France - Ligue 1 (17 May 08)

[McFly]

Saturday 17 May 2008	Home	Draw	Away	BPP
AJ Auxerre v Olympique Lyonnais (19:50BST)	8.50	3.60	1.61	101.45 %	Details »
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AS Nancy v Stade Rennais (19:50BST)	1.80	3.60	5.50	101.52 %	Details »
Hide « AS Nancy v Stade Rennais
FC Lorient v Lille OSC (19:50BST)	3.50	3.25	2.40	101.01 %	Details »
Hide « FC Lorient v Lille OSC
FC Metz v Le Mans UC72 (19:50BST)	3.65	3.25	2.40	99.83 %	Details »
Hide « FC Metz v Le Mans UC72
OGC Nice v SM Caen (19:50BST)	2.10	3.25	4.20	102.20 %	Details »
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Olympique Marseille v RC Strasbourg (19:50BST)	1.24	6.50	15.00	102.70 %	Details »
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RC Lens v Girondins de Bordeaux (19:50BST)	2.90	3.45	2.54	102.84 %	Details »
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Saint-Étienne v AS Monaco (19:50BST)	1.75	3.50	6.00	102.38 %	Details »
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Sochaux-Montbéliard v Paris Saint-Germain (19:50BST)	4.00	3.30	2.10	102.92 %	Details »
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Toulouse FC v Valenciennes FC (19:50BST)	1.47	4.20	8.50	103.60 %	Details »
Hide « Toulouse FC v Valenciennes FC

[maxzorn]

would love to know the number of games from last season which ended a draw in Ligue 1 on the last match-day

[dougles badder]

2 games ended in draws m8 last games last season with 2 aways and 6 home wins if my info is correct

[alexmeil]

Waiting for asian odds but it will be again and again Saint-Etienne for me. 1.75 is a very good price for a team who need to win in order to finish 5th (UEFA) or 6th (Intertoto), against Monaco who have nothing to play for.

Lille 2.40 ?? It is another good price from the bookies. With a win against Lorient (nothing to play for too...), Lille wille keep their 5th place and directly goes to the UEFA. Maybe it will be hard for Lille because Lorient plays at home where they did good performance this season, but this price is too high in my opinion. I will go for Lille -0.25 if the price is near 2.05, even i'm a supporter of... les Verts.

Another good price for me : Sochaux. Why ? First, they are a better team than PSG. OK, PSG must win in case of Lens (18th) who is just one point above take something against Bordeaux, but I think a draw can be OK for Paris. All in all Sochaux (0) at 3 or more is tempting me...

Medium stake always, but waiting for Pinnacle... and Meatman.

Good luck !

PS : Sorry for my poor english (school is far far away).

[DeMMa]

Nice odds Marsielle -1.5 @ $1.80

[meatman]

Auxerre +1 AH @ 1.93 Betinternet 4/10

For the first time in four years the title race in ligue 1 has gone to the final day of the season. Thus is almost unknown territory for Lyon and they haven’t been in this position for a long time. Les Gones are still well and truly in the driving seat, but there are sure to be quite a few nerves on show here at Le Stade L’abbe Deschamps. Lyon need just a draw to confirm their 7th consecutive ligue 1 crown and they face opponents who have little to play for anymore. But I’m sure Auxerre will realise the position that they are in, and will be aware that all eyes will be watching them closely. Everyone will expect them to give their absolute all, and I’m pretty sure the hosts will be ‘up for it’. Lyon have only won 2 of their last 6 games and haven’t been massively convincing recently, but the most important thing now is the result. I’m not sure that they will win this match, for a start they don’t ‘have’ to win, a draw would be sufficient. There is no value in the visitors @ around 1.50 and I’m certainly tempted with a bet on Auxerre here.



