France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) - The Punters Lounge

McFly · 08-08-2007, 23:12

Friday 10 August 2007
	Home	Draw	Away	BPP
AC Ajaccio v En Avant Guingamp (19:00 BST)	2.41	3.00	4.00	100%
Chamois Niortais v CS Sedan Ardennes (19:00 BST)	3.00	2.87	2.82	104%
Dijon FCO v Amiens SC (19:00 BST)	2.69	2.90	3.15	104%
FC Gueugnon v Chateauroux (19:00 BST)	2.68	2.87	3.25	103%
FC Libourne-Saint-Seurin v Le Havre AC (19:00 BST)	3.20	2.89	2.63	104%
Grenoble Foot 38 v Stade Reims (19:00 BST)	1.94	3.10	5.40	103%
Troyes AC v Angers SCO (19:00 BST)	1.61	3.50	8.60	103%
Nantes Atlantique v Clermont (19:30 BST)	1.45	3.95	11.00	104%
US Boulogne v Montpellier HSC (19:30 BST)	3.20	2.87	2.98	100%
Monday 13 August 2007
	Home	Draw	Away	BPP
Stade Brestois 29 v SC Bastia (19:30 BST)	2.50	2.87	3.30	106%

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:13

Match: Ajaccio v Guingamp
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Ajaccio -0.25 AH @ 2.08 Canbet 4/10

Ajaccio have started the season with consecutive draws, and they will hope to get victory against Guingamp this Friday. In their last match, the Corsicans were stunned by Boulogne as they could only draw 2-2 against them at home. And many would say that this was a somewhat fortunate point and they were outplayed. I think probably a bit of underestimation was the key in that encounter and that the players will be much more focused for this fixture. On home turf, they are traditionally strong, although not that well supported these days. Only about 2,000 watched them against Boulogne which is a definite reduction to the amount they were getting in ligue 1 a couple of years ago.

At the moment they look nothing more than a mediocre team and nothing too special. They have the potential to win here but they seem to be hard to predict. Many people expected them to easily beat Boulogne but they came nowhere near to achieving that. Again I think there will be an expectation to win this match although not as much. The pressure will always get on the players minds when playing at home and that certainly seemed the case last week. In attack, they just don’t look very threatening at the moment although they have the potential to fire. . At the moment, Ajaccio seem to be a bit overrated but they are the morel likely team to win this match. They need to improve on last weeks display otherwise they could be disappointed again.

Guingamp have yet to win a match this season, and have also yet to score a goal. In their last match they drew 0-0 at home to Niort, and prior to that they were unlucky in losing 0-1 away in Troyes. This is a team that traditionally starts the season poorly but if they can play as they did against Troyes then they will surely have every chance of collecting some points. The 0-0 draw against Niort last week was a disappointment, but they defended well and looked solid at the back. I don’t expect they will be very aggressive in this match and will probably only use Eduardo upfront on his own. The squad is in reasonable condition although they still have the long term injuries of Jean Francois, Caggiano and also Cedric Liabeuf. There is plenty of quality in this squad and the Bretons are also boosted by the return of Yves Deroff in the backline. He was suspended against Niort but should make his return here, albeit maybe only on the bench. It wont be an easy match, but Guingamp cant be underestimated and have the potential to get something.

However, ACA's clean injury slate and tempting price means the -0.25 AH is a must bet for me with 4/10 stakes.

Ajaccio Injured: None
Ajaccio Suspended: None

Guingamp Injured: Eduardo (B, att, doubt), Liabeuf (B, mid), Jean Francois (C, def), Leguen (C, def), Caggiano (C, att)
Guingamp Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:13

Match: Dijon v Amiens
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Amiens (0) AH @ 2.21 Pinnacle 2/10

Dijon have started the season in a solid way by obtaining successive 1-1 draws against Ajaccio and Montpellier respectively. However, this fixture against Amiens is likely to be their toughest challenge yet so the team will probably have to raise its level a bit. So far, Dijon have looked quite solid at the back although haven’t looked especially strong going forward. Both of their goals have been scored from free kicks, and no striker has yet to net for Les Rouges this campaign. And they are weakened by the loss of Stephane Mangions’s suspension here so its probable that Helder Esteves and Christophe Mandanne will be playing upfront together.

Defender, Jordan Loties is also suspended, although Dijon have only one injury concern - defender, Jacob Ba. Dijon look like a team that will perhaps be hard to beat, but they have only played against mediocre teams. Amiens will be much tougher challenge, and in this fixture last season they lost 1-2 against the Picardie outfit. Traditionally Dijon don’t do very well against the top clubs in the division so I expect they might struggle a bit this Friday. I don’t think they will be very aggressive and another draw would actually suit them pretty well. They pressure isn’t on them to win the game so a more negative mentality might prove to be their downfall. Amiens have started the season well and have obtained 4 points after their first couple of games. They beat Gueugnon away from home on the opening day, and then were involved in what was a terrific 0-0 draw at home to Troyes on Monday night. It was a clash between two of the promotion favourites and they both played really well. Its clear to see that Amiens are one of the better teams this season and have to be taken seriously. They now have a wining mentality and they wont be coming here looking for a draw, but instead will be looking to get all 3 points. They had that same mentality last season and they won 2-1 at Le Stade Gaston Gerard. Ludovic Batelli has the team working pretty well and I still feel that there is more to come from them.

They have been a good away teams but a while now and this is the sort of game which they can get 3 points out of. The formation used will be 4-4-2 although I’m not completely sure who will play upfront together. One of the strikers is likely to be Sebaatien Heitzmann, but the other position is up for grabs. The squad is in good condition and the only injury to worry about is Stephane Hernandez. Roy Contout is a doubt ,although he will have probably now recovered from the virus that put him out of the Troyes encounter. Things are looking good for Amiens and they are the most likely team to win this match. It wont be easy, but they have the ability to achieve success.

