Metz - Lorient: Small difference between teams in Ligue 1 clash

There should be plenty of energy on the pitch in this game, as both sides have had time to recuperate from their last game. Let's hope both teams are ready to give it all.

This stadium has grass, which is not Lorient's familiar surface at their own arena. When playing on grass Lorient have performed like this: Played 41 matches with the output 9 wins, 13 draws and 19 defeats with the goal production 46-65 (scored/conceded).

It's time to recharge all electronic entertainment devices for Lorient, who are travelling more than 800 kilometers to play this game.

Metz form and stats

Metz's struggle is real here at Stade Saint-Symphorien with only 4 points collected from 8 Ligue 1 games. The win-draw-lost numbers are ugly: 0-4-4. With eight home Ligue 1 games in a row without a win, the Metz fans could feel they are not getting value for their money. It remains to be seen whether this unfortunate streak, which started after the Lille game long ago, can be stopped today.

The fans are hoping that Metz will strike back in this match, putting things right after the 0-4 away loss in the Ligue 1 game against Monaco (placed 7th). Metz were outplayed and humiliated in their previous game, as mentioned in the paragraph above. They will need to reinstall their confidence before this one. The forward Farid Boulaya bettered all the other players in that fixture and managed a match rating of 7.04 out of 10. Boulaya hit one key pass and dribled past the opponent 1 of 1 times.

Before that game, the home loss against Montpellier with the scoreline 1-3.

This is expected to be a close game, with Metz perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Metz as a small favourite), we find 13 games. Metz has won five of these, drawn four and lost four.

Metz has scored 10 league goals at home this season, in 8 matches. It's worth mentioning that 5 of these goals has been scored in their last three home matches. Metz have conceded 18 goals in these home games, a significant number. Metz has at home met teams with this table position (low), four times. It has ended with less than 2.5 goals 3 of 4 times.

Lorient form and stats

Lorient have only collected 4 points from their away games in the Ligue 1, after 0-4-5 (9 played). Lorient are desperate to end a ten-game winless run, as they haven't won a game since the Nice fixture.

Lorient have been frustrated by their lack of goals lately, as they haven't scored in the league since they found the net 445 minutes ago. A. Grbic was the goal scorer.

Home advantage was not enough for Lorient in their previous game, as they lost their Ligue 1-match, hosting Nantes, 0-1. Stéphane Diarra got a match rating of 7.32 in that game, top player of the team. Diarra hit one key pass and dribled past the opponent 3 of 4 times.

A 0-2 defeat away at Troyes before that.

As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found eight similar matches played by Lorient in our archives, and the results are: one win for Lorient, two draws and five defeats.

The attacking power of Lorient when travelling is not overwhelming with 6 goals scored from 9 league matches away. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 0 of these goals has been scored in their last three away matches. For Lorient, more than two goals on average per game end up in their own net.

Head 2 Head

As for the last ten games between these two teams, there's two Metz victories, two draws and six Lorient wins. Over/under statistics; nine of these games ended with three goals or more, one match with two goals or less.

Top Goalscorers

F. Centonze 4 goals

N. de Roussel de Préville 4 goals

A. Lauriente 4 goals

Metz missing players

Lorient missing players