Bordeaux -0.25 AH @ 2.21 Canbet 4/10

This is an absolutely massive match which will affect both the top and the bottom of the ligue 1 table. In simple terms, both teams desperately need to win and a draw wouldn’t be acceptable for anyone, certainly not for Bordeaux who absolutely must obtain the 3 points. They are still in the hunt for the ligue 1 title with only one game left to play, and only a victory would keep their hopes alive. ‘Les Girondins’ have produced some remarkable results over the last few weeks to keep themselves in contention. Lens on the other hand have had a nightmare in 2008 and have won just 1 of their last 14 matches. They need to win here and hope that either Toulouse or PSG slip up in their games. A draw might be enough to see them to safety, but very unlikely, so the payers know what they have to do. Often in these sort of games nobody gets what they want, but I truly believe Bordeaux‘s extra quality will show in the end. They are the team that has less pressure on their shoulders and are also playing with much more confidence. I have no doubts in siding with the visitors in this encounter.



Lille -0.25 AH @ 1.90 Betinternet 5/10

Lorient could still finish as high as 8th in the table, but I’m not convinced that they will win this match against the excellent Lille. The visitors have ended the season really strongly and have lost just 1 of their last 11 matches. They have won 4 of their last 5 and are crucially in the driving seat to finish in 5th position in the table. Only a win would guarantee that they remain in that placing though, so the players know that they need to obtain 3 points at Le Stade Moustoir. Lorient can be tough opposition so it might not be easy for Lille to achieve this. However, the hosts aren’t the sort of side who can be relied upon at the moment because their form has been incredibly inconsistent. The players will want to end the campaign on a positive note, but will also have half an eye on the summer break ahead, so could be distracted. I just think Lille’s extra motivation could prove to be crucial, I’d certainly be surprised if Claude Puel’s men lost this fixture.

[meatman]

Marseille -2 European Handicap @ 3.40 Stanjames 3/10

Failure to beat Le Mans last week now means that Marseille’s destiny is not in their own hands. The are in battle with Nancy to obtain 3rd position in the table, but if their rivals beat Rennes, then there is nothing that Marseille can do about it. ‘OM’ must beat Strasbourg and hope that Nancy slip up against the Bretons. This game against Strasbourg should be relatively straightforward and I honestly expect Eric Gerets men to give the visitors a complete and utter thrashing. Last weekend, ‘Les Alsatians’ suffered their 10th consecutive defeat and that loss facing Caen confirmed their relegation back down to ligue 2. Its been a shocking end to the campaign for Jean Marc Furlans men, and their results have been nothing short of a shambolic embarrassment. There is no fight left in this team anymore and I don’t expect they will cause Marseille too many problems. The only question here is exactly how many goals the southerners will win by. I tihkn there is some value on this -2 EH. OK Marseille have to win by 3 goals, but they can do this. I'll risk some small stakes @ odds of 3.40


Le Mans -0.25 AH @ 1.91 Pinnacle 5/10

Its been a really miserable campaign for Metz and now finally their misery can be ended. This is the last match of the campaign and the hosts will just want to put a line under a dreadful year which has seen them languish rock bottom of the table. They have nothing left to play for and have been disappointing in recent weeks, showing relatively little fight. This weekend they face a Le Mans side who are still challenging for a European position, so I expect the visitors to come here with positive intent. They have the sort of attack force which should be able to cause a lot of problems to the Metz back line. I think Le Mans will create quite a lot of chances, its just a matter of making sure that they take some of them. I think this looks like quite a clear away win, id certainly be very surprised if Le Mans suffered defeat at Le Stade Saint Symphorian. Bookmakers are offering some decent value on Rudy Garcia’s men, and they simply must be taken in my opinion.


Rennes +0.75 AH @ 1.95 Canbet 3/10

Amazingly as we approach the final match of the season, Nancy are still in 3rd position in the table and have their destiny in their own hands. They are in battle with Marseille to obtain the final champions league placing, and a win here would complete a fantastic achievement for the Lorraine side. But it wont be easy against a Rennes outfit who still have plenty to play for themselves. For both of these teams it’s a must win match and a draw would probably do little to help any of their causes. Nancy have performed remarkably well at home this season and have yet to lose in front of their own fans. The real question now is whether or not the players can hold their nerve for one final time. I guess time will tell, but ultimately I have a feeling that Pablo Correia’s men might fall short at this crucial stage. This will be a tough match against a Rennes side which has lost just 1 of its last 12 matches. Its certainly not an ideal fixture for Nancy at this vital time. All the value is with the visitors and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them avoid defeat.

