Matchday 11: PSG v. Montpellier HSC

Quite recently PSG have found themselves in the middle of a true run of good form. This week’s 2-1 extra time Coupe de la Ligue victory over Lyon has only worked to bolster a team already pretty high on confidence and brimming with talent at every end of the pitch. This Sunday at 21:00 PSG will look to continue this spell of success as they travel to Montepellier to the Stade de la Mosson. Both sides are having a successful campaign so far and have found themselves right beside one another in the top half of the table, with Montpellier sitting sixth with 17 points and PSG in seventh with 15 points. The proximity of these two teams in the table, and the wide open nature of Ligue 1 thus far, will make this game a compelling and poignant watch.

History

The two sides have met in Montpellier a total of 18 times in the French top flight, with PSG coming off the worse for wear as Montpellier have won 7 PSG have won 4 and there have been 7 draws. Last year’s meeting in Montpellier ended in a draw, as a 10-man Montpellier side salvaged Matchday 1 draw on the strength of a stoppage time equalizer from Emir Spahic after Ludovic Giuly gave PSG the initial lead on 71 minutes. It was in last year’s return leg in Paris that Montpellier were able to grab a 3-1 victory, and in doing so, secure themselves a place in the Europa League for this season.

Montpellier

Dzodic

Montpellier currently find themselves in quite a favorable position in only their second season since their most recent promotion to Ligue 1. MHSC are themselves in the midst of a strong run of form, as they have won their last three matches, all while keeping a clean sheet. Like PSG, Montpellier found success midweek in the Coupe de la Ligue with a 2-0 win over Ajaccio. Unlike PSG, however, MHSC saw no success on the European stage, as they crashed out in the third qualifying round to Gyori ETO FC of Hungary.

Team News

Captain Nenad Dzodic returned to the team midweek after missing nearly nine months through injury, he should be available for selection again, and it will be interesting to see if manager Rene Girard decides to use him. Montpellier are currently dealing with only one suspension, a one game ban to be served by the evergreen right back Garry Bocaly after he was sent off in Week 10 against leaders Rennes.

Available Players

Guardiens: Jourdren, Pionnier

Defenseurs: Yangambiwa, Dzodic, Spahic, Nelson, Al Kaoutari, Collin, Mezague

Milieux: Marveaux, Lacombe, Legras, Estrada, Pitau, Stambouli, Saihi, Jeunechamp, Martin, Belhanda, Coulomb

Attaquants: Kabze, Denis, Giroud, Ait-Fana, Camara, Koita, Armand

Player Focus — Olivier Giroud

Giroud

So far this season MHSC have scored only ten goals in Ligue 1, so, obviously, goals are at a premium for this Sunday’s hosts. Of the ten goals scored, four have come off the boot of Olivier Giroud. Giroud was recently signed this Summer from FC Tours for around 2 million euros and has left a serious mark on Ligue 1 so far. His pace and ability to get in behind the defense will mark him as PSG’s number one defensive priority, as he will surely look to challenge a PSG back line that have been stingy at best in conceding.

PSG

Despite PSG’s recent run of good form, Les Parisiens still find themselves coming off a 3-2 defeat to Auxerre in their last Ligue 1 fixture. For a team whose success has been so firmly grounded in solid defense, three goals against is simply not acceptable. It was the first XI that lost to Auxerre in Week 10, yet in midweek Antoine Kombouare turned out a side of seemingly lesser quality and gained a far more favorable result. This will make it interesting to see which XI take the pitch this Sunday, as PSG will continue to claw their way up the table. Despite the importance of this game, PSG must force themselves to remain focused as next week holds a Europa League Group J match against Borussia Dortmund, and La Classique at the weekend. It will be particularly important for Kombouare to rekindle the good form of PSG this weekend so that it may carry over into the bigger fixtures of next week.

Team News

After being left out of the side midweek, Ludovic Giuly, Siaka Tiene, Mamadou Sakho, Mevlut Erdinc, and Claude Makelele will all look to make their return Sunday, along with keeper Apoula Edel. Unimpeded by injury, Kombouare will likely stick with his 4-4-2 formation and will continue trying to get strikers Erdinc and Guillaume Hoarau to work in harmony and create a more streamlined attack.

Available Players

Guardiens: Coupet, Areola, Edel

Defenseurs: Ceara, Sakho, Tiene, Armand, Jallet, Camara, Traore

Milieux: Makelele, Sessegnon, Bodmer, Nene, Chantome, Clement, Makonda, Toure

Attaquants: Giuly, Luyindula, Hoarau, Erdinc, Kezman, Maurice

Possible Starting XI

Edel

Jallet        Armand       Sakho         Tiene

Makelele                 Chantome

Giuly                                                                         Nene

Erdinc             Hoarau

Player Focus — Apoula Edel

Edel

Much of PSG’s success this season has been seen in their own end, tying together a (now ended) seven game streak of clean sheets and keeping Les Parisiens in the top half of the table. One major reason for their success is keeper Apoula Edel. The 24 year-old Cameroon native was in net for each of the seven clean sheets during the streak and has been a crucial part of the PSG success this season. It is very likely he will be selected by Kombouare to play Montpellier this weekend and will certainly need to be on form if his side are to grab the full three points.

Prediction

This has all the makings to be a tightly played, primarily defensive struggle, as both teams have among the best team defenses in France. As such it will come down to which team has the best ability to create the space on offense make opportunities. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is through pushing out wide, and in this match up the advantage of width goes wholly to PSG. With the likes of Nene and Giuly on the flanks, PSG will have the width and ability needed to create chances and ultimately goals.

Montpellier 0-1 PSG

Category: Antoine Kombouare, Competitions, Team News