Marseille Vs Brest
Friday 29th November, 2019 at 19:45 (kick-off)
France, Ligue 1
Pick: Marseille to WIN
Odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: Ladbrokes
French Football Betting with 22Bet
(All betting odds displayed were correct as of 28 November 2019 at 08:35)
Preview: Friday night action in France’s Ligue 1 sends an out-of-form Brest to the Stade Velodrome, home of a Marseille side enjoying some rich vein of form. For those with BT Sports, this is a game that can be seen live.
Marseille V Brest Live Stats & Betting Odds
Marseille Preview – Relentless L’OM unlikely to be halted here?
It hasn’t always been the most enthralling brand of football. What it has been is super effective, particularly of late. Marseille (2nd – W7 D4 L3, GF18 GA17) are up to second in Ligue 1 following a sparkling run of form which has seen them string together three consecutive victories against Lille (2-1), Lyon (2-1) and Toulouse (0-2). The former two certainly catch the eye, registering big wins over a couple of their main rivals for those coveted Champions League places.
Manager Andre Villas-Boas was an interesting appointment in the summer. Few are complaining now, though, after a start to the season that promises plenty. Three defeats in fourteen league fixtures is a reminder, however, that his team are far from the finished article. But the sheer sight of them competing towards the top end of the league will be a welcome one on the back of an underwhelming 2018-19 term, in which the club finished outside the European places.
It speaks volumes about the style adopted under Villas-Boas that Marseille have scored at a modest rate throughout (barely averaging a goal per game; 1.29). On just one occasion, meanwhile, could they muster more than two goals in any encounter. Two goals has sufficed in each of the last three fixtures at home, though, winning all three. While not since losing 2-0 to Reims on the opening week has anyone gotten the better of them at Stade Velodrome (W4 D2 L1 at home in Ligue 1 this season).
Brest Preview – Little to suggest plucky Brest can stage an upset?
The bar was raised last month as Brest (13th – W4 D6 L4, GF15 GA17) went a perfect three from three in October, recording some rather impressive ‘to nil’ wins over Metz (2-0), Angers (0-1) and Dijon (2-0). Maintaining those incredibly high standards was always likely to prove challenging for a team whose sole aim for the season is retaining its Ligue 1 status, but November has been especially harsh for Olivier Dall’Oglio and his players.
Brest have incurred as many losses in this month alone (2) than in the previous three combined. Yet both were by the slenderest of margins. They were somewhat unfortunate to lose a tight contest away in Amiens 1-0, while runaway leaders PSG were certainly made to work for their 2-1 victory; Samuel Grandsir had fired the underdogs level with a quarter of the game remaining only for Mauro Icardi to net the winner five minutes from the end.
As the away side this season, Brest have maintained a useful habit for scoring – doing so on four occasions in six outings (W1 D2 L3) – but only have a 1-0 win over Angers to shout about. That was a notable scalp in the context of this season, though, beating the side currently positioned one place below Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings. Encouraging perhaps, but big defeats away in Monaco (4-1) and Nimes (3-0) do provide some perspective.
Marseille V Brest Key Facts:
- Marseille are in terrific form, winning each of their last three Ligue 1 matches. Victory here would also be a fourth straight win at home.
- Brest are enduring a dip at the moment, collecting one point from the last nine available (D1 L2). They’ve managed just the one win six away from home (W1 D2 L3).
- This will mark their first Ligue 1 meeting since the 2012-13 season, when Marseille won home and away, and their seventh overall (Marseille 3 wins, 2 Draws, Brest 1 win).
Betting Summary
Marseille (1/2 Ladbrokes) have peaked recently, winning three consecutive Ligue 1 fixtures to rise up the league table and into second. That form has unsurprisingly forced the hand of bookmakers, installing the Villas-Boas-managed side as very short price favourites. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see past a home win, especially with their opponents, Brest (13/2 bet365), going off the boil in recent weeks. The visitors arrive without a win in three (D1 L2) and have lost half of their six away encounters thus far.
Goals have not really been Marseille’s forte. This is an opportunity to improve on that, along with a rather modest goal difference of +1, against an opponent that has suffered a couple of big away losses. Brest have given a good account of themselves in a lot of their contests this season however, more recently in defeat to PSG (1-2), and have scored in four of six away encounters. So the visiting team could contribute here, though I suspect the final score will ultimately end up favouring the in-form hosts.
