Paris Saint-Germain did win the Ligue 1 title, but for the first time in eight years, they did not feature in the Coupe de France final. Nice, the side that knocked them out, faced Nantes at the Stade de France, with both sides aiming to end long trophy droughts. A solitary goal decided the fate […]
In a fixture that could end up having significant implications for the Ligue 1 standings at the end, Nice overcame a passive first half to effectively negate large periods of sterile Rennes possession and stay within touching distance of Bruno Génésio’s men. Tactical analysis and match report by Charles Orchard. December’s contest between these two […]
Seizing the high ground, Marseille’s dreams of cup glory were slowly coming into fruition at a critical juncture. But in a contest where they lacked control, the visitors slipped away nearly as quickly as they flew out of the traps, falling to a margin of defeat that bestows favorite status. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Mauricio Pochettino might be warring his way to winning French hegemony, but Christophe’s kryptonite can still take the odd battle. On the road at Paris, his men’s organization kept their illustrious hosts at bay before a double agent showed up at the death to secure a stunning result. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel […]
In their first “match point” towards the Ligue 1 title, Lille found themselves against a greatly organized defense. Facing no big problems against Claude Puel’s buildup ideas, they dominated possession for large parts of the match. However, with the pressure mounting, the hosts proved unable to put the ball in the net despite Galtier’s adjustments. […]
A very early goal by the guests changed any game plans made by RC Lens. Having to dominate possession for long periods against Galtier’s well-oiled defensive machine was not an easy task. A Burak Yilmaz masterpiece and a clumsy red card for Clément Michelin then forced the hosts right into a heavy defeat. Tactical analysis […]
Paris Saint-Germain were sure to have control of the ball but were faced by Lille’s stubborn 4-4-2 shape. And defensively, the Paris outfit were cut open on a few occasions with the wide areas looking especially susceptible to danger. Lille grabbed a fairly early lead and held off their hosts to grab a result with […]
Monaco’s different defensive shapes kept a Lille side lacking buildup ideas quiet. Lille showed they are masters of the defensive fundamentals in their 4-4-2 block, neutralizing Niko Kovač’ 3-4-2-1 shape. The game became at times anarchic but neither the players nor the coaches could find a way to give their team the incredibly valuable win. […]
Ajax had nearly 65% possession and limited Lille to only three shots in the entire match. As one of those shots resulted in a goal, Lille seemed to sneak away with the win, despite an average performance. A little help from the referee put Ajax on track to equalize and even snatch the win in […]
A sterile match wherein the game state changed infrequently suited Lille fine, as the nil-nil draw saw Christophe Galtier’s side move back to the top of the table. PSG’s 3-5-2 formation once again struggled to produce anything in possession, as the reigning champions remain in a provisional third place. Tactical analysis and match report by […]