Ligue 1 Preview, Week 31: Lyon And PSG Look To Keep Title Hopes Alive

Saturday

Lens vs. Brest

Time: 1:00 EST

Lens are trying to claw their way out of the relegation zone while Brest are fighting desperately to avoid it. It’s been a tough stretch of games for Lens-they’ve taken only six points from their last ten games-but that shouldn’t come as much surprise seeing as how they’ve been quite odious all season long. Third from bottom in terms of goals scored and second from bottom in terms of goals allowed is a recipe for awfulness. They’re a side that Brest should be glad to visit as a pointless (in the literal sense and, if we’re honest, the figurative sense as well) March has left them in a somewhat uncomfortable position just three points above the drop. They’re probably not in serious danger, but a win would certainly take a bit of the pressure off. Brest’s solid away form (as well as their being roughly mediocre as opposed to awful) gives them the edge here.

Pick: Brest 2-0

Nice vs. AS Monaco

Time: 1:00 EST

In other games with relegation scrap implications, AS Monaco look to keep their strong form rolling on the heels of a surprising 1-0 victory over league leaders Lille. Looking at raw numbers it’s baffling as to how Monaco are this close to the bottom; despite a fairly horrid attack they’ve defended well and sit even on goal differential. Nice meanwhile look to be right around where one would think, but they can’t score against bad defenses so there’s no reason to think they’ll be able to crack Monaco’s back line. If anyone scores there should be a party.

Pick: 0-0

Sochaux vs. Caen

Time: 1:00 EST

This is probably a weekend that Caen are going to need some help from their fellow lower-table sides if they hope to avoid moving backwards. The last time this fixture was played Sochaux put a 3-0 whipping on the home side and while it’s nice to think that Caen are going to use that as motivation to pull off the upset and pull themselves towards safety...yeah.

Pick: Sochaux 3-1

St. Etienne vs. AS Nancy Lorraine

Time: 1:00 EST

St. Etienne are in that really boring part of the table where, at this point, there’s not a whole lot at stake. The odds of relegation are slim and the odds of European qualification are even slimmer. Sometimes I wish the coaches of teams in their situation would do something wacky, like play a 2-3-5 complete with period dress, or play a 4-4-2 but instead of strikers, play with three goalkeepers. I mean, I know two of them couldn’t use their hands or wear a keeper’s shirt but it would be worth it to see how the TV stations figured out how to graphically interpret the formation. They should make a ‘Bored Mid-Table Coach’ expansion pack for the next football manager.

Pick: St. Etienne 2-1

Stades Rennes vs. Lorient

Time: 1:00 EST

Stades Rennes look to keep their Champions League hopes alive against a Lorient side whose record on the year (10-10-10, 40 points, +1 GD) is just one goal allowed from making them the favorite team of obsessive compulsives the world over. As it is they’re so maddeningly close to perfect symmetry that I really feel like I need to go and turn off the lights right now. And I should probably wash my hands while I’m up.

Pick: Stades Rennes 1-0

Lille vs. Bordeaux

Time: 3:00 EST

2011 has not been kind to Bordeaux; 2010 wasn’t all that nice when you think about it, but it was slightly better and these past two months have been all kinds of unpleasant. Lille, meanwhile, had been rolling before dropping a 1-0 away loss to AS Monaco. There are a lot of things about this game that make people think that Bordeaux will win; Lille are ‘vulnerable’ because they lost a tough away game to a team that is where they are in the table due in no small part to poor luck. Bordeaux are dangerous because they’ve ‘underachieved’ which is shorthand for people saying they aren’t as good as they thought they’d be. And the reality is, Bordeaux could very well win this game, because they’re not all that bad of a team, and if they do a bunch of really annoying people will go on and on about how they ‘called it’ or somesuch. Luckily, that probably isn’t going to happen.

Pick: Lille 3-1

Sunday

Arles vs. Valenciennes

Time: 1:00 EST

Arles has a goal differential of -41.

Pick: Valenciennes 3-0

Montpelier vs. Marseille

Time: 1:00 EST

Marseille don’t seem especially fond of the idea of losing their league title and they’ve been in very strong form as of late and with Lille still well within sight this is very much a massive game for the holders. If I were them I’d bust out the special kits and shock Montpellier into submission with my awesome rainbow powers. This is the first meeting of two between these teams in the space of a week with the Coupe de la Ligue Final being contested Saturday the 23rd. Hopefully something interesting and/or controversial will happen in this contest so the build up will be exciting and not at all annoying in the least.

Pick: Marseille 3-2

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lyon

Time: 3:00 EST

This is the match of the week, PSG clinging to slim Champions League hopes and even slimmer title hopes while Lyon look to keep the pressure on the teams at the top. Lyon have shaken off an uncharacteristically poor start and have stormed back to well within striking distance of the title, while PSG would climb to within one point of Lyon (who currently occupy third and the final Champions League spot) with a victory. If you’re waiting for me to say something snarky, I’m afraid you’re going to be let down. This should be a pretty great match.

Pick: Lyon 2-1