[meatman]

St Etienne straight win @ 1.73 Bet365 10/10

It looks as if St Etienne should easily win this end of season match against Monaco. The hosts have to win to have a chance of obtaining a UEFA cup place, so all the motivation and expectation is on their shoulders. Laurent Roussay’s men have ended the campaign in a really positive way and have lost just 1 of their last 13 matches. All season long they have had a remarkable home record and will be looking to end on a positive note in front of their own fans. Monaco come here now officially safe from relegation, so all the players can now sit back and relax. Its been a long difficult year for the principality club and I’m sure everyone is now looking forward to the summer break. I think its quite clear that St Etienne should win this game, the real question is by exactly how many goals. I just don’t feel that Monaco will have the energy or drive needed to cause problems to their opponents. This should end up as a routine success for Les Verts.

I can't see any other result other than a home win, and I'm willing to stake the maximum 10/10.


PSG -0.5 AH @ 2.07 Pinnacle 4/10

A lot of eyes will be on Le Stade Bonnal this weekend where PSG need a win to guarantee their survival. It might be that a draw or even a defeat would still see them to safety, but only 3 points can absolutely settle their nerves. At this crucial stage of the campaign, Paul Le Guen’s men have been able to pick up a few points and are fighting hard, but they still have to get over the finishing line. Sochaux might be safe from relegation themselves, but are sure to give their best efforts knowing that they have a duty to perform. But its been a long tough campaign for Sochaux and I think some of the players could be forgiven for being below their best. PSG will have a lot more motivation and a ‘need’ to win. These factors could ultimately be vital in determining the winner of the match. On paper there is still a lot of quality within this squad and the visitors definitely have the ability to get what they need. The odds are relatively poor, but I feel PSG can get the win which would confirm their survival.


Toulouse -1.25 AH @ 2.06 Pinnacle 5/10

A win here for Toulouse would ‘probably’ be enough to see them to safety, although they’d have to keep an eye on the result of the Lens - Bordeaux match. Either way, TFC know that they must get the 3 points facing Valenciennes and there is no excuse should Les Violets fail. The come up against the worst away side in the whole of ligue 1, the visitors have lost a massive 12/18 times on their travels this season. They have also been relatively poor in 2008 and have hardly ended the campaign in an impressive way either - losing 5 of their last 7 matches. The Valenciennes players now just want the season to end and they’ll be looking forward to the summer break. Of course they do have a duty to try their best in this game, but I don’t think too many people expect them to do very well here. The general consensus is that Toulouse will win, and win well, having relatively few problems in obtaining the 3 points. Its nervous time for all the players but they will be strongly supported by all their fans, and will of course have a much higher level of motivation and drive compared to their opponents. I’m confident that TFC will get the 3 points and secure their top flight status for another year.

[meatman]

Originally Posted by alexmeil

Waiting for asian odds but it will be again and again Saint-Etienne for me. 1.75 is a very good price for a team who need to win in order to finish 5th (UEFA) or 6th (Intertoto), against Monaco who have nothing to play for.

Lille 2.40 ?? It is another good price from the bookies. With a win against Lorient (nothing to play for too...), Lille wille keep their 5th place and directly goes to the UEFA. Maybe it will be hard for Lille because Lorient plays at home where they did good performance this season, but this price is too high in my opinion. I will go for Lille -0.25 if the price is near 2.05, even i'm a supporter of... les Verts.

Another good price for me : Sochaux. Why ? First, they are a better team than PSG. OK, PSG must win in case of Lens (18th) who is just one point above take something against Bordeaux, but I think a draw can be OK for Paris. All in all Sochaux (0) at 3 or more is tempting me...

