draw in front of a raucous crowd at the Stade Gerland.

Despite that excitement, the result of the week actually goes to Marseille, who tightened their grip at the top of the table with an impressive 4-0 destruction of Montpellier.

Saturday, November 27th:

Lorient 2-0 Rennes – Les Merlus exhibited efficiency on offense (15 shots, with 8 on frame) coupled with discipline on defense (Rennes were caught offsides 5 times) to come away with a deserved win. They began things quickly, as Amalfitano had a shot turned away by Rennes GK Douchez in just the 2nd minute. The latter was immediately busy, also denying an effort from Gameiro in the 5th minute. After Montano had a long-range effort easily stopped by Lorient GK Audard in the 11th minute, the netminder’s last action of the match came in the 19th minute when he was called upon to save a well-struck half-volley from Leroy. The opportunities after the restart were entirely in Lorient’s offensive half, with Kitambala forcing a save from Douchez soon after things had gotten underway. The opening goal arrived in the 61st minute when a shot from Amalfitano was pushed out by Douchez to a waiting Romao. Just 2 minutes later the lead could have been doubled, but Gameiro was denied by Douchez. The pace slowed somewhat, and that second goal didn’t come until late in the match, as Morel finished off a cross from Gameiro with a hard shot in the 86th minute.

Marseille 4-0 Montpellier – Despite earning 7 corner kicks and taking 16 shots (putting only 3 on frame), Montpellier were completely outclassed in this battle at the top of the table. L’OM were on the front foot early, as a lob from Valbuena caused Montpellier GK Jourdren a bit of trouble in the 4th minute. The action moved to the other end of the pitch, where a header from Giroud was denied by Marseille GK Mandanda, and then karma struck his teammate as defender Azpilicueta did himself some ligament damage with no one anywhere near him in the 15th minute. Shortly after that a cross from Cheyrou was flicked on by Brandao, allowing Lucho Gonzalez to find the back of the net with his volley. Andre Ayew was denied the opportunity to increase the lead by Jourdren, but more goals were always on the way and in the 28th minute a shot from Cheyrou took several deflections to leave the netminder helpless. Marseille took their foot off the gas after that, almost paying for their complacency in the 41st minute when Kabze came in alone and was only turned away by an excellent effort from Mandanda. In the 54th minute a free-kick from Dernis was blocked by Marseille defender Diawara, who then also deflected the follow-up effort from Kabze. That offensive surge from Montpellier on either side of the break seemed to wake up Les Phoceens, with a free-kick from Lucho Gonzalez requiring an outstanding effort from Jourdren to prevent another goal. The former kept up his pace, however, and was the provider in the 65th minute for Valbuena to finish coolly. Confident in their 3-0 lead, Marseille once again let up off the throttle, but this time there was no accompanying surge from Montpellier. The destruction was complete in stoppage-time when Remy blew past the defense and finished easily beyond the overworked Jourdren.

Monaco 1-1 Nice – In a match where Monaco committed 29 fouls (compared to 12), it was somehow Nice who finished with only 10 men. It was the southern side who started more quickly, with Ljuboja shooting wide early and a free-kick from Traore eliciting a great save from Monaco GK Ruffier. Things turned in the 25th minute when Diakite received a straight RC for a bad tackle on Coutadeur, but the club from the principality were slow to make use of their numerical advantage. The only other opportunity of the half came when Ljuboja put his free-kick over the crossbar, and the sides went into the dressing rooms on even footing. The second half began with a shot from Coutadeur that was turned away by Nice GK Ospina, with Puygrenier then shooting wide at the other end of the pitch. In the 76th minute Sable took down Coutadeur in the box, and Park calmly slotted home the resulting PK. However, that effort was wasted in the 85th minute when a good counter-attack started by Fae saw the latter feed Mouloungui for the equalizer.

Nancy 1-1 Saint-Etienne – In another statistically even match, the sharing of points was the deserved result in this offensive showing. An early attempted lob from Vahirua elicited a great save from Saint-Etienne GK Janot. At the other end of the pitch Matuidi sent a shot wide of the mark, while Riviere was turned away by Nancy GK Gregorini. The only other chance of the half saw a very poor effort from Perrin. The opening goal came in the 52nd minute when a weak clearance by Gregorini on a corner kick resulted in a shot from Bako that the netminder was only able to push out to an eager Perrin, who atoned for his poor miss earlier with a clinical volley. Nancy began to push back with urgency, and in the 57th minute N’Guemo hit the post with a header. Just 10 minutes later they had the equalizer when Vahirua found the top corner with an astounding free-kick. The latter could have doubled his tally with another free-kick in the 76th minute, but his effort crashed into the crossbar. Nancy had a final opportunity to steal the full points, but Feret was denied by a good effort from Janot.

