So are any of the teams actually fancied to do well going to find themselves heading the standings in the second half of the season? Don’t bet on it. This year’s French league is as unpredictable as an audience with Jose Mourinho.
When Paris St. Germain defeated Lille at the end of August, the team from the north of France were stuck on one point from four games near the foot of the table. Four months on, and Rudi Garcia’s side are top of the league, a point clear of the Parisians with a game in hand.
One of the most fascinating stories of the start of the season was just how poor the last three champions – Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon – were, as none picked up victories in their first six games between them. Lyon soon found themselves in the relegation zone and with fans calling for the head of manager Claude Puel. But following a defeat to fierce rivals St. Etienne, Les Gones have climbed the table and find themselves back in the title hunt without a defeat in 12 games, and lying in fourth place.
There are reasons that many teams could win the league. For Lyon, their renewed consistency and undoubted ability, with possibly the strongest squad in the league, make them an undoubted favourite. The likes of Yoann Gourcuff, Jimmy Briand and Lisandro Lopez have the ability to put any defence to the sword, and Puel’s side will in the title race as the season continues. Between Lille in first and Lyon in fourth is a solitary point.
Oh yes, there is a team in third by the way. Rennes. AS Rennes, with a notoriously impressive academy and a tough coach in Frederic Antonetti, have crept up into the title race. Their youthful squad has been pushed forward by Antonetti from the sidelines and the impressive 20 year old French international Yann M’Vila, who has attracted the attention of Europe’s top names with his superb form. But with a lack of firepower up front after selling two key strikers in August, including Asamoah Gyan, they could struggle keep pace with their more powerful rivals.
One of those rivals will be Champions Marseille, who are in fifth place, just two points further behind Lyon. Didier Deschamps’ side pulled off a remarkable turnaround to qualify from their Champions League group behind Chelsea, having taken no points from their opening two games, including a home defeat to Spartak Moscow. A 3-0 win in the Russian capital completed a stunning turnaround, and the club will be hoping for a similar pattern in the French league as they look to continue their rise through the standings. The club will be hoping that the firepower of Andre-Pierre Gignac, Loic Remy, Mathieu Valbuena and Andre Ayew will propel them to retain the title.
An incredibly packed table sees just five points separating the top 10, with St. Etienne, Brest, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Montpellier all in touch. Though the quintet are unlikely to keep up with the leaders as the season progresses, 2009 champions Bordeaux could still have a say in the destination of the title.
Of all the sides chasing the league, the team to watch could be PSG, who have steadily moved into 2nd place, and though their chairman Robin Leproux has played down their chances of finishing in the top three, Antoine Kombouare’s side could play a significant part in the title’s ultimate destination. A team with a balance of experience through Claude Makelele, Gregory Coupet and Ludovic Giuly is complemented by the youthful skill of Clement Chantome and Mamadou Sakho. But the true star for PSG this season has been Néné, arguably the player of the season. The 29 year old arrived from Monaco in the summer but surprised everyone with his goalscoring form from the wing, netting 13 goals already in 16 games in the league. His skill and relationship with striker Guillaume Hoarau has been one of the keys for the club’s success so far this season. As well as sparkling in the league, the Parisians progressed from the toughest Europa League group, with Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund, on top and without defeat.
The French league is beautifully set up for the second half of the season, with so many teams still separated by such a small number of points. It is difficult to believe that the season can continue to be so unpredictable, but the likes of Lille and Rennes will be hoping so, as they continue to harbour realistic title ambitions. But as Lyon and Marseille inevitably start to take control of the title race, PSG could yet celebrate their 40th anniversary with a third title win.