Dijon Injured: Ba (C, def)
Dijon Suspended: Loties (B, def), Mangione (B, att)

Amiens Injured: Vairelles (B, def), Hernandez (B, def), Contout (C, mid/att)
Amiens Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:14

Match: Grenoble v Reims
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Grenoble -0.75 AH @ 2.17 SBObet 4/10

Grenoble will be pleased with their start to the season and will now look to continue their momentum against Reims this Friday. They obtained a very solid 0-0 at home to Sedan on the opening day and then followed this up with a decant 2-0 success away to Angers. In defence they have looked very strong and seem to be very hard to break down. Key striker, Nassim Akrour grabbed a brace of goals in the Angers game so he will also be full of confidence. Grenoble have good memories of this fixture last season and they hammered Reims 5-1 in it. I doubt a repeat display will happen this time around but they are certainly favourites to collect the 3 points.

The squad is still in good condition and they now only have 1 injury to worry about - Jimmy Juan is unavailable but Grenoble have plenty of cover for him. This is a team in good form and they have plenty of ambition. Their aim will be to get victory against Reims so I expect them to be a bit more aggressive. They look solid all over the pitch and will be exceptionally difficult to beat. They are favourites to get all 3 points and there is little to suggest that they wont produce a decent performance. Reims obtained an unconvincing 2-1 home win against Libourne last weekend. This will have been a big relief though and might help to settle the team down a bit. On the opening day of the season, they were totally hammered 0-5 by Nantes in what was a very disappointing performance. Now in that game they did play against one of the best teams in the ligue, but it still would’ve been a worry for all involved at the club. The major problem that Reims have had in the last 4-5 seasons is their poor away form. They have picked up various draws, but their win ratio is incredibly low.

Many people expected them to improve this campaign but the loss in Nantes has done little to suggest that they have ridden the away gremlins. There is still a long way to go, but this will be a tough trip to Grenoble. Last year they lost the fixture 1-5 so don’t exactly have many happy memories of the stadium. I expect a better performance this time around, but they are still favourites to slip to defeat. The squad continues to be in poor condition with many injuries on the sidelines. There are a lot of question marks as to how they will approach this game but they definitely need to improve their performance levels otherwise they will leave with nothing.

Grenoble Injured: Juan (B, mid)
Grenoble Suspended: None

Reims Injured: Feret (A, mid), Tourenne (B., mid), Fontenette (B, def), Didot (B, mid), Burle (C, def), Barbier (B, def)
Reims Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:15

Match: Gueugnon v Chateauroux
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Gueugnon (0) AH @ 1.74 SBObet 3/10

Gueugnon play host to Chateauroux, and it’s a really important game for Les Forgerons. They have lost both of their matches so far this season so have yet to register any points. Its not been the best of starts for new coach Alain Ravera, but he will perhaps feel annoyed and frustrated that his team have yet to get off the mark. They played quite well at home to Amiens on day 1, but slumped to a 1-2 loss. Then last week they were 1-0 up in Sedan with just 6 mins left, but somehow managed to self destruct and lose 1-3. Gueugnon haven’t actually played that badly so far so its probably just a matter of time before they can get going. There are some worries in attack where they don’t really look like scoring, but there again some of the midfield has been quite good.

Key striker, Wilfried Niflore is still injured and it’s a blow that he will be on the sidelines for at least another month. There are a few injury doubts in midfield, but in general, the squad isn’t in the worst of condition. This is definitely a good chance for them to get a win against a team that also hasn’t started so well. With home advantage, Gueugnon are favourites for the 3 points and if they continue playing as they have been, then they have the potential to be successful. However, 2 consecutive defeats is sure to have dented morale a bit, so it’s a question of whether they can hit back or not. Chateauroux have just 1 point to their name so far this season and its not been the best of starts for Les Berrichonne. Last weekend they did succumb to the mighty Nantes, who are one of the best in the ligue, but they will be still disappointed about losing at home. The previous week they were very fortunate in obtaining a 0-0 draw away in Clermont, so they could easily be coming into this match without any points at all. It’s a big match because they are playing against opposition who have also started badly. Chateauroux will feel they have a good chance to get points here although they will have to improve their level of performance.

If they play as they did in Clermont, then the likelihood is that they will suffer defeat. The team just hasn’t quite fired yet this season, and although they have looked quite good in attack, defensively they have been poor. This was always a worry that many people had about Chateauroux anyway this season and that their lack of solidity at the back would prove to be their downfall. The squad perhaps might need more time to gel, and of course its never easy when playing away from home. I feel there is some potential in this team, but at the moment, there are too many question marks and I think they might be in for a difficult game.

Gueugnon Injured: Loukhiar (C, mid), Adam (B, mid, doubt), Hauw (B, mid, doubt)
Gueugnon Suspended: None

Chateauroux Injured: Viator (B, def), Mauricio (B, att, Lacheur (C, mid)
Chateauroux Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:17

Match: Libourne v Le Havre
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Libourne (0) AH @ 2.26 Pinnacle 2/10

Libourne have lost both of their matches this season and the problem they have had is in defence. The backline has been punished for making mistakes which they must cut out. However, one might think they are due a bit of luck and the rest of their play has actually been quite good. In their last match away in Reims they created quite a few chances but failed to take them all. This resulted in them losing 1-2, and that was exactly the same scoreline on the opening day against Montpellier here. I feel there is potential for them to get something in this match but they certainly cant be relied upon at the moment until they do actually get a result. Confidence levels are going to be a bit low, although the team didn’t start well last season and they managed hot hit back eventually. At home they aren’t normally a very strong force and are probably the weakest in ligue 2 when playing in front of their own fans.

This match against Le Havre wont be easy and they will have to raise their performance levels a bit ion an attempt to match the Normans. Last season Didier Tholot used some surprising tactics by going defensive against them and it worked. That night Libourne managed to obtain a 0-0 draw although I’m not so sure that will be their plan here. Their strength is to attack rather than defend and they don’t really have the ability now to frustrate quality opponents for 90 minutes. They are going to have to score some goals to get points so they will hope strikers such as Zvonimir Dernja and Teo K,rdum will fire. Backup front man, Boubacar Kebe is still injured along Ghislain Gimbert. Libourne cant be underestimated here, but confidence levels cant be high, so until they get some points then they just cant be relied upon.

