Nantes vs Lens Prediction, 1/17/2021 Ligue 1 Soccer Pick, Tips and Odds

by Josh Schonwald - 1/11/2021

Game: Nantes vs Lens

Date: Sunday, January 17, 2021

Location: Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France

TV: Fanatiz USA

Odds/Point Spread: Nantes (+165) Lens (+170)

Stade de la Beaujoire is the venue where Ludovic Blas and Nantes (3-8-8, 17th in Ligue 1) will take on Lens (8-3-7, 9th in Ligue 1) on Sunday. The men protecting the net are Alban Lafont for Nantes and Jean-Louis Leca for Lens. The odds on this matchup have Nantes priced at +165 and Lens are priced at +170. The total is set at 2.5.

Nantes stepped onto the pitch against Montpellier in their most recent game and finished with a draw by a score of 1-1. In sharing the ball, they had a 85.4% received passes rate by connecting on 426 out of their 499 pass attempts in their last outing. Nantes tried 16 dribbles in this outing and completed 11 of those attempts for a percentage of 68.8%. In regard to shooting accuracy, Nantes wrapped this game up at a 33.3% clip by putting 4 shots on target of 12 shots. Nantes sports an average of 1.00 goal per 90 (19 total goals) and have earned 11 assists in all matches this season.

Ludovic Blas is one guy you are going to want to keep your eye on for Nantes. Blas has been given a starting assignment in 102 contests during his pro soccer career and tallies 0.15 goals per 90 mins. The midfielder from France has recorded 16 goals scored in 9,544 professional minutes played. He has totaled 12 assists while tallying 17 yellow cards thus far in his career. Someone else who should impact this game is Renaud Emond, the forward hailing from Belgium. He has assisted a teammate on a goal 8 times in his career while scoring 54 goals. Emond has played 10,736 mins during 118 career starts and has earned himself a total of 14 yellow card cautions. He is averaging 0.45 goals per 90 so far in his career.

The guy protecting the net for Nantes will be Alban Lafont. Lafont (49-56-73 record in his career) has accounted for 51 clean sheets, which gives him a 28.7% clean sheet percentage. The keeper born in Burkina Faso has had 693 shots attempted against him in 178 career starting assignments. His goals allowed per 90 minutes is 1.25 (222 total goals allowed) and he holds a save percentage of .722. Lafont has seen the field for 15,959 mins and is sitting with 496 stops so far in his career.

For their last outing, Lens took a loss by a final score of 1-0 against Strasbourg. They finished the match by connecting on 531 out of their 626 pass attempts for a percentage of 84.8%. Lens ended the game with a 62.5% successful dribble percentage by completing 5 out of the 8 dribbles they pursued. Lens connected on 2 shots on target out of 11 shots attempted which gave them a 18.2% clip when they last stepped onto the pitch. Having earned a total of 26 goals and 17 assists in all their matches, Lens averages 1.44 goals and 0.94 assists per 90 minutes.

Florian Sotoca should be able to be counted on for Lens. The forward born in France has totaled 6,670 professional minutes while scoring 25 goals. He has accumulated 10 yellow card warnings during his pro soccer career and has assisted on a goal 14 times. He scores 0.34 goals per 90 and has started 76 outings so far in his pro soccer career. Make sure to keep an eye out for Gael Kakuta, the forward representing France. Kakuta has been handed a total of 15 yellow card warnings in 15,728 minutes played (181 career starting assignments). His goals per 90 minute average thus far in his career is 0.18. He has accumulated 32 goals in his career while assisting a teammate on a goal 30 different times.

Jean-Louis Leca is expected to look after the net for Lens. So far in his pro soccer career, Leca has allowed 202 goals and has 425 saves in 193 starts. He has surrendered 1.06 goals per 90 while he holds a mark of 81-44-66. He has a save percentage of .723 and his shutout rate is 36.8%. Leca has totaled 71 shutouts and has seen 592 shots attempted against him in 17,164 minutes throughout his career.

Who will win tonight's Ligue 1 game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Lens (+170)

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Nantes vs Lens Prediction, 1/17/2021 Ligue 1 Soccer Pick, Tips and Odds

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