Ligue 2: Metz- Valenciennes (written 09.50 UK time today)
Ahead of the Metz opening home game of the season, a visit from fellow relegated side Lens, I wrote .........
Really low scoring opening day in Ligue 2, with five draws ( four 0-0) and no home wins. I feel we might see one today in this match up between two relegated teams who went up to the top flight together the previous year, that was back to back promotions for the hosts and I doubt they will be feeling quite as bad about things as RCL who are a massive club by Ligue 2 standards, but took three seasons to get out of this league last time and once they did so, made a complete mess of things due to financial issues which we do not need to go into right now.
The visitors are much changed from last season and probably downgraded and that is definitely the case today, with only four players who played in their final Ligue 1 start which took place a little over three months ago in the squad which travelled and we might see six newcomers play together today, along with two teenagers. Three of their most important remaining players in central defenders Loic Landre and Jean-Phillipe Gbamin and midfielder Wylan Cyprien are missing through suspension and injury, along with new left back Anthony Scaramozzino and the starting eleven today are going to have to gel very quickly and are short of L2 experience. They will probabaly rely on Stephane Besle and Guirane N'Daw in the defensive spine and both will probably be up for this as fomer Metz players, but it also means the hosts will have a lot of information on the pair and will doubtless know their weaknesses. RCL also look very suspect on the left flank today, with no natural left sided defensive player in the squad.
Head Coach Antoine Kombouare has remained, but didn't exactly sound brimming with confidence earlier this week: "When you start a season, you never really know where you are going. "We need to play a few games to judge the value of the group, to know what the team can do against other teams, especially in this championship. " But in any case, today I am happy to start this season with a competitive group, even though I am still waiting on arrival - I hope - of two players, at least, which would be good. " Speaking of his defence specifically he added again that "We are not ready yet, there is still a lot of work, and competitive games will allow us to see where we stand. "
That hardly bodes well for today, especially given the players who are absent and the fact that it is the defence that Kombouare made his priority in the off season. It is not like his offence was free scoring eitehr , just 32 goals last season, they have lost their top scorer and it is hard to look at this squad and find what you would really call a striker, to be honest, it is a little hard to see where Lens are heading at present.
Metz look better prepared for Ligue 2, their backline is settled and little changed and new coach José Riga is very keen to start with a win on his home debut, he has personally watched Lens in pre season twice and he was much more confident sounding about his team's readiness for the new season: " I think our preparation was very good, but nothing replaces the competition." He tried to "define" his preferred line up early, players who are most comfortable with his "philosophy based on control and possession" and stated that " the players are ready. "
Hosts look ahead in all areas and will want to hit the ground running, they also lack experience up front, but do at least have three strikers in their line up and I take them to collect the three points.
That match followed the opening weekend trend and finished 0-0, but Metz were much the better team and had good chances to take all three points, they did win next time out away to Sochaux and followed up with an extra time win at Paris FC last midweek, so a very solid start to their campaign.
I spoke about Valenciennes before their home cup tie with Clermont last week.......
These two are unbeaten across two Ligue 2 games, I would perhaps expect the visitors to be perhaps more interested in the cup, with Valenciennes looking for a return to the top flight they left in 2014 and Clermont are very tough to beat at present, carrying over there fine form from the end of last season.....Clermont enjoyed a very strong finish and collected 20 points ( 2.0 per game) over their final ten matches and hauled themselves up into mid table safety after looking in trouble, finally finishing as close to Nancy in 5th as they were to the drop zone.
However, the visitors are without central defender Baptiste Martin, midfielder Farid Boulaya and their two holding players in Cedric Goncalves and veteran Eugene Ekobo and the defensive spine looks vulnerable. Hosts are without winger Sigamary Diarra and are resting Sekou Baradji their senior defensive midfielder , with Lucas Tousart injured in that position and the trip to Metz in mind. I expect both teams to play with a little less intensity and again that we will see goals.
That played out well for us with Clermont winning 3-1 and it turned into a bit of an endurance test for VAFC who had to play over an hour with nine men after both defensive midfielder Abdoul Kabore and left back Saliou Ciss (pictured) were dismissed. I guess the loss of the former tonight is not too bad as Baradji (see above) returns, but Ciss is a big loss as fellow left back Loris Nery is injured, that will mean a start for 19 yo Moussa Niakhaté who has only ever made six Ligue 2 starts ( one win). The visitors have made the trip with just four defenders and with, in addition to Niakhaté, SEVEN teenagers in the squad and ten of fifteen outfield players are aged 20 or younger and that is too little experience IMO. They have no recognised, senior left winger with Sigamary Diarra and Sebastian Roudet injured, so incredible weak on that flank and huge pressure on Niakhaté, which Metz will surely target.
This looks a great opportunity for Metz and I think we can be brave in terms of our handicap line .....1.5 units Metz -1 ball 2.47 asian line/Sportmarket.
An alternative would be to wait for the "in running" line to move a quarter ball from current quotes and opt for 1.5 units Metz -0.5 ball 2.0 asian line/Sportmarket as long as they are not already leading and we are playing 11 v 11. VAFC will surely come out very defensive and look to (over) protect their weakened area(s) as long as possible.
Metz : Didillon, Oberhauser - Balliu, Bussmann, Métanire, Ozmen, Palomino, Reis - Doukoure, Kehli, Lejeune, Ngbakoto, Santos, Toussaint - Balde, Falcon, Gbaklé.
Valenciennes : Charruau, Perquis - Abdelhamid, Fulgini, Nestor, Niakhaté - Azbague, Baradji, Doré, Faustin, Mbenza, Tameze - Butin, Da Costa, De Olivieira, Haddou, Slidja.
Good Luck.