Medium stake always, but waiting for Pinnacle... and Meatman.

Good luck !

PS : Sorry for my poor english (school is far far away).

Good luck to you also Alex, we are certainly in agreement with 2 key bets there

Your english is quite good by the way - are you from France?

[maxzorn]

I like Bordeaux, Rennes and St. Etienne will follow meatman's lead.

Cheers everyone and good luck!!!

[alexmeil]

Originally Posted by meatman

Good luck to you also Alex, we are certainly in agreement with 2 key bets there

Your english is quite good by the way - are you from France?

Yes master, I'm from... Saint-Etienne. But when I bet I try to do the difference between hearts and brain (it's not always true ). For tonight I hope Les Verts will take three points and Lille won't. But Lille have the quality to win in Lorient. Like I said it will be hard cause Les Merlus won't give them the victory in their home ground but Lille +0.25 was too high so I took it.

PSG ? They fighted very hard last week-end against Saint-Etienne to take... one point at home. A draw can suit them if Lens didn't win against Bordeaux. So I think the value is on Sochaux. Maybe I'm totally wrong with this bet but after their season I dont see Paris players win this one. This club is unpredictable...

I have many respect for yours bets meatman, so i will go with ultra majority of them (Auxerre, Rennes, Toulouse, Marseille, Le Mans indeed was match where I doubt).

All in all, last round is always hard to predict... Maybe Toulouse will go down, Bordeaux will be champion and Rennes will go to the UEFA cup !

Good luck all tipsters for this week-end and thousands of thanks to meatman for this previews ! And... Allez les Verts !

[Elensar77]

Hi friends,

My bet is nice - caen match,ı think both team will be play atacking football tonignt,anyway caen all match play atacking for good football.

So over 2,5 is good bet maybe,meatman your think?

[meatman]

Originally Posted by Elensar77

Hi friends,

My bet is nice - caen match,ı think both team will be play atacking football tonignt,anyway caen all match play atacking for good football.

So over 2,5 is good bet maybe,meatman your think?

yeh I agree with that bet, I nearly took over 2.5 myself there. It should be free flowing, exciting and good on the eye

@ Alex

It's always nice to have a native on here and you've come up with some interesting things in your posts so far.

St Etienne are a team that I do have rather a soft spot for and It'd be nice to see you get into europe

[Kozzin Benson]

Looking good early doors Alexmeil & Meatman St Ettienne 2 up already!

[MaKDaddYSportsBET]

And now Lorient up 1-0... could we see St Etienne in Europe next season... may be the case...

[korezzjan]

What will happen if touluse and lens both end draw??
Who will end up in ligue 2??

I really need touluse to win desperately!!!!

[jaffasam]

That Bordeaux game stinks of being fixed.When Lyon went 2 up
early on, they realised they couldnt win the league.Twice they
scored then conceded right away,one being a penalty.I was
following it (in running) and Paddy Power suspended it twice
then took it off completly.Lens never did enough to stay up
anyway so good riddance.As for Bordeaux play every game to
win even if its just for the fans.....

[alexmeil]

What a fiesta in Saint-Etienne !!!

I will go in town where fans massively celebrate our come back in Europe, twenty-six years after our last match in UEFA cup against Bohemians Prague, in 1982 (coach Laurent Roussey was the stricker of the team for this match and we lost...4-0).

Les Verts were wonderlul tonight especialy Bafé Gomis who scored two goals in seven minutes. And special thanks to Lorient...

Bye bye everybody, thanks at all the tipsters espacially master Meatman. And see you next season !

[heniek31]

I dont know any one who knows French leagues inside out like you do Steve. Thank you for a fantastic work all season mate .

[meatman]

Thanks Heniek (and others)

It was a pretty good year for me in Ligue 1 overall, I was delighted to see Marseille get 3rd place in the end

About a level night for me with some winners and losers. A releif to see my big bet of St Etienne easily come home

Thanks to all for their input this year, hope to see you all back next season