France: Ligue 2

Chateauroux- Angers

Hosts have been very solid at home all season on their artificial pitch, where they are unbeaten (6-8-0), including a recent win over highflying Guingamp and draw with Monaco, too many draws all round for them of course, they have actually only lost the same number of games as Caen who are currently third, but 15 stalemates tell the story of too little ambition at times. If they had gambled and maybe won 7 and lost 8 of those, they would be putting pressure on the top three, instead of hovvering just three points above the drop zone. I think they have tried to open up a little and have scored five goals in their last four away games, but only collected a single point for their troubles and their only cleansheets in ten starts have come against two goal shy teams in Istres and Arles, although, to be fair, the latter have found a few goals since that game. I feel we will see the home side fully committed to maximum points tonight, with a tough trip to Dijon next, followed by a visit from Nantes, as it would be easy for them to drop points in both and get sucked into real danger.

Angers are in 5th, three points behind both Caen and Guingamp and with those two looking certain to pick up points this weekend, this is a match the visitors dare not lose and should look to win, we have discussed them several times over recent weeks, ahead of a trip to Le Mans I wrote ....

They immediately bounced back with a 1-0 defeat of Gazelec and that says a lot about them, they are tough and will fight, but are a little short on class and tend to come up short against the better teams in Ligue 2, actually, they are a bit of a "flat track bully" with 11 of their 13 wins coming against teams outside the top 9 . One of those was a 4-0 defeat of Le Mans in the reverse fixture, with Claudiu Keserü (24-14-2) scoring all four goals. Doubtless he will be up for this and that the hosts will have tried to come up with a gameplan to stop the prolific Romanian striker. The visitors remain without Gomez and Lemaire and also right sided midfielder Rayan Frikeche (19-3-0), but Zoro, Fall ( suspended last week) and Couturier are back in the squad and overall they look a little stronger and definitely fresher, since we last discussed them. New signing Ayari and Doré are competing for the starting role alongside Keserü, the Tunisian got the nod last week, but was replaced after an hour, with Doré assisting for the winner and competition between the two can only be good for Angers.

They won that 2-0 and then hosted Dijon when I spoke about the extra competion up front ..... Férébory Doré (see above) clearly made a strong case for getting that starting place nod, by scoring both goals, his first since last May and strikers are always worth keeping an eye on when they start scoring, especially when they are hungry to keep their job, but having said that Doré has never been prolific and is more of a provider. Midfielder Rayan Frikeche (19 appearances -3 goals -0 assists) and Diego Gomez (15-1-1) remain sidelined, the are a better team with both especially Gomez, but he has not played in 2013 and they have won their last two without his right sided colleague.

They drew that 3-3 and were unlucky IMO, falling behind against the run of play and actually trailing 3-1 late, but they showed terrific spirit to score two late goals and following up with a 2-2 draw in Monaco, where they led twice. Tonight, all the players discussed above, Kesuru ( 17 goals this season and five in his last five starts), Gomez, Ayari,Doré, Fall, Zoro and Couturier are all available and they now look a team with goals in them. Centre back Fabien Boyer (22-0-0) and holding player Vincent Manceau (23-1-1) miss out, which does leave them looking a little weaker defensively.Hosts remain without midfielder Yohan Hautcoeur (21-1-0) but have no other problems of note.

Angers have won on their last two visits, including on the artificial surface last season and I favour them to win a match, or at least not lose a game where I feel we will see goals. Getting the draw as a safeguard when Chateauroux play is always nice though and I will stick with the visitors and their ability to "beat up" on struggling teams. 1.5 units Angers level ball 2.14 asian line/ Ibramarket.

Châteauroux : Millieras, Milosavljevic - Nestor, Fournier, Neves, Afougou, Sambou, Sartre, Chamed, De Freitas, Orinel, Guerriero, Guidileye, Tainmont, Jeannot, Essombé.

Angers : Malicki, Letellier - Fall, Zoro, Hénin, Couturier, Diallo, Frikeche, Auriac, Ravet, El Jadeyaoui, Gomez, Diers, Keserü, Doré, Ayari.

Good Luck.