THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE ....

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9th

Next email will be Saturday morning at 10.00 UK time, no J-League matches scheduled.

I am going to start with the Saturday AFC Champions League final, which is a morning kick off for those of us based in Europe. Ulsan Hyundai are hosting the one legged final......

 

MATCH PREVIEW ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS ....contact: gowi8@btinternet.com

FRANCE: LIGUE 1
No weather issues in France tonight and most of the matches look set to be played in pretty good football conditions.

GUINGAMP- TOURS

Tours did us a favour last week, but our reasons for siding with them, had a lot more to do with the Le Mans problems ( more about those later) than any Tours prowess and defensively, the visitors are struggling, especially on the road, where they have already conceded a league high 15 goals. Six of those came in their last two away days, at Laval and Istres, neither are particular known as teams who put others to the sword, Laval could easily have doubled their tally and it is very difficult not to see Giungamp, who have won their last three and who would move into the top three with a win, enjoying themselves offensively tonight. We spoke about the hosts early season and I made quite a big deal about how unlucky they had been and that this was a team much better than results suggested, which has been born out by their rise up the table. Coach Jocelyn Gourvennec has a good mix of youthful talent and experience and his team have goals in them, with only Caen and Monaco scoring more. 

 

However, they have conceded more than any team in the top seven, including ten here on home soil, where they play very openly and games have averaged 3.83 goals per start and there might be some comfort in those stats for Tours, especially given the defensive issues for Guingamp this evening. The hosts are also without right-back Jonathan Martins Pereira (13-0-1), left back Paul Babiloni (7-0-1 only one clean sheet in the six matches he has missed, which came against struggling Sedan) and defensive midfielder Gianelli Imbula (11-0-1), they are very short of options defensively, especially on the left, with Dorian Leveque having missed all season and it is hard to see them keeping a cleansheet. Tours are without suspended striker Ali Gherieni (10-0-1), but scored twice without him last week. Also missing are a host of fringe/ long term injured players, but none which can now be seen as key. Both to score and Guingamp to win, but I think far and away the best value is 1.5 units "over" 2.25 goals 1.90 asian line.

Guingamp : Mam. Samassa, Planté - Sankoh, Bellugou, Cerdan, Ma. Camara, Charrier, Mathis, Kerbrat, Giresse, Mandanne, Mu. Yatabaré, Argelier, Atik, R. Alioui, Fauré. 

 

Tours : Leroy, Maubleu - Tritz, Tomas, Schwechlen, Moimbé, Berenguer, Oniangué, Gamiette, Gherieni, Blayac, Bergougnoux, Fontaine, Seguin, Boukaka, Biancardini.

NANTES-CHATEAUROUX

Nantes : Ré. Riou, Zelazny - I. Cissokho, Djilobodji, Cichero, Veigneau, Eudeline, B. Touré, Deaux, Bessat, Veretout, Djordjevic, Madouni, I. Keita, Trébel, Lee. 

Châteauroux : Millieras, Caradec - Nestor, Sambou, Afougou, Neves, Beauvue, Guerriero, De Freitas, Tainmont, Essombé, Jeannot, Foumier, Hautcœur, Orinel, Allart.

ARLES- LAVAL

Arles-Avignon : Butelle, Yattara - Cantini, Abdelhamid, Zarour, Quintin, Ou. N'Diaye, Rocchi, Plessis, Cardy, Savanier, Douniama, Suarez, Soro, Piéroni, Roufosse, Akale

Laval : Balijon, Hautbois - Belaud, Rose, Talmont, Falette, Perrot, Gonçalvès, Ewolo, Gamboa, Do Marcolino, Viale, Betsch, Le Baron, Gimbert, Lebouc.

DIJON - NIMES

Dijon : Reynet, Tchagouni - Bamba, Varrault, 0. Cissé, Souprayen, Paye, Mollet, Bérenguer, Caceres, Guerbert, Tavares, Rémy, Paulle, Malouda, Babit. 

 

Nîmes : Merville, Al-Shaïbani - Sidibé, Poulain, Boche, Parpeix, Bouby, Amewou, Bénezet, Gragnic, Ogounbiyi, Robail, Koné, Haddou, Piocelle, Thibault.

GAZELEC AJACCIO- SEDAN

GFCO Ajaccio : Maury, Rastello - Bocognano, Landre, Romey, Poggi, Y. Touré, Colinet, Laïfa, Davidas, Chevalier, Saadi, Verdier, Filippi, Sinapi, Colloredo, Mandrichi. 

 

Sedan : Perraud, Lembet - K. Boli, Bellaïd, Pogba, Pinteaux, Marcq, Aït Ben Idir, E. Koné, Sliti, Kinkela, Abd. Diaby, Bongongui, Le Bihan, Makhedjouf, Kal. Traoré.

ISTRES- LE MANS

Istres : Petric, Véronèse - Chafik, Chelle, Barillon, D. Moulin, I. Ba, Bru, Fettouhi, De Préville, Akrour, Tardieu, Sainati, Tarasconi, Niangbo, Yahia-Chrif. 

 

Le Mans : Janot, Makaridze - Cuffaut, Ma. Doumbia, Mo. Koné, Buaillon, Ma. Kanté, Zito, F. Thomas, Baby, I. Sylla, Thomert, Kassai, Sanson, Derouard, Belfort.

Good Luck.

Contact:gowi8@btinternet.com