Ligue 1 TOTS Predictions

Starting Eleven

Lyon have had a fantastic season so far, currently just a point off second place Monaco and well within Champions League spots for next year. Lopes has been absolutely critical to this success, averaging a massive 3 saves per match and with 38 goals conceded so far, this man takes our first spot in these predictions.

Alves has done it all within his career, he has played for the Champions in Italy, Spain and with PSG he has conquered France too. Absolutely solid at the back, PSG have conceded just 23 goals in their current campaign, and while he has been a critical part of this, Alves has shown that he is also a danger going forward. With 1 goal and 7 assists to his name, he takes our starting spot at right-back.

From one defensive superstar to another now, as we remain with the league champions, PSG. Now while Thiago Silva may not have had quite as an impressive season as previous years, he has still shown leadership and quality throughout. The teams impressive defensive record speaks for itself, and once again Silva has been at the heart of it all.

We move away from the league leaders now and onto second place Monaco. With 77 goals scored and 44 conceded, it’s clear to see why they sit so highly in the league and when we also consider the defenders contributions to both aspects of the game, we get some clear cut nominations too. Glik is up first, solid at the back and with 3 goals and 3 assists also under his belt, he slides into this lineup with ease.

Staying with Monaco here, as we move onto their left-back spot with Jorge. We have already spoken about their defensive qualities this year, and Jorge has been nothing short of critical in this success. With an average match rating of 7.33, 2 assists and even a goal to his name, hopefully he has done enough to earn his team of the season spot this year.

Moving onto the midfielders now, and our first choice is one of the most obvious and deserving players you will find. Fekir has been absolutely breathtaking this season, and with 17 goals and 6 assists for Lyon, the figures alone show this. He is surely one of the front runners for player of the year and hence a lock for these team of the season predictions too.

Back across to Monaco now, where we find a player who is quite literally the foundation to everything Monaco has built. Defensively Fabinho has been incredible, controlling the midfield and locking out opponents, however we also need to take note of his attacking attributes as well. With 6 goals and 3 assists, Fabinho proves he is the complete package and the 5 man of the match awards are simply the cherry on the cake.

Thauvin is up next on our list, and it’s difficult to explain just how incredible his season has been, in such a small paragraph. Marseille have scored 74 goals so far this season, Thauvin himself has contributed to nearly 40%, having scored 19 of them, alongside 10 assists. The fact that he has received 11 man of the match awards along the way is unlikely to surprise many, and to even imagine a prediction list without him is simply ridiculous.

After his record breaking transfer from Barcelona, the pressure to succeed was greater than ever. People may have doubted just what he was capable of, but after his first season with PSG, those doubts have vanished. Neymar managed 19 goals and 13 assists in the league, and while these stats are incredible as they are, the fact that he has been out for months with an injury, just further cements his incredible talents.

A few years back and Falcao was having a rough time with his career. He struggled to make an impact in England, however his move to France almost instantly seemed to get his career back on track. With 18 goals and 3 assists, he has played a part in over 25% of Monaco’s goals this year and his spot in these predictions is completely deserved.

Since Ibrahimovic’s departure, Cavani has had the chance to lead the line for PSG. Despite the pressure and challenges, Cavani has rose to the occasion, proving that he is the right man for the job. With a total of 25 goals and 6 assists so far this year, he leads the race for the golden boot and also secures his spot in these predictions.

Substitutes

Saint-Etienne have had an incredible season so far, they currently sit sixth in the league, a mere point behind Nice. Now while they may have conceded 46 this season, it is without doubt that this number would have been a lot greater without Ruffier in goal. Averaging 3 saves a match, this 31 year old Frenchman has been sublime and has won his club numerous points across the year.

Montpellier currently sit 8th in the table and while their season so far has been impressive, it’s clear to see where their strengths and weaknesses are. With only 32 goals scored, they fall into the second half of the league for this category, but with only 30 conceded, they have the second best defensive record, only behind league leaders PSG. Mukiele has been an integral part of this success and his nomination here is totally deserved.

Lyon’s successful season is largely made up of just how clinical their attackers have been in front of goal, however when we take their defensive record into account, the accomplishments remain equally as impressive. With just 38 goals conceded so far this campaign, it’s clear just how important Marcelo has been, and the 3 goals, 1 assist and man of the match to his name, can only help his cause here. v

With a single point separating second and fourth place, Champions League spots are still available for those who can finish this season the strongest. Amavi has been a huge part of Marseilles success, both defensively and going forward. Solid at the back and with 6 assists to his name, if he can continue to find this form then we could see Marseille feature in the Champions League next year.

While the league title is wrapped up, second place is still a real possibility for several clubs and currently, Monaco lead this race. Sidibe has been a fundamental part of the squad this season, defensively sound, while also contributing with 2 goals, 6 assists and 4 man of the match awards as well.

We have already spoken of Marseille’s success this season, their strengths across the squad, but now we need to look at the glue, the centre-piece that holds everything together. Gustavo has been incredible as a holding midfielder, supporting both the defence and attack. The 5 goals scored this season and Marseille’s current position are a testament to this mans work ethic.

At just 19 years old, Aouar shows that age is nothing but a number. Showing experience beyond his age, fantastic understanding of the game and incredible vision both going forward and while defending, Aourar has been sensational for Lyon this year. Whether holding down the midfield, supporting his defence or even going forward, with his 5 goals and 4 assists, he shows that he is the complete package and is a well deserving nomination here.

A few years back and Payet was tearing up the Premier League with West Ham. Things turned sour, his performances took a dip and that year he forced his way back to Marseille. Now it may have taken a while, but it looks like Payet is well and truly back to his best. The 5 goals and 12 assists in the league this year, simply don’t do him justice, the role he has played in Marseille’s Champions League push has been of significant importance to say the least.

What really needs to be said about this nineteen year old superstar? After a huge money move to PSG in the summer, Mbappe has proven his worth and shown the world that he is the real deal. With 13 goals, 8 assists and 7 man of the match awards in the league, it is no surprise that he has helped PSG lift another title and if this is what Mbappe can achieve now, it’s hard to even imagine what he will be capable of with more experience.

Ever since Depay’s move from Manchester United, he has proven that he is still has the potential that people once spoke of. It seems as if he only improves with each passing match and after a solid start to the season, he has shown pure brilliance during the second half. He has played a part in over 33% of Lyon’s goals this year, with 15 goals scored and 11 assists provided. When we then consider his 6 man of the match awards and average rating of 7.31, surely we will be seeing a blue Depay this year.

Bordeaux are currently 11th in the league with 44 goals conceded and just 39 scored. Now when we look into Malcom and see that he was a part of around 40% of these goals, you see just how impressive this youngster has been. With 9 goals, 6 assists and 6 man of the match awards, he has been a diamond in the rough this season.

Now we have already spoke about several fantastic performances players from Lyon in these predictions, so let’s add yet another into the mix! Mariano has been a goal-scoring machine up top this year, with 18 goals scored and 4 assists, his clinical nature and constant development is a joy to watch. The question is, will he be rewarded by a blue card in a video game, because at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

Tough Exclusions

Now with any predictions, peoples views will vary, and lineups will be different. These predictions however have been one of the toughest yet, and while we have an Honourable Mentions category below, these guys came so close, that I believe they need their own category.

Cabella

R.Lopes

Di Maria

Debuchy (Lack of games)

Honorable mentions

Areola

Lafont

Benjamin Andre

Kimpembe

Marqinos

Mendy

Marcal

Dubois

Lienard

Verratti

Ekambi

Balotelli