The French Ligue 1 12th round matches waits for us this weekend, and in this preview we’ll take a closer look at two games set for Sunday, November 5th, 2017, when Metz welcomes Lille at Stade Saint-Symphorien, while St. Etienne hosts Lyon at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in one of the derby clashes of this round.
Don’t waste your time and check out our betting picks and predictions for these two games, like always here on GetMoreSports.
METZ vs. LILLE
3-Way: 1: Metz +229; X: +241 Draw; 2: Lille +154 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Metz +129; Lille -133
Total +2.5: Over +120; Under -125
METZ
The Maroons lost five consecutive games in the French Ligue 1, and after the first 11 rounds, they are at the bottom of the table with just three points and a 5:21 goal difference. Their only victory came in the sixth round when they’ve beaten Angers on the road, 1:0, so the next match with Lille at home is a good opportunity to get some points.
Metz’s players created 80 scoring chances so far, but their finishing is awful with just five goals scored in 11 games. They need to improve as soon as possible if they want to start collecting points on a regular basis. The team is averaging 81% of the pass accuracy, while they are recording 43 defensive actions per game, winning 42% of aerial duels. They also need to be more disciplined, as they recorded three red cards thus far.
The 29-year old striker Nolan Roux, who arrived from St. Etienne this summer, is leading his team with three goals in 11 appearances, while the winger Mathieu Dossevi, who’s loaned from Standard Liege, is the top assistant with four dishes in seven apps this season. The team needs more from the striker Emmanuel Riviere, who played in just three games, scoring one goal.
The manager Frederic Hantz doesn’t have injury worries, at least, so he can field his best eleven against Lille, as all players are healthy and ready to go.
LILLE
The four-time French champions are in all kinds of trouble after the first 11 rounds of the Ligue 1, as they are sitting at the 19th spot of the table with six points, a 6:15 goal difference and a form of LLDLL. The Great Danes lost in the previous two rounds without finding a net, while they’ve scored just two goals in the last five Ligue 1 games.
Lille’s players created 87 scoring chances so far, but with a poor finishing job, they’ve scored only six goals. Their passing game is decent with 82% of an average pass accuracy, while they had a ball on their feet for 55% of the time per game. Defensively, there are huge problems, and the team is taking just 31 defensive actions per game, winning 50% of aerial duels and 41% of tackles. Discipline is another issue, and with four red cards, Lille is topping the table along with Troyes.
The 26-year old striker Nicolas de Preville is the club’s leading scorer with two goals in four appearances, but he already left the club to join Bordeaux. Only three players made a single assist thus far, and it is a nice example how poor they are playing this season. The 21-year old winger Luiz Araujo, who joined the team from Sao Paulo this summer, is a big disappointment with just one goal on his account.
The manager Marcelo Bielsa needs to shake things a bit if he wants to stay at the helm, even he’s one of the best coaches in the world. The Argentinian tactician doesn’t have serious injury worries, besides the centre-back Adama Soumaoro who’s still out with the Achilles tendon rupture.
METZ vs. LILLE – Match Prediction
It’s hard to predict the final outcome when the worst two sides go on each other. I hope we’ll see some goals in this clash, as both teams desperately need a win.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (-110)
SAINT-ETIENNE vs. LYON
3-Way: 1: St. Etienne +320; X: +278 Draw; 2: Lyon +102
Spread +0.5: St. Etienne -103; Lyon +100
Total +2.5: Over -120; Under +114
ST. ETIENNE
The Greens are playing in a kind of on-off form recently, as they’ve managed to get just one victory in the previous five Ligue 1 games beating Metz at home, 3:1. They drew two times, against Rennes at home, 2:2, and Toulouse on the road, 0:0, in their last Ligue 1 match. After the first 11 rounds The Greens are laying at the sixth place of the table with 18 points, and a 13:10 goal difference. At home, they’ve collected 11 points with a 3-2-1 record and a 10:5 goal difference, while they’ve earned seven points on the road with a 2-1-2 record and a 3:5 goal difference.
The 21-year old winger Jonathan Bamba is having a good season, and he’s leading the team with four goals in nine appearances, while the central midfielder Bryan Dabo added two goals to his name in nine apps this season. Seven different players made one assist so far, and there’s no player on the squad with at least two dishes on the account. The fans surely expect more from a 30-year old winger Romain Hamouma who scored just one goal in nine apps.
The manager Oscar Garcia is still without two important players at the back, as Florentin Pogba (malleolar injury) and Loic Perrin (calf injury) are both unavailable for the next game.
LYON
The Kids are in great form recently winning five games in a row in all competitions, and they’ve lost just once in the previous ten encounters (against Paris SG, 2:0). After the first 11 rounds of the French Ligue 1, they are sitting at the third place of the table with 22 points and a 27:15 goal difference, seven points behind the leader Paris SG, and three points behind second-placed Monaco. They won three consecutive Ligue 1 matches, including a 3:2 victory over Monaco in the ninth round.
The 24-year old attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir is arguably Lyon’s best player this season with nine goals and three dishes in ten appearances. The striker Mariano Diaz, who joined the club from Real Madrid this summer, scored 8 goals in eleven apps, showing how great addition he is. The winger Memphis Depay is finally playing on a high level, scoring five goals and adding three assists to his name in ten appearances. These three guys are leading the team, and they will be the main threat for St. Etienne’s defenders on Sunday evening.
The manager Bruno Genesio can count on all players for the next game, besides the central midfielder Pape Cheikh who’s sidelined with a sprained ankle.
ST. ETIENNE vs. LYON – Match Prediction
This is a derby match of the French Ligue 1 12th round and I’m looking for an entertaining game and a great battle between two teams. Last season both games ended with a 2:0 win by the home side, and I think the safe bet is to go with the under in this one.
MY PICK: Under 2.5 Goals (+114)
