Ligue 1 returns this weekend with an intriguing clash between Strasbourg and Nantes, which kicks off at 8pm on Friday night.
Nantes to win @ 12/5
Nantes began this season in awful form, going six games without a win. That has placed them deep in the bottom half of the table, but things have picked up in recent weeks. Manager Pierre Aristouy has held onto his job and things have drastically improved. Nantes have lost just one of their last five, and that was with ten men against Rennes last time out.
They secured an impressive point against Marseille despite going down to ten again in the ninth minute, and beat Clermont Foot and Lorient, scoring five against the latter. Things have certainly picked up and the price of 12/5 for them to win away from home feels generous. Strasbourg are solid, if not spectacular. They sit in sixth, but haven’t won any of their last three home matches, losing 1-0 to Lens last weekend.
This feels like a relatively sensible pick given the odds, and Strasbourg are far too short at 23/20 to win here. Nantes can find their form again with an away success.
BTTS No @ 10/11
Nantes failed to score in their last away game, but this pick is focused mainly on Strasbourg. They lost 1-0 against Lens, and haven’t been all that creative in recent weeks, despite success. Their results have been fairly binary, with six of their last seven results ending BTTS No.
They had just two shots on target against Lens, one against Metz and none against Nice. This isn’t a side that will tear teams apart and their early success has been from a solid defence rather than a rampant attack. BTTS No, up against a Nantes side improving in recent weeks, feels like the way to go given Strasbourg are not the most exciting side in the division.