Its been a solid start to the season for Le Havre and they sit on 4 points after a couple of games. They played quite well in patches, although not consistently enough and that was the case against Brest last week. They dominated the first half but failed to take enough chances to see off their opponents eventually drawing 1-1. Prior to that, they produced an impressive away performance that saw off Bastia 2-0. They will be after the same sort of display this Friday when they travel to struggling Libourne and the aim will be to get all 3 points. This is a club with plenty of ambitions and they ultimately want to gain promotion to ligue 1.

The players know what is expected on them, and its up to them to produce the attacking impetus needed to get victory. . There’s plenty of quality here and I think the Normans can raise their levels up even higher in the future.. They have the ability to keep things tight at the back, and then also obtain some decent offensive weapons. They will have to be careful not to underestimate Libourne, but there’s no doubt that they have a great chance of walking away with victory.

However, even though I think they could lose this game, Libourne's odds are far too high and I'm forced to bet them 2/10 on the level ball AH. It's a game that could go either way so hopefully my luck will be in.

Libourne Injured: Gimbert (C, att)
Libourne Suspended: None

Le Havre Injured: Unconfirmed
Le Havre Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:20

Match: Niort v Sedan
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Niort Draw No Bet @ 2.0 Eurobet 2/10

Niort’s performances this season have definitely been a surprise and they will come into this match against Sedan with plenty of confidence. On the opening day, they beat Boulogne 2-1 and were easily the better team. Last Friday they were expected to struggle away in Guingamp, but played well again and were unlucky not to obtain victory. They ended up getting a solid 0-0 draw and the defence looked especially strong in that encounter. Its an experienced backline which does struggle for pace at times, but against the right opposition can be quite effective. Niort are one of the best home teams in ligue 2 and they have lost just 1 of their last 40 games here at Le Stade Rene Gaillard. it’s a remarkable record that they have and this stadium is a complete fortress.

They have proven in the past that they have the ability to upset even the best of teams here on home turf and I expect them to keep Sedan honest. There are doubts still over the fitness of key goalkeeper, David Klein. It might be that Simon Pontdeme will again have to patrol in between the sticks, although he will have confidence after his decent Guingamp performance. Probably a more vital loss would be key striker, Benoit Leroy who scored a great goal on the opening day at home to Boulogne. He might make it back in time although there are definitely some current doubts. Niort wont play defensive against one of the promotion favourites, they always push for goals at home. They have the confidence here and I expect them to put up a good performance. It wont be easy, but they look good to obtain at least a point.

Sedan produced a remarkable comeback in their last match to beat Gueugnon 3-1. They looked down and out with just 6 minutes left, but scored 3 late goals which enabled them to register their first victory of the new season. This followed up a tight opening day encounter away in Grenoble where Sedan arguably were the better team. Its been a solid start for the northern side, but this trip to Niort will be far from easy. Many people will have them as favourites for the win, but that would be completely unwise against one of the best home teams in ligue 2.

If Sedan are to obtain victory then they must do what just 1 team has done in the last 2 years - defeat Niort in their own back yard. A draw would be a good result here but the players will be expected to push on for the win. Sedan will have to be careful that they don’t leave gaps at the back which Niort could potentially exploit. There is plenty of quality in this squad though and they have just 1 injury to worry about at the moment. Joseph Desire Job is a doubt because of a knock he sustained in the last match, although there is a possibility he might play. Sedan will need to be at their best if they are to get any points, and they cant afford to underestimate their opponents otherwise they will definitely pay the price.

It's a dangerous match to bet on, but I cant resist Eurobet's offer of 2.0 on the Draw no bet line. It's worth 2/10 for me

Niort Injured: Klein (A, gk), Leroy (A, at, doubt)
Niort Suspended: None

Sedan Injured: Job (B, att)
Sedan Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:23

Match: Troyes v Angers
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:00 cet
Recommended bet: Troyes -1 AH @ 2.10 Pinnacle 7/10

Troyes will be pleased with their start to the new ligue 2 season and they have 4 points to their name after 2 games. A dodgy opening day win against Guingamp was followed up with a great 0-0 away draw in Amiens. That was the Monday night match between two quality teams who will be fighting hard for promotion this year. Troyes proved in that match that they will be in the hunt at the top and showed some good moments of play. They have played some decent teams so far, but now they face up to one of the weaker sides in ligue 2, Angers. Troyes really will expect to fill their boots in this match and claim a convincing victory.

With home advantage, I’d be surprised if they failed to get all 3 points, and the question isn’t if they’ll win, but by how many. Based on current form Troyes should register an easy success, the only question mark is if they take their foot off the gas a bit and underestimate their opponents. The squad is in fine condition and they have no injury or suspension worries. It really should be full steam ahead for the Troyes train, and everything is pointing to them celebrating come the end of the final whistle. They should use an aggressive formation, go for goals, and ultimately obtain a simple success.

Things just haven’t gone well for Angers this season and they sit bottom of the ligue 2 table after a couple of matches played. This team had a lot of distractions going into the campaign and clearly its still affecting a lot of the players. They haven’t gelled properly and have definitely looked out of their depth so far. In both games played they were pretty much outplayed by their opponents and the worry is they lost to some of the more mediocre teams in the division. This will be an even tougher test away against Troyes and I struggle to see how they will take any points back home with them.

On paper I think this squad has quite a bit of potential, but until they show that they are capable of playing some decent ligue 2 football, then its quite safe to oppose them. A the moment they just don’t look like they can match up to ligue 2 standard. I don’t really know what the formation will be or tactics used, but I doubt they will see much of the ball, and they will need quite a bit of luck if they are to obtain anything at Le Stade L’aube.

Troyes Injured: None
Troyes Suspended: None

Angers Injured: Tangeaoui (B, att), Alo'o Efoulou (B, att),
Angers Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:24

Match: Boulogne v Montpellier
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:30 cet
Recommended bet: Boulogne (0) Draw No Bet @ 1.95 Sportingodds 2/10

Boulogne will come into this match in a confident mood after they picked up their first points of the season last week. On the opening day they were pretty much outplayed away in Niort, but they managed to leave Ajaccio with a 2-2 draw and arguably they should’ve obtained victory. The performance was very much a surprise and they certainly played far better than was expected of them. Boulogne continue to me many peoples favourites to finish bottom of the table, but maybe the team have some points to prove. Now they will have their first home match of the new season and if they can play as they did on Corsica, then they will have every chance of getting a win against Montpellier.

With a squad in pretty good condition, quite a few things seem to be going in their favour. Key striker, Gregory Thil has already scored some goals this season, and any doubts about whether or not he’d adapt to ligue 2 level have been well and truly smashed. He’s a quality player and has shown s couple of nice finishing touches which would’ve boosted his confidence. A formation of 4-4-2 is to be expected and Boulogne cant be underestimated. They showed in Ajaccio that they are no pushovers, and they could once again spring the surprise factor on their opponents.

Montpellier would’ve been disappointed that they failed to beat off 9 man Dijon in their last match, but they couldn’t break down a resolute defence. Nevertheless, the south coast side have 4 points to their name after 2 games played and they’ve had a solid start to the new season. Now they will target 3 points away in Boulogne where many people will expect them to win. However, if they underestimate their opponents then they will be in for a rough ride and Boulogne need to be given some respect. I think coach, Roland Courbis will be aware of this fact, but there’s still every chance his team might fall short of the level required this Friday.

The squad is in reasonable condition but they look set to have 2 key absentees again. Goalkeeper, Laurent Pionnier is expected to be out of action for at least another 2 months whilst Lamine Sakho is a major doubt. He failed to play in the Dijon game because of injury and he was missed quite a lot. On the opening day the key playmaker had a big part to say in them beating Libourne 3-1, so it would be a boost if he could make it back in time here. Montpellier are a strange side and with Courbis in charge then are definitely better than last year. But they could definitely struggle in this encounter unless they play really well.

Boulogne Injured: Unconfirmed
Boulogne Suspended: None

Montpellier Injured: Pionnier (A, gk), Sakho (A, mid/att), Carotti (B, def)
Montpellier Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:24

Match: Nantes v Clermont
Date: 10/8/07
Time: 20:30 cet
Recommended bet: Nantes -1 AH @ 1.80 SBObet 7/10

Nantes have started the ligue 2 season exactly how they wanted to - with 2 successive wins. The mighty Canaris are already top of the table on their own and the only team left this season with a 100% record. On the opening day they absolutely thumped Reims 5-0 at home in what was one of the most impressive ligue 2 performances in recent years. They followed this up with a decent 2-1 victory away in Chateauroux where they extra quality was the difference. Yet despite these 2 wins there was still a doubt of the future of coach, Michel De Zakarian. Nantes now have a new president and his preference was for a new coach to be appointed. However, he has now given his backing to De Zakarian - at least for another month!. Another assessment will be made at the end of August so the pressure is on the team to maintain their momentum at the top of the division.

This home encounter against Clermont is expected to be one of their easiest matches of the season and anything less than a convincing victory would be unacceptable. They are expected to be well supported by their faithful fans, and over 20,000 will probably turn up inside Le Stade Beaujoire. Its a real boost for the players to have all that support, and its often a key advantage to have in ligue 2. At the moment they look as if they are capable of steamrollering most teams and they should romp to a pretty easy success against Clermont. The squad is in good condition and the only injury worries are just to minor backup players.

Clermont lost their last match at home to Bastia and this ended a 10 month unbeaten ligue run. Obviously all but one of those matches was in the national division though and ligue 2 is a much tougher prospect. They struggled against Bastia although had played quite well on the opening day facing Chateauroux, managing to obtain a 0-0 draw. Now the southern side will play their fist away match of the new season and they couldn’t have asked for a tougher place to play it. The trip to Nantes is likely to be the most difficult match of the whole year.

Some might say its good to get it out of the way early, but the team has yet to really gel property this campaign which will make it doubly difficult. I’m not sure how Clermont will play, the most likely way is that they will try to defend and frustrate their opponents. Its probable that they will slump to defeat, but Clermont should at least try and gain some respectability. Clermont do at least welcome back key defender, Julien Cordonnier, who will take his place on the right hand side of defence. I don’t think they have enough quality to really pose a serious threat to Nantes though and they will need some luck if they are to go home with any points.

Nantes Injured: Das Neves (C, def), Vainqueur (C, mid)
Nantes Suspended: None

Clermont Injured: Ouejdide (A, att), Carlier (B, att), Mazeyrat (B, def)
Clermont Suspended: None

meatman · 09-08-2007, 23:40

For the first time this season I have bets in all 9 games, although four of my bets are just 2/10 stakes

My most confident bets are easily Nantes and Troyes -1. I really do think that they should win pretty easily and am willing to stake quite big on them.

CS predictions

Ajaccio 1-0 Guingamp
Dijon 1-2 Amiens
Grenoble 2-0 Reims
Gueugnon 2-1 Chateauroux
Libourne 1-1 Le Havre (although hope for home win)
Niort 1-0 Sedan
Troyes 3-0 Angers
Boulogne 1-1 Montpellier (although hope for home win)
Nantes 3-0 Clermont

GL all today

furufu · 10-08-2007, 01:26

Thanks for your usual excellent analysis, meatman.

. It simplifies a lot the final decision making for the rest of the forumites

Good luck with all your bets. Hope for a 9-0

The Insider · 10-08-2007, 06:54

Great views Meatman, as usual. Seems like we will be on the different sides in this round. GL

Correct Scores and some Reasons;

Ajaccio 0-1 Guingamp
The draw away at Dijon could be seen as a good result if Dijon had been a good team. As they aren't and as Ajaccio's last week match showed that they are not strong as well, don't i see any reason not to go against them.
Pick: Guingamp DNB @2.85 Sportingbet - 4/10

Dijon 1-2 Amiens
Dijon is not a strong team this season and although Amiens did not show much, they have a good squad. The match vs Gueugnon was vs an easy opponent. Dijon is not that weak, so the draw has to be covered IMO.
Pick: Amiens DNB @2.20 Canbet - 4/10

Grenoble 2-0 Reims
Grenoble seemed very nice vs Angers last week and the offensive style impressed me. Vs Reims, that is a great team but facing troubles with the injuries, being brave will be enough for Grenoble to win. Will Grenoble start with on man upfront, or will they play like vs Angers? I hope it will be like vs Angers. Reims with the missing players list has not a big chance to leave Grenoble with even a point in hands.
Pick: Grenoble @1.85 Centrebet - 2/10

Gueugnon 1-1 Chateauroux
With the weak squad Gueugnon has, can i accept a league start with three loses in row, but whether Gueugnon will accept it, is in this match-up the real and most important question. For this question mark will i cover the draw. But my main bet will be for Chateauroux.
Pick: Chateauroux +0.25 @1.85 Canbet - 2/10

Libourne 0-0 Le Havre
Like Gueugnon, Libourne started the season with two lost games. The third at home will be a chance to get first points, that's why the draw needs to be covered. Whether i go for Le Havre is the question for me, but i won't do that with these odds.
Pick: Under 2 @2.40 Stan James - 2/10

Niort 0-0 Sedan
Niort always a good home side. Sedan not one of the best team of Ligue 2 this season but their last win in the last five minutes could be a good sign for them. I'm not sure whether to trust Sedan and i can't go against Niort at home.
Pick: NOBET

Troyes 3-1 Angers
Angers have some good players but the results don't talk for them. Two lost games and still no goal scored. Looks hard before the match vs Troyes that played two and still has not conceeded any. IMO this match looks to be a nice one. Troyes as the better side can win it but as Angers is seen as a weak team in Ligue 2 will also Troyes underestimate them and leave them spaces behind. Troyes' defense line is not the strongest in the league and it is the time for Troyes to conceed, also the time for Angers to score. I go for Troyes win, Angers score and surely the O2.5.
Pick: Over 2.5 @2.42 Nordicbet - 6/10 (I'll be on 2.26 at 10bet)

Boulogne 3-1 Montpellier
Maybe a strange CS for a team that is valued at 3.00 to win at home. My opinion, Boulogne impressed everyone, especially striker Thil. It was seen in the last years that National League top scorers can fail to continue scoring in Ligue 2. Last seasons Jeremy Perbet the easy example. But Gregory Thil scored in both the first two games and it looks like he will continue scoring. This is good for Boulogne to avoid relegation. Montpellies on the other side, could not impress me. The away win vs Libourne was ok, but the lost point at home vs Dijon was like i expected to see. Boulogne to win this one. No need for cover IMO.
Pick: Boulogne @