Valenciennes 3-0 Arles – Hapless Arles continued their quest to shatter last year’s 26-point effort from Grenoble with another lashing, managing only a single shot on goal and stumbling into committing 21 fouls. The tone was set early as Saez had his effort turned away by Arles GK Merville, and the first goal finally came in the 20th minute when the former began a counter-attack that was finished off by Pujol. After Cohade sent a header wide, his effort was replicated at the other end of the pitch by Diawara in the first of many shots off-target by Arles. Things began in similar fashion after the restart, with Pujol sending his volley just wide of the mark in the 49th minute. Shortly after that Dja Djedje had his shot deflected, as Arles continued to look incompetent on the attack. A shot from Pujol produced a great save from Merville midway through the half, but he was unable to stop the next goal in the 78th minute when a cross from Mater was finished off by Sanchez Moreno. It took only 4 more minutes for the final tally of the match, as a cross from Mater was volleyed home back across the face of goal by Danic.

Bordeaux 1-1 Lille – In a match lacking in attacking prowess (the sides combined to put only 5 shots on frame), it was a bit of luck that allowed Les Girondins to equalize and spare the blushes of gaffer Jean Tigana. Things opened with a shot from Hazard in the 3rd minute that Bordeaux GK Carrasso did well to save, with the latter also turning away an effort from Rami in the 7th minute. After a shot from Beria flew into the side-netting, Bordeaux had their best chance of the half when Jussie had his shot cleared off the line by Rami. The latter then turned to offense when he flicked on a back-heeled pass from Debuchy to be finished by Sow for the opening goal in the 35th minute. The equalizer arrived disastrously in the 51st minute when a free-kick from Plasil was headed by Rami into the back of his own net past Lille GK Landreau. That seemed to energize Bordeaux, and a long-range effort from Maazou required an excellent save from Landreau. The netminder did well to then get to a free-kick from Plasil, and his efforts were rewarded with stiffened defense from Lille that didn’t allow any further opportunities.

Sunday, November 28th:

Auxerre 1-2 Toulouse – Le TFC were clinically efficient, taking 9 shots and putting 5 on frame, allowing them to secure the full points in this relatively uneventful match. The first goal came quickly, as a flick from Santander was sent home by Braaten in the 8th minute. After Quercia was denied by Toulouse GK Valverde, the former then hit the post in an attempt to find the equalizer. That intensity was then matched by Sissoko, who was denied by Auxerre GK Sorin. The same players were involved in the 35th minute when a cross-turned-shot from Sissoko was pushed out by Sorin, only for Santander to send home the follow-up. Auxerre pulled a goal back shortly after the restart when Traore found the back of the net on a cross from Quercia, but Toulouse bossed the rest of the match, with Braaten and Mansare sending efforts just off-target.

Caen 0-3 Sochaux – Although both sides managed to get 4 shots on target, it was the efficiency of Sochaux (9 shots total, compared to 19 for Caen) that paid off in the end with the full points. An early cross from Traore caused some difficulties for Sochaux GK Cros, while Maurice-Belay was turned away by Caen GK Thebaux at the other end of the pitch in what turned out to be the best opportunities of the half for each side. Sochaux were a bit lucky to take the lead in the 41st minute, with a corner from Martin headed home by Perquis. The scoreline was 2-0 in the 50th minute when Ideye found the back of the net with a header of his own. The profligacy of Caen was then well-illustrated by El Arabi, who fluffed a chance comically. The final tally of the match came in the 63rd minute on a hard, long-range strike from Maurice-Belay, and after Thebaux denied a shot from Maiga, Caen missed their final chance to avoid the shutout when Mollo sent his free-kick wide of the post.

Lyon 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain – The marquee match of the weekend lived up to its billing, but PSG will feel disappointed to only come away from the Stade Gerland with 1 point. Lyon dominated the match statistically, pouring in 27 shots (although only 5 on frame) and maintaining 61% of the possession, and it was clearly in evidence during the first half. An early volley from Pjanic was deflected wide, while Gomis saw his low shot whistle just wide of the post as well. Bastos then hit the post twice in succession, once full-on, rattling the woodwork, and once skimming it on the way over the end-line. The prolific Brazilian started the second half with similar vigor, shooting wide of the mark in the 47th minute. Les Gones took the lead in the 54th minute when Kallstrom found Cissokho for the relatively easy finish, but the club from the capital were determined to fight to the end, with Hoarau sending a header barely wide just a few minutes later. The latter then sent in a cross in the 63rd minute that was headed home by Nene for the equalizer, and the intensity ramped up even further. Lyon continued to provide pressure, with Gomis sending an attempted lob barely over the crossbar, but they were on the back foot in the 83rd minute when Cissokho received a straight RC (earning him GSTGC honors for the week) for fouling Nene in the box and Hoarau sent home the resulting PK for a 2-1 lead. Feeling that they had secured the full points in a hostile environment, PSG were devastated in the 87th minute when a poor punt from GK Edel went straight to Gomis, who took the gifted pass and finished coolly. They were left completely forlorn when in stoppage-time the ball came to Sessegnon alone in front of goal and his touch sent it wide of the post.

So, after Matchday 15 the top of the table looks like this: (1) Marseille, with 25 points on a 7-4-3 record and a +11 goal differential (with a match in hand); (2) Lille, with 25 points on 6-7-2 record and a +8 goal differential; (3) Paris Saint-Germain, with 24 points on a 6-6-3 record and a +8 goal differential; and (4) Montpellier, with 24 points on a 7-3-5 record and a -3 goal differential.