Brest has gotten at least a point in four of five at home. ...

Strasbourg should be full of confidence after beating Crystal Palace in midweek. Their Ligue 1 form has been inconsistent, but they boast a strong home record this season. They’ve won 5 out of 6 games at Stade de la Meinau, with 13 goals scored and just 2 conceded. Meanwhile, Brest have gone backwards this season. They’re 14th in the Ligue 1 table, 8 points behind Strasbourg, and they’ve lost 4 out of 6 away games. They suffered a 3-0 defeat at Marseille in their last away match, which doesn’t bode well.

Racing Strasbourg continue to be one of the most exciting clubs in Europe. The young squad led by impressive striker Joaquin Panichelli just took down Crystal Palace in UEFA play. Strasbourg have been letting the goals fly when paying at home and in Ligue 1 play across the board. They're averaging almost two goals scored per match while conceded over a goal themselves. Brest have had almost identical score lines but reverse - conceding goals while finding over a goal per game themselves. Strasbourg were even able to rest players in their UEFA match, so expect a strong squad pushing for a big three points to stay in European contention.

Strasbourg have one of the best home records in Ligue 1. They've played six home matches and have won five of them, only losing back in September to a rampaging Marseille squad, and even in that match they kept it close. Add into the equation that Brest have been shambolic when playing on the road, having only picked up four points in six matches, this should be a routine butt-whooping for the hosts.

Marseille are a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde club. One week they're beating up Nice 5-1 and dominating Newcastle in UCL play, the next they're looking lifeless against Atalanta at home. The reason I like goals, is we seem to be getting Marseille in good form right now. They've covered this over by themselves their last two Ligue 1 matches, and Toulouse is not a side that is known for their defense this season, while Marseille is leaky as well.

Was only playing this at +1 as our other books all are offering +0.5. And it may well push. I am obviously no Wile E. Coyote super-genius on soccer (yet) but even I know all about PSG. This would seem to be the home game of the season for Monaco and I'm hopeful for a bit of a letdown via the visitors. Ousmane Dembélé came back from injury in their victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Wednesday. Nuno Mendes was injured in that and out today. Les Monégasques (I thought maybe meant Monkees like the band/show but no; don't know French) will get Team USA star Folarin Balogun back after his ban against Stade Rennes in the last domestic match. Half unit.

PSG travel to Monaco off the back of an absolute cracker of a UCL match, where the Parisians took down Tottenham to the tune of a 5-3 victory. The Ligue 1 champs were able to score five goals, while resting some big players like Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos for the majority of the game. Now, they'll take on Monaco who drew to Pafos. PSG are firing on all offensive cylinders, and are unbeaten the last five times they've played Monaco, while outscoring them 14-5 over those games. I do expect goals, but more than that I expect a PSG victory once again.

Metz are sitting in a relegation spot 13 matches into the season. They currently have the WORST defense in Ligue 1. They've conceded a massive 30 goals, and for the longest time they were not playing to win, they were playing not to lose. Now, over the last couple weeks, we've seen them finally pressing. They took down Nantes 2-0, Nice 2-1, and lost to Brest 3-2. The important thing though, is that they're attacking, and Stade's counter is just brutal. Expect goals from both ends.

Metz are a sneaky side that is flying under the radar for a lot of people. They're a newly promoted side that no one had expectations for, one of those teams where as long as they don't get relegated you would call it a good season. However, man oh man did they pop off right before break. They are coming off three straight wins, in matches where they were the underdog each time. They took down Lens 2-0, Nantes 2-0 and Nice 2-1. The books have not caught up to this clubs form!

This is a tough match. Frankly, I believe this on ends in a draw, and I don't believe there is enough to separate the two sides. If you don't have +1 on the spread, I'm okay taking +.5 here as well! Angers has really started to gel as a team in recent weeks. They've only lost one of their last five matches, and that loss was on the road to Lille. They've already managed to take points off Marseille, Monaco and Rennes this season. While Toulouse are coming off three consecutive draws, this is one of those match where a share of the spoils isn't a bad result for either side. Expect a low scoring and cagey match up come Sunday.

Lyon have had a tumultuous start to their season. One week they're beating giants like Strasbourg and keeping it competitive against PSG, the next they're failing to score against Brest and losing to Toulouse. This is a club that has miles of more talent than their opponents, and need to find some consistency to compete for a European spot. The break should have helped them settle a bit, and now they're taking on the worst team in Ligue 1. These are the kind of matches that should be a free three points, and a club with Lyon's stature cannot afford to falter. Auxerre have not scored in their last four matches, and I doubt Lyon is where they find their form. Take Lyon ML!

PSG are the HEAVY favorites in this matchup, and rightfully so. They have more talent, more depth, better facilities, and are just the all-around better team. The reason I like Le Havre on the spread, however, is because PSG doesn't really care about this game. They can win 1-0/2-0 no problem, but once they go up early, they'll look to rest their players. They have Champions League just a few days later against Tottenham. After losing to Bayern Munich, PSG will be putting all their focus into UCL play. Le Havre will sit back, and play not to lose, and I think this game is closer than others think.

Only two points separate these sides in Ligue 1 and Monaco has a ton of player availability questions even out of the break. It was ripped in its final pre-break game, 4-1 at home, and is in danger of three straight domestic losses for the first time since losing the final three matches in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 campaign. Team USA star Falorin Balogun plays for Monaco but is suspended for this match, for an example. Rennes is unbeaten in its past three and has just one home loss this season. Esteban Lepaul (the American in me almost typed DePaul) is tied for second in Ligue 1 with eight goals.

The top four of Ligue 1 features two teams that are shocking the whole of France with their attack. Lens is sitting third on the table with 21 goals scored this season, and Strasbourg sit three points behind them but with 24 goals scored this season. Both clubs have shifted their playstyles to fit a higher line, which has resulted in some high scoring affairs and an all around much more exciting level of footy. It doesn't hurt that the duo of Westly Said and Odsonne Edouard have picked up 10 goals for Lens, and it doesn't hurt even more that Joaquin Panichelli has picked up nine goals in 12 matches for Strasbourg. This match has some big names, and I'm expecting goals to flow.

I actually looked at an AirBNB in Strasbourg a few years back. Alas, COVID got in the way. I just imagine great beer and sauerkraut, which I strangely love as an otherwise picky eater. Although I think I thought this was Germany so what do I know. Strasbourg is unbeaten in three straight at home, but per usual I don't care who wins. Give us a draw. Few knocks -- yes, I came across knocks on a UK site and I like it -- on the visitors and one suspension. Guess I don't get why we are getting the + on the home side. But I don't speak French so ...