I have just sent clubgowi subscribers the first of five weekend newsletters ( two on each of Saturday and Sunday) and I guess they will include previews of some 20 matches/events (there were four selections in today's notes) , you can read one of those below, to read all of them click here and follow one of the links.

 

Ligue 2:
 

Nancy-Clermont
 

Nimes- Auxerre

 

We discussed two of these teams last week, when Nancy entertained Nimes and those notes are reproduced below the good luck sign off and are a very good place to start . Nimes won that 4-3, they came from one down early and the second half produced three goals, both of which were easy to "stumble across" if you read the highlighted portion of that preview. The notes in colured type cover Nimes' previous game, which conveniently enough featured Clermont, so three of today's teams are covered and that also produced a goal fest, with Nimes winning that 6-2, so ten goals in two starts for the "strugglers" and against top three teams ! I am very pleased with my notes ahead of the first of those where I highlighted Nimes as a potential improver ...........They have some history of running into form at this time of year, in 2013-14 they looked in trouble at Christmas with only 15 points from 18 starts, but then collected the same number from the next eight (4-3-1) and last year, they went on a bit of a tear up with nine wins from 16 starts from November onwards which took them into the promotion race , before the match fixing claims stalled their run. The 29 points they collected in that sequence equates to 69 over a full season and that would have earned them second place and was the level they were playing at for three months and although this is not the same team, it does highlight their potential and they are not your typical bottom of the table team by any means.
 

This is where I should say that this is why you should read the previews and not just focus on the bottom line, but you either get it or you don't and I am tired of sounding like a broken record . So , I will not say, what I just said !
 

Anyway, Nimes have hauled themselves to within two points of safety and a lot of bottom half of the table teams will now be nervously looking over their shoulder and that should provide plenty of excitement over the coming months. However, today Nimes will be without suspended holding player Larry Azouni and central midfielder Jonathan Lacourt, the latter has only played 50 minutes across four starts over the last two months, so cannot be viewed as a huge loss on his own, but Nimes have been a little more leaky without Azouni and I suspect that in his absence, there might have been a spot for Lacourt today. So, not ideal, but this is a team with huge momentum and self belief right now.
 

Auxerre are "stuck" in no man's land in upper mid table, ten points off promotion pace and with no chance of getting dragged into a relegation dog fight and it is easy to see their focus being on home games, where their form is much stronger and to start shaping a team to launch a promotion push next season. They arrive also a little short of midfield options with several players missing, including winger Gregory Berthier who gives them a threat out wide. They were very poor in their last away start, a 4-1 loss at Laval, where, defensively they were in a mess ( I have never seen so many unmarked players inside the goal area), I have not been able to get hold of highlights from last week's 2-1 home win over Tours, but I know that Tours felt completely robbed after dominating the game and it seems clear that Nimes are in much the better shape and with three points possibly enough to take them out of the drop zone, I expect them to be all guns blazing for the win.
 

 

**The rest of today's match previews are only available to clubgowi subscribers**.

Nancy- Nimes  (written January 22nd)

 

Nancy are top of the table, with an eight point lead over third placed Le Havre and look the team most likely to be playing top flight football next season, they are on a very long unbeaten run and playing with great confidence. However, goals are suddenly not quite so easy to come by and they have only scored four inside 90 minutes in their last five starts in all competitions, Those games have all come against teams in the bottom half of the table with an average league placing of 14th, today's opponent Nimes are in 18th, but if you added their points deduction back in, they would be 14th, so are of at least a similar level, but are in their best form of the season and are full of goals right now, with 12 in their last four starts, including six at home to highflying Clermont last time out. Ahead of that game I spoke about how this was Nimes time of year and that they were far from your typical basement club ..........
 

If we look at their last 30 L2 starts, they have collected an average 1.8 points and that is promotion form across almost a full season and they are clearly top 3 on merit. Two in form teams and both scoring for fun right now and each will surely be looking for three points and will be prepared to gamble to get them. Nimes will be without suspended central defender Anthony Marin.
 

Those notes were clearly borne out by the result and Nimes certainly will not travel lacking confidence or without hope. They will not overly panic if falling behind as they have taken 8 points from 7 away games in which they have trailed at half time and their second half road starts have averaged exactly 2.0 goals.
 

Four of the last six h2h meetings have ended all square and the other two were decided by a single goal and I see plenty of value in Nimes with the full goal handicap start. Suspended central defender Anthony Marin returns for the visitors.
 

Anthony Robic has been included in the Nancy squad, but is listed as a doubt and will face a late test, he has five goals this season from the right wing, scored the equaliser at Brest last week and assisted for the first goal in the reverse fixture with Nimes where Nancy have to twice come from behind to take a point.Defensive midfielder Diallo Guