Ligue 1 Preview Gameweek 5

Toulouse v Reims
Date 12/09/2015 – Venue – Stadium Municipal – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

On current form this seems to be a very one-sided affair, with Toulouse struggling to find any consistency in spite of their opening victory over Saint-Étienne and Reims winning three out of their four matches. Les Pitchouns earned a respectable draw with Monaco in between losses to Caen and Rennes but their inability to beat the teams around them has proved to be costly this season. Tango Doumbia may be unavailable for this match and Pavle Ninkov could be out for another two weeks with a calf injury.

Reims will look to continue their excellent start to the season with a trip to the Stadium Municipal, and they will know whether they have a chance of going to the top of the league with PSG playing Bordeaux the night before. The 4-1 victory over Lorient in their previous game will give them the boost they need for another Ligue 1 win as Olivier Guegan’s side continue to look like one of the most promising teams so far. The visitors will still be without Kossi Agassa who is sidelined for another week with a thigh injury but there are no more issues for Reims.

Troyes v Caen
Date 12/09/2015 – Venue – Stade de l’Aube – Kick Off 19:00 (UK Time)

Troyes are still searching for their first win and will view Caen as a team they will need to beat to survive in the top flight. A draw against Montpellier in their last game was quite disappointing as they will need to pick up some points from the teams facing a relegation battle. Mory Kone is the only relevant injury news for the hosts, but there may be some changes ahead of a match versus a Caen team that has shipped six goals in the last two games.

Caen were annihilated by Lyon at home in the last game and will need to be slightly reserved when facing Troyes who will have reviewed their weaknesses. The victories against Marseille and Toulouse in the first two games of the season are keeping Caen in a mid-table position and they will struggle if they fail to beat a newly promoted side. The latest team news is Damien Da Silva having to miss the game due to his dismissal in the loss to Lyon.

Gazélec Ajaccio v Monaco
Date 13/09/2015 – Venue – Stade Ange Casanova – Kick Off 13:00 (UK Time)

Gazélec are still trapped at the bottom of the table after three successive defeats and failing to score a goal in their opening four matches. No alternative outcome can be seen in this game when they host Monaco, who are slightly dispirited after falling to 13^th in the table. A win for the hosts would see them jump out of the relegation zone depending on the results of other teams but it is going to be a very difficult task for the Ligue 1 new boys. There are no new injuries or suspensions but there may be some changes as Gazélec would be expected to start the game with a more defensive set-up.

Monaco are without a win in three following disappointing draws with Lille and Toulouse and a heavy home loss to PSG. This is the ideal chance to put some pressure back on the leaders; an opportunity to get another three points on the board and restore their goal difference. Joao Moutinho and Nabil Dirar may still both be out of action with ankle injuries, but these aren’t too much of a worry for manager Leonardo Jardim.

Nantes v Rennes
Date 13/09/2015 – Venue – Stade de la Beaujoire – Kick Off 16:00 (UK Time)

Nantes conceded their first goals and suffered their first loss of the season at Bordeaux in their last game, which ended their unbeaten streak. They will look to recover their form with a better result at home to high-flying Rennes. The home side are 8^th in the league and a victory could potentially take them to 2^nd if the results elsewhere go their way. Les Canaris may still be without striker Adryan with an injury and Birama Toure and Ermir Lenjani are both suspended for the game on Sunday afternoon.

Since the loss to Bastia on the opening day, Rennes have bounced back stronger with impressive wins over Montpellier, Lyon and Toulouse. They have the opportunity to put more pressure on PSG this weekend at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Rennes are unlucky to have one of the longest lists of absentees in the league; the most recent of which being Gelson Fernandes and Pedro Henrique being ruled out with suspensions. This game is too close to call with Nantes’ resilient defence and Rennes being the league’s joint top scorers, but it has the potential to be an exciting game of football.

Marseille v Bastia
Date 13/09/2015 – Venue – Stade Vélodrome – Kick Off 20:00 (UK Time)

With a disappointing start to the season behind them, it looked like Marseille’s 6-0 demolition of Troyes was the revival of their campaign. The loss to Guingamp in the last game however has really questioned their abilities and ambitions for their season, leaving them just two points from the bottom of the league. Bastia will be another tough test for Les Olympiens and it could be a season-defining game for both sides even at this early stage. Marseille are just without Brice Dja Djedje who’s recovering from a hamstring injury but there may be some unprovoked changes to the team in an attempt to produce better performances.

Bastia have had a much better start to their season, losing only one of their four games and finding themselves 6^th in the league with seven points. They will look at this game as the perfect time of the season to be playing Marseille; a team with very little confidence going into each match.  Two big losses for the visitors are the suspended Francois Kamano and Alexander Djiku who were both sent off against Saint-Étienne. It is going to be a tense match for Marseille but they will need to set the pace early on as Bastia will be feeling more comfortable going into this one.