09-08-2007, 23:13	#2 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Ajaccio v Guingamp Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Ajaccio -0.25 AH @ 2.08 Canbet 4/10 Ajaccio have started the season with consecutive draws, and they will hope to get victory against Guingamp this Friday. In their last match, the Corsicans were stunned by Boulogne as they could only draw 2-2 against them at home. And many would say that this was a somewhat fortunate point and they were outplayed. I think probably a bit of underestimation was the key in that encounter and that the players will be much more focused for this fixture. On home turf, they are traditionally strong, although not that well supported these days. Only about 2,000 watched them against Boulogne which is a definite reduction to the amount they were getting in ligue 1 a couple of years ago. At the moment they look nothing more than a mediocre team and nothing too special. They have the potential to win here but they seem to be hard to predict. Many people expected them to easily beat Boulogne but they came nowhere near to achieving that. Again I think there will be an expectation to win this match although not as much. The pressure will always get on the players minds when playing at home and that certainly seemed the case last week. In attack, they just don’t look very threatening at the moment although they have the potential to fire. . At the moment, Ajaccio seem to be a bit overrated but they are the morel likely team to win this match. They need to improve on last weeks display otherwise they could be disappointed again. Guingamp have yet to win a match this season, and have also yet to score a goal. In their last match they drew 0-0 at home to Niort, and prior to that they were unlucky in losing 0-1 away in Troyes. This is a team that traditionally starts the season poorly but if they can play as they did against Troyes then they will surely have every chance of collecting some points. The 0-0 draw against Niort last week was a disappointment, but they defended well and looked solid at the back. I don’t expect they will be very aggressive in this match and will probably only use Eduardo upfront on his own. The squad is in reasonable condition although they still have the long term injuries of Jean Francois, Caggiano and also Cedric Liabeuf. There is plenty of quality in this squad and the Bretons are also boosted by the return of Yves Deroff in the backline. He was suspended against Niort but should make his return here, albeit maybe only on the bench. It wont be an easy match, but Guingamp cant be underestimated and have the potential to get something. However, ACA's clean injury slate and tempting price means the -0.25 AH is a must bet for me with 4/10 stakes. Ajaccio Injured: None Ajaccio Suspended: None Guingamp Injured: Eduardo (B, att, doubt), Liabeuf (B, mid), Jean Francois (C, def), Leguen (C, def), Caggiano (C, att) Guingamp Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:13	#3 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Dijon v Amiens Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Amiens (0) AH @ 2.21 Pinnacle 2/10 Dijon have started the season in a solid way by obtaining successive 1-1 draws against Ajaccio and Montpellier respectively. However, this fixture against Amiens is likely to be their toughest challenge yet so the team will probably have to raise its level a bit. So far, Dijon have looked quite solid at the back although haven’t looked especially strong going forward. Both of their goals have been scored from free kicks, and no striker has yet to net for Les Rouges this campaign. And they are weakened by the loss of Stephane Mangions’s suspension here so its probable that Helder Esteves and Christophe Mandanne will be playing upfront together. Defender, Jordan Loties is also suspended, although Dijon have only one injury concern - defender, Jacob Ba. Dijon look like a team that will perhaps be hard to beat, but they have only played against mediocre teams. Amiens will be much tougher challenge, and in this fixture last season they lost 1-2 against the Picardie outfit. Traditionally Dijon don’t do very well against the top clubs in the division so I expect they might struggle a bit this Friday. I don’t think they will be very aggressive and another draw would actually suit them pretty well. They pressure isn’t on them to win the game so a more negative mentality might prove to be their downfall. Amiens have started the season well and have obtained 4 points after their first couple of games. They beat Gueugnon away from home on the opening day, and then were involved in what was a terrific 0-0 draw at home to Troyes on Monday night. It was a clash between two of the promotion favourites and they both played really well. Its clear to see that Amiens are one of the better teams this season and have to be taken seriously. They now have a wining mentality and they wont be coming here looking for a draw, but instead will be looking to get all 3 points. They had that same mentality last season and they won 2-1 at Le Stade Gaston Gerard. Ludovic Batelli has the team working pretty well and I still feel that there is more to come from them. They have been a good away teams but a while now and this is the sort of game which they can get 3 points out of. The formation used will be 4-4-2 although I’m not completely sure who will play upfront together. One of the strikers is likely to be Sebaatien Heitzmann, but the other position is up for grabs. The squad is in good condition and the only injury to worry about is Stephane Hernandez. Roy Contout is a doubt ,although he will have probably now recovered from the virus that put him out of the Troyes encounter. Things are looking good for Amiens and they are the most likely team to win this match. It wont be easy, but they have the ability to achieve success. Dijon Injured: Ba (C, def) Dijon Suspended: Loties (B, def), Mangione (B, att) Amiens Injured: Vairelles (B, def), Hernandez (B, def), Contout (C, mid/att) Amiens Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:14	#4 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Grenoble v Reims Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Grenoble -0.75 AH @ 2.17 SBObet 4/10 Grenoble will be pleased with their start to the season and will now look to continue their momentum against Reims this Friday. They obtained a very solid 0-0 at home to Sedan on the opening day and then followed this up with a decant 2-0 success away to Angers. In defence they have looked very strong and seem to be very hard to break down. Key striker, Nassim Akrour grabbed a brace of goals in the Angers game so he will also be full of confidence. Grenoble have good memories of this fixture last season and they hammered Reims 5-1 in it. I doubt a repeat display will happen this time around but they are certainly favourites to collect the 3 points. The squad is still in good condition and they now only have 1 injury to worry about - Jimmy Juan is unavailable but Grenoble have plenty of cover for him. This is a team in good form and they have plenty of ambition. Their aim will be to get victory against Reims so I expect them to be a bit more aggressive. They look solid all over the pitch and will be exceptionally difficult to beat. They are favourites to get all 3 points and there is little to suggest that they wont produce a decent performance. Reims obtained an unconvincing 2-1 home win against Libourne last weekend. This will have been a big relief though and might help to settle the team down a bit. On the opening day of the season, they were totally hammered 0-5 by Nantes in what was a very disappointing performance. Now in that game they did play against one of the best teams in the ligue, but it still would’ve been a worry for all involved at the club. The major problem that Reims have had in the last 4-5 seasons is their poor away form. They have picked up various draws, but their win ratio is incredibly low. Many people expected them to improve this campaign but the loss in Nantes has done little to suggest that they have ridden the away gremlins. There is still a long way to go, but this will be a tough trip to Grenoble. Last year they lost the fixture 1-5 so don’t exactly have many happy memories of the stadium. I expect a better performance this time around, but they are still favourites to slip to defeat. The squad continues to be in poor condition with many injuries on the sidelines. There are a lot of question marks as to how they will approach this game but they definitely need to improve their performance levels otherwise they will leave with nothing. Grenoble Injured: Juan (B, mid) Grenoble Suspended: None Reims Injured: Feret (A, mid), Tourenne (B., mid), Fontenette (B, def), Didot (B, mid), Burle (C, def), Barbier (B, def) Reims Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:15	#5 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Gueugnon v Chateauroux Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Gueugnon (0) AH @ 1.74 SBObet 3/10 Gueugnon play host to Chateauroux, and it’s a really important game for Les Forgerons. They have lost both of their matches so far this season so have yet to register any points. Its not been the best of starts for new coach Alain Ravera, but he will perhaps feel annoyed and frustrated that his team have yet to get off the mark. They played quite well at home to Amiens on day 1, but