Montpellier – Angers SOCCER PICKS
Montpellier and Angers meet at Stade de la Mosson, in a match for the 28 th round of League 1. Angers won at home by (1-0) the last time they met in this edition of the league, in 10- 11-2018. The history of direct confrontations played in this stadium is favorable to the home team, which in the last 3 matches won 2 and lost 1. Indeed, the last time these two teams played a match in this stadium, on 03-02- 2018, for the League 1, Montpellier won by (2-1). P. Lasne (42 ‘) and I. Mbenza (71’) scored the goals of the game, for Montpellier, and K. Toko Ekambi (20 ‘), for Angers.
Montpellier:
After 10 wins, 11 draws and 6 losses, the home team is currently in the 7 th position, with 41 points won. In the last match, they have won in an away match against Bordeaux (1-2), after in the previous match they have lost (2-4) at home, against Reims. In the last 10 home league matches Montpellier has won 5, tied 3 and lost 2, for which they have won 18 points out of 30 possible. In their home league matches the most frequent result at half-time was the 0-0 (5 out of 13 matches). They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 7 of the last 10 matches, but their offense has scored frequently, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 27 matches in the competition, they suffered the first goal 11 times and only managed 1 comeback. There is 1 period that stands out in the last 13 home matches for this competition: they have scored 7 of their 20 goals between minutes (46′-60 ‘).
Montpellier came into this game with a 1-2 win on the move to the Bordeaux field: the goals of the team were scored by Congré and Lasne. It is important to underline that the locals did not win any of the five previous matches for the French championship. In this match against Angers, coach Michel Der Zakarian must keep the team in the usual tactical system, favoring possession of the ball and attacks through the flanks: Florent Mollet will be the main responsible for creating and organizing the offensive process. Gaetan Laborde is the scorer of Montpellier, with 10 goals scored. For this game the coach can not count on Pedro Mendes and Aguilar, both injured.
Angers:
The away team is currently in the 12 th position of the league, with 34 points won, after 8 wins, 10 draws and 9 losses. In the penultimate match, they lost in an away match against Guingamp, by (1-0). In the last match, they tied in a home match against AS Monaco, by (2-2). In the last 10 away league matches Angers has won 2, tied 5 and lost 3 of the last matches, so they have won 11 points out of 30 possible. In their home league matches the most frequent result at half-time was the 0-0 (5 out of 13 matches). Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 6 of the last 13 matches for this competition have ended with Under 1,5 goals. In 27 matches in this competition, they only won 1 comeback in the 10 matches they suffered the first goal. There is 1 period that stands out in the last 13 away matches for this competition: they have scored 5 of their 13 goals between minutes (16′-30 ‘).
The Angers comes to this game with a draw, two, against Monaco, however, recorded the second game in a row without beating the French championship: the two goals of the team were marked by Flavien Tait. As he trains away from home, coach Stéphane Moulin will have to enter the field with a cautious strategy, with low lines, exploring only the counterattack. It is important to underline that Angers has several weaknesses in the air game, maintenance of ball possession and defensive stopped balls. Stéphane Bahoken is the best gunner of the visitors, with 8 goals scored. For this game the coach can not use Cissé, Andreu and Aka, all injured.
