Ligue 1 was something of a low-scoring affair last weekend, with only a couple of the ten fixtures producing more than two goals. Montpellier kept up their winning ways to remain on top, with three of their back-four featuring in the WhoScored Ligue 1 XI for their defiant defensive displays. PSG notched up their third win in a row thanks to Javier Pastore, while champions Lille recovered from a goal down to see off a spirited St Etienne, thanks to the inspirational Eden Hazard. Here’s a round-up of the best performers in the gameweek gone by:
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Montpellier. WhoScored rating 8.29
Marshalled by Yanga-Mbiwa at the heart of defence, Montpellier picked up their third clean sheet in the last four games to stay top of Ligue 1. The leaders have conceded just 3 goals in 5 games and the displays of Yanga-Mbiwa have been fundamental to their solidity.
He made 5 tackles- the most of any Montpellier player- including a last man tackle as well as 2 interceptions, 4 clearances and 2 blocked shots to deny Nice in the narrow 1-0 win.
Yanga-Mbiwa also made 50 passes (with a brilliant 96% accuracy), with 3 key passes and 1 successful dribble highlighting his ability to bring the ball out of defence and create chances for his team mates. With such a strong all-round performance, WhoScored saw fit to award him the man of the match.
Etienne Capoue, Toulouse. WhoScored rating 8.68
The defensive midfielder grabbed a last-minute goal to clinch a 1-0 win away to Caen. Capoue made the most passes (49) of any Toulouse player, from a total of 73 touches, managing an 80% pass accuracy. Capoue also played 8 long balls and made 2 key passes from his deep position in the centre of the park.
He also shone defensively; 4 tackles were the second-best on offer, and 2 interceptions helped break up Caen’s attacks as the home side struggled to find the net. Capoue also won 75% of his aerial duels in a real battling performance for the victors.
He also managed 3 shots at goal, with 2 on target leading to that crucial match-winner that kept Toulouse just two points off the top and earned Capoue the WhoScored man of the match award.
Eden Hazard, Lille. WhoScored rating 9.38
Hazard sparked a second-half comeback to see Lille win 3-1 at St Etienne and record a third Ligue 1 victory on the trot. Lille’s tactics are clearly based on getting Hazard on the ball as much as possible- he had 71 touches, more than the other two forward starters Moussa Sow (22) and Benoit Pedretti (42) combined. He made 48 passes, compared to Sow (19) and Pedretti (31), further example of his key role for the champions.
It’s no surprise, then, to see Hazard made the most successful dribbles (4) of any Lille player and he also had the most goal attempts, with 3. The left winger demonstrated a great shooting accuracy, with all 3 shots on target, and found the net on 2 occasions, as Lille fought their way back from 1-0 down at half time. With such a direct game, Hazard made no key passes but was fouled the most of the away side, on 4 occasions.
He also delivered 4 crosses from out wide and played 3 long balls, with his overall pass accuracy 83%. Hazard also helped out defensively with 1 tackle and 1 interception, but it was his goalscoring performance above all that saw him awarded man of the match.
Johan Cavalli, Ajaccio. WhoScored rating 8.71
The right winger played a crucial role as his side picked up their first win of the season. The 3-1 home victory over Valenciennes saw Ajaccio move three points clear of the relegation zone and Cavalli tormented the away side throughout, before being subbed off on 78 minutes.
Despite having just 49 touches and making only 26 passes, a superb creative performance saw his ability to split the visitors’ back-four highlighted by 6 key passes, leading to 2 assists in the vital win. Cavalli delivered 4 crosses from wide, played 4 long balls and also 2 through balls; his distribution was varied but always lethal in its execution.
Defensively, he also shone- 4 tackles were joint-top with Mehdi Mostefa for the winning side, and he also broke up the Valenciennes play with 2 interceptions, on his way to picking up the man of the match award.
Bafétimbi Gomis, Lyon. WhoScored rating 7.98
Lyon continued their winning ways with a 2-1 win at Dijon to remain one point off the top. The visitors struggled to put the game out of Dijon’s reach- they had 16 shots to the host side’s 6- but Gomis made the difference, grabbing the winning goal in the 53rd minute.
Playing as the lone frontman in Lyon’s 4-4-1-1, Gomis saw little of the ball, despite his side’s 59% possession. He had 42 touches and made 27 passes- the lowest of any outfield player for the visitors- but was the most creative player for Lyon, with a total of 4 key passes. He managed 3 shots but-similar to many of his team mates- demonstrated some wayward shooting, with just 1 on target; luckily for the visitors, it found the net.
Gomis also won 100% aerial duels and made 3 tackles, showing willingness to battle as his contribution earned him the man of the match award.