slumped to a 1-2 loss. Then last week they were 1-0 up in Sedan with just 6 mins left, but somehow managed to self destruct and lose 1-3. Gueugnon haven’t actually played that badly so far so its probably just a matter of time before they can get going. There are some worries in attack where they don’t really look like scoring, but there again some of the midfield has been quite good. Key striker, Wilfried Niflore is still injured and it’s a blow that he will be on the sidelines for at least another month. There are a few injury doubts in midfield, but in general, the squad isn’t in the worst of condition. This is definitely a good chance for them to get a win against a team that also hasn’t started so well. With home advantage, Gueugnon are favourites for the 3 points and if they continue playing as they have been, then they have the potential to be successful. However, 2 consecutive defeats is sure to have dented morale a bit, so it’s a question of whether they can hit back or not. Chateauroux have just 1 point to their name so far this season and its not been the best of starts for Les Berrichonne. Last weekend they did succumb to the mighty Nantes, who are one of the best in the ligue, but they will be still disappointed about losing at home. The previous week they were very fortunate in obtaining a 0-0 draw away in Clermont, so they could easily be coming into this match without any points at all. It’s a big match because they are playing against opposition who have also started badly. Chateauroux will feel they have a good chance to get points here although they will have to improve their level of performance. If they play as they did in Clermont, then the likelihood is that they will suffer defeat. The team just hasn’t quite fired yet this season, and although they have looked quite good in attack, defensively they have been poor. This was always a worry that many people had about Chateauroux anyway this season and that their lack of solidity at the back would prove to be their downfall. The squad perhaps might need more time to gel, and of course its never easy when playing away from home. I feel there is some potential in this team, but at the moment, there are too many question marks and I think they might be in for a difficult game. Gueugnon Injured: Loukhiar (C, mid), Adam (B, mid, doubt), Hauw (B, mid, doubt) Gueugnon Suspended: None Chateauroux Injured: Viator (B, def), Mauricio (B, att, Lacheur (C, mid) Chateauroux Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:17	#6 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Libourne v Le Havre Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Libourne (0) AH @ 2.26 Pinnacle 2/10 Libourne have lost both of their matches this season and the problem they have had is in defence. The backline has been punished for making mistakes which they must cut out. However, one might think they are due a bit of luck and the rest of their play has actually been quite good. In their last match away in Reims they created quite a few chances but failed to take them all. This resulted in them losing 1-2, and that was exactly the same scoreline on the opening day against Montpellier here. I feel there is potential for them to get something in this match but they certainly cant be relied upon at the moment until they do actually get a result. Confidence levels are going to be a bit low, although the team didn’t start well last season and they managed hot hit back eventually. At home they aren’t normally a very strong force and are probably the weakest in ligue 2 when playing in front of their own fans. This match against Le Havre wont be easy and they will have to raise their performance levels a bit ion an attempt to match the Normans. Last season Didier Tholot used some surprising tactics by going defensive against them and it worked. That night Libourne managed to obtain a 0-0 draw although I’m not so sure that will be their plan here. Their strength is to attack rather than defend and they don’t really have the ability now to frustrate quality opponents for 90 minutes. They are going to have to score some goals to get points so they will hope strikers such as Zvonimir Dernja and Teo K,rdum will fire. Backup front man, Boubacar Kebe is still injured along Ghislain Gimbert. Libourne cant be underestimated here, but confidence levels cant be high, so until they get some points then they just cant be relied upon. Its been a solid start to the season for Le Havre and they sit on 4 points after a couple of games. They played quite well in patches, although not consistently enough and that was the case against Brest last week. They dominated the first half but failed to take enough chances to see off their opponents eventually drawing 1-1. Prior to that, they produced an impressive away performance that saw off Bastia 2-0. They will be after the same sort of display this Friday when they travel to struggling Libourne and the aim will be to get all 3 points. This is a club with plenty of ambitions and they ultimately want to gain promotion to ligue 1. The players know what is expected on them, and its up to them to produce the attacking impetus needed to get victory. . There’s plenty of quality here and I think the Normans can raise their levels up even higher in the future.. They have the ability to keep things tight at the back, and then also obtain some decent offensive weapons. They will have to be careful not to underestimate Libourne, but there’s no doubt that they have a great chance of walking away with victory. However, even though I think they could lose this game, Libourne's odds are far too high and I'm forced to bet them 2/10 on the level ball AH. It's a game that could go either way so hopefully my luck will be in. Libourne Injured: Gimbert (C, att) Libourne Suspended: None Le Havre Injured: Unconfirmed Le Havre Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:20	#7 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Niort v Sedan Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Niort Draw No Bet @ 2.0 Eurobet 2/10 Niort’s performances this season have definitely been a surprise and they will come into this match against Sedan with plenty of confidence. On the opening day, they beat Boulogne 2-1 and were easily the better team. Last Friday they were expected to struggle away in Guingamp, but played well again and were unlucky not to obtain victory. They ended up getting a solid 0-0 draw and the defence looked especially strong in that encounter. Its an experienced backline which does struggle for pace at times, but against the right opposition can be quite effective. Niort are one of the best home teams in ligue 2 and they have lost just 1 of their last 40 games here at Le Stade Rene Gaillard. it’s a remarkable record that they have and this stadium is a complete fortress. They have proven in the past that they have the ability to upset even the best of teams here on home turf and I expect them to keep Sedan honest. There are doubts still over the fitness of key goalkeeper, David Klein. It might be that Simon Pontdeme will again have to patrol in between the sticks, although he will have confidence after his decent Guingamp performance. Probably a more vital loss would be key striker, Benoit Leroy who scored a great goal on the opening day at home to Boulogne. He might make it back in time although there are definitely some current doubts. Niort wont play defensive against one of the promotion favourites, they always push for goals at home. They have the confidence here and I expect them to put up a good performance. It wont be easy, but they look good to obtain at least a point. Sedan produced a remarkable comeback in their last match to beat Gueugnon 3-1. They looked down and out with just 6 minutes left, but scored 3 late goals which enabled them to register their first victory of the new season. This followed up a tight opening day encounter away in Grenoble where Sedan arguably were the better team. Its been a solid start for the northern side, but this trip to Niort will be far from easy. Many people will have them as favourites for the win, but that would be completely unwise against one of the best home teams in ligue 2. If Sedan are to obtain victory then they must do what just 1 team has done in the last 2 years - defeat Niort in their own back yard. A draw would be a good result here but the players will be expected to push on for the win. Sedan will have to be careful that they don’t leave gaps at the back which Niort could potentially exploit. There is plenty of quality in this squad though and they have just 1 injury to worry about at the moment. Joseph Desire Job is a doubt because of a knock he sustained in the last match, although there is a possibility he might play. Sedan will need to be at their best if they are to get any points, and they cant afford to underestimate their opponents otherwise they will definitely pay the price. It's a dangerous match to bet on, but I cant resist Eurobet's offer of 2.0 on the Draw no bet line. It's worth 2/10 for me Niort Injured: Klein (A, gk), Leroy (A, at, doubt) Niort Suspended: None Sedan Injured: Job (B, att) Sedan Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:23	#8 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Troyes v Angers Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:00 cet Recommended bet: Troyes -1 AH @ 2.10 Pinnacle 7/10 Troyes will be pleased with their start to the new ligue 2 season and they have 4 points to their name after 2 games. A dodgy opening day win against Guingamp was followed up with a great 0-0 away draw in Amiens. That was the Monday night match between two quality teams who will be fighting hard for promotion this year. Troyes proved in that match that they will be in the hunt at the top and showed some good moments of play. They have played some decent teams so far, but now they face up to one of the weaker sides in ligue 2, Angers. Troyes really will expect to fill their boots in this match and claim a convincing victory. With home advantage, I’d be surprised if they failed to get all 3 points, and the question isn’t if they’ll win, but by how many. Based on current form Troyes should register an easy success, the only question mark is if they take their foot off the gas a bit and underestimate their opponents. The squad is in fine condition and they have no injury or suspension worries. It really should be full steam ahead for the Troyes train, and everything is pointing to them celebrating come the end of the final whistle. They should use an aggressive formation, go for goals, and ultimately obtain a simple success. Things just haven’t gone well for Angers this season and they sit bottom of the ligue 2 table after a couple of matches played. This team had a lot of distractions going into the campaign and clearly its still affecting a lot of the players. They haven’t gelled properly and have definitely looked out of their depth so far. In both games played they were pretty much outplayed by their opponents and the worry is they lost to some of the more mediocre teams in the division. This will be an even tougher test away against Troyes and I struggle to see how they will take any points back home with them. On paper I think this squad has quite a bit of potential, but until they show that they are capable of playing some decent ligue 2 football, then its quite safe to oppose them. A the moment they just don’t look like they can match up to ligue 2 standard. I don’t really know what the formation will be or tactics used, but I doubt they will see much of the ball, and they will need quite a bit of luck if they are to obtain anything at Le Stade L’aube. Troyes Injured: None Troyes Suspended: None Angers Injured: Tangeaoui (B, att), Alo'o Efoulou (B, att), Angers Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:24	#9 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Boulogne v Montpellier Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:30 cet Recommended bet: Boulogne (0) Draw No Bet @ 1.95 Sportingodds 2/10 Boulogne will come into this match in a confident mood after they picked up their first points of the season last week. On the opening day they were pretty much outplayed away in Niort, but they managed to leave Ajaccio with a 2-2 draw and arguably they should’ve obtained victory. The performance was very much a surprise and they certainly played far better than was expected of them. Boulogne continue to me many peoples favourites to finish bottom of the table, but maybe the team have some points to prove. Now they will have their first home match of the new season and if they can play as they did on Corsica, then they will have every chance of getting a win against Montpellier. With a squad in pretty good condition, quite a few things seem to be going in their favour. Key striker, Gregory Thil has already scored some goals this season, and any doubts about whether or not he’d adapt to ligue 2 level have been well and truly smashed. He’s a quality player and has shown s couple of nice finishing touches which would’ve boosted his confidence. A formation of 4-4-2 is to be expected and Boulogne cant be underestimated. They showed in Ajaccio that they are no pushovers, and they could once again spring the surprise factor on their opponents. Montpellier would’ve been disappointed that they failed to beat off 9 man Dijon in their last match, but they couldn’t break down a resolute defence. Nevertheless, the south coast side have 4 points to their name after 2 games played and they’ve had a solid start to the new season. Now they will target 3 points away in Boulogne where many people will expect them to win. However, if they underestimate their opponents then they will be in for a rough ride and Boulogne need to be given some respect. I think coach, Roland Courbis will be aware of this fact, but there’s still every chance his team might fall short of the level required this Friday. The squad is in reasonable condition but they look set to have 2 key absentees again. Goalkeeper, Laurent Pionnier is expected to be out of action for at least another 2 months whilst Lamine Sakho is a major doubt. He failed to play in the Dijon game because of injury and he was missed quite a lot. On the opening day the key playmaker had a big part to say in them beating Libourne 3-1, so it would be a boost if he could make it back in time here. Montpellier are a strange side and with Courbis in charge then are definitely better than last year. But they could definitely struggle in this encounter unless they play really well. Boulogne Injured: Unconfirmed Boulogne Suspended: None Montpellier Injured: Pionnier (A, gk), Sakho (A, mid/att), Carotti (B, def) Montpellier Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:24	#10 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Match: Nantes v Clermont Date: 10/8/07 Time: 20:30 cet Recommended bet: Nantes -1 AH @ 1.80 SBObet 7/10 Nantes have started the ligue 2 season exactly how they wanted to - with 2 successive wins. The mighty Canaris are already top of the table on their own and the only team left this season with a 100% record. On the opening day they absolutely thumped Reims 5-0 at home in what was one of the most impressive ligue 2 performances in recent years. They followed this up with a decent 2-1 victory away in Chateauroux where they extra quality was the difference. Yet despite these 2 wins there was still a doubt of the future of coach, Michel De Zakarian. Nantes now have a new president and his preference was for a new coach to be appointed. However, he has now given his backing to De Zakarian - at least for another month!. Another assessment will be made at the end of August so the pressure is on the team to maintain their momentum at the top of the division. This home encounter against Clermont is expected to be one of their easiest matches of the season and anything less than a convincing victory would be unacceptable. They are expected to be well supported by their faithful fans, and over 20,000 will probably turn up inside Le Stade Beaujoire. Its a real boost for the players to have all that support, and its often a key advantage to have in ligue 2. At the moment they look as if they are capable of steamrollering most teams and they should romp to a pretty easy success against Clermont. The squad is in good condition and the only injury worries are just to minor backup players. Clermont lost their last match at home to Bastia and this ended a 10 month unbeaten ligue run. Obviously all but one of those matches was in the national division though and ligue 2 is a much tougher prospect. They struggled against Bastia although had played quite well on the opening day facing Chateauroux, managing to obtain a 0-0 draw. Now the southern side will play their fist away match of the new season and they couldn’t have asked for a tougher place to play it. The trip to Nantes is likely to be the most difficult match of the whole year. Some might say its good to get it out of the way early, but the team has yet to really gel property this campaign which will make it doubly difficult. I’m not sure how Clermont will play, the most likely way is that they will try to defend and frustrate their opponents. Its probable that they will slump to defeat, but Clermont should at least try and gain some respectability. Clermont do at least welcome back key defender, Julien Cordonnier, who will take his place on the right hand side of defence. I don’t think they have enough quality to really pose a serious threat to Nantes though and they will need some luck if they are to go home with any points. Nantes Injured: Das Neves (C, def), Vainqueur (C, mid) Nantes Suspended: None Clermont Injured: Ouejdide (A, att), Carlier (B, att), Mazeyrat (B, def) Clermont Suspended: None

09-08-2007, 23:40	#11 (permalink)
meatman meaty punter Join Date: 26 Feb 2005 Age: 21 Posts: 12,953 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) For the first time this season I have bets in all 9 games, although four of my bets are just 2/10 stakes My most confident bets are easily Nantes and Troyes -1. I really do think that they should win pretty easily and am willing to stake quite big on them. CS predictions Ajaccio 1-0 Guingamp Dijon 1-2 Amiens Grenoble 2-0 Reims Gueugnon 2-1 Chateauroux Libourne 1-1 Le Havre (although hope for home win) Niort 1-0 Sedan Troyes 3-0 Angers Boulogne 1-1 Montpellier (although hope for home win) Nantes 3-0 Clermont GL all today __________________ The Meatman - always looking out for a meaty price to get his teeth into

10-08-2007, 01:26	#12 (permalink)
furufu Newbie Punter Join Date: 04 Jul 2007 Location: Madrid Posts: 27	Re: France - Ligue 2 (10-13 Aug 07) Thanks for your usual excellent analysis, meatman. . It simplifies a lot the final decision making for the rest of the forumites Good luck with all your bets. Hope for a 9-0