We liked
- Of the game and of the goals: the spectacle is at the rendezvous
The reputation of a closed and unspectacular championship that sticks to Ligue 1 is no longer on the agenda. This first third of the season was all about play and goals: there were 371 in 13 days, an average of 2.85 goals per game, the highest of this century. This is a trend that is confirmed after a last season already much more prolific (2.83 goals / game) than the previous one (2.33 goals / game). The symbol of this exercise turned towards the offensive, it is the few 0-0 recorded so far: there were only six in the first 13 days. Hope it lasts !
League 1
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- Lens, the freshness asset of the L1
If a team embodies this breath of fresh air blowing in Ligue 1, it is Lens. The Northerners have magnificently confirmed their very promising return to the elite last season with an explosive recipe. Football that is both coherent and enthusiastic, symbolized by the brilliant victory of the Artésiens in Marseille in one of the most spectacular matches of the start of the season (2-3). Franck Haise’s team have the second attack in our championship (25 goals) and are delighted every weekend. His second place in the standings is just a fair reward.
Jonathan Clauss celebrates his goal at Lens-Troyes in Ligue 1
Credit: Getty Images
- Laborde, Bayo, Simon, Clauss… these “second knives” who play the leading roles
Take a look at the scorers rankings and the passer rankings. It is not necessarily the expected players who trust the highest positions. Like Gaëtan Laborde, co-top scorer with Lille’s Jonathan David (8 goals), who perfectly symbolizes the renewal of Stade Rennais, and Mohamed Bayo, who proves that a top scorer in L2 can also s ‘break out in L1 (7 goals). Or Nantes’ Moses Simon and Lensois Jonathan Clauss, distributors of caviars in our championship with six assists each. This L1 is not really lacking in talent.
- Payet – Mbappé: these stars who hold their rank
There are the talents that are revealed and those that are confirmed. There are also the stars of Ligue 1 who hold their rank. Dimitri Payet made a fiery start to the season with Marseille, beyond his statistics (6 goals and 2 assists). He hasn’t lost any of his vista and his inspirations still make him one of the attractions of our championship. Kylian Mbappé is another. Unlike his teammates in the attack of PSG, the French shows his best face (6 goals, 6 assists) and remains a safe bet for what will, perhaps, be his last season in France.
Kylian Mbappé (PSG), scorer against Clermon on September 11, 2021
Credit: Getty Images
- Living stadiums, it feels so good …
It was not all good and we will come back to it. But we will certainly not shy away from the pleasure found in seeing the public in the stadiums. To be able to once again savor the tifos, the chants of supporters and this atmosphere that we missed so much last season when the matches were behind closed doors, like the boiling atmosphere of the last OM – PSG. The average attendance (22,398 spectators), comparable to that of the seasons preceding the pandemic, marks a return to normal in the stands. The stadiums have come back to life. And, somewhere, football too.
The communion of Rennes players with their public after Rennes-Lyon
Credit: Getty Images
We didn’t like
- … when it goes well
This is the flip side. The start of the season was marked by overflows in the stands on multiple occasions. The Montpellier – Marseille, Nice – Marseille, Angers – Marseille, Saint-Etienne – Lyon and OM – PSG meetings were the scene of incidents to varying degrees which largely tarnished this first third of the championship. And pushed the LFP to impose closed doors to the Allianz-Riviera and Geoffroy-Guichard to sanction excesses that we no longer want to see over the rest of the season.
Incidents between players and supporters during Nice-OM
Credit: Getty Images
- Where did Barça’s Messi go?
He became the showcase of the L1 by leaving his Barça for PSG last summer. We legitimately expected mountains and wonders from Leo Messi. The man with the six Ballons d’Or had to splash our championship with all his talent and panic the statistics, as he had done every season in the Barcelona jersey. For the moment, we are very far from the account. After five appearances, the Pulga has still not scored a single goal or delivered a single assist in L1 and his flashes are far too rare. Such a genius cannot leave us hungry any longer.
Messi too pampered by PSG? “We wouldn’t see that at Bayern Munich”
- Lyon, symbol of an unrivaled PSG
The discretion of Lionel Messi and a collective game still very perfectible do not prevent PSG from dominating Ligue 1 head and shoulders, with already ten points ahead of its first pursuer, Lens. We expected a little more resistance from the strongholds of the L1. In particular from Lyon. His heavy defeat in Rennes (4-1) only confirmed the persistent shortcomings for several seasons, starting with a crippling defensive fragility at this level. OL are the other strong club of the 21st century in L1. It would be good if the Gones finally showed it on the pitch.
- Lille, a rank unworthy of a champion
It was obviously a feat to come up against the supremacy of PSG in Ligue 1. Lille achieved it last spring and its ability to repeat it raised even more doubt after the departure of the architect of the title, Christophe Galtier, and of its last rampart, Mike Maignan. There were no good surprises for the Northerners. But from there to pointing to a very disappointing 12th place in the L1 standings after 13 days, there was a step that seemed difficult to take. Yet this is the current situation of LOSC. She is not worthy of the club, let alone a reigning French champion.
Jocelyn Gourvennec, Lille coach
Credit: Getty Images
- Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux, two historic sites in danger
They weigh 16 French championship titles between them. And they currently monopolize two of the last three places in the ranking. Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux were already not at their best in recent seasons. The first third of the season only confirmed their descent into hell. There is still hope. The comeback, even in vain, of the Girondins against PSG (3-2) gave a glimpse of some promises. Like the incredible victory snatched by the Greens against Clermont after having suffered a late break with a quarter of an hour from the end (3-2). But it will be necessary to hold them so that these two monuments do not disappear from the landscape of the L1.
Claudel Puel during the beating suffered by ASSE on the lawn of Strasbourg (5-1) during the 10th day of Ligue 1
Credit: Imago
League 1
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League 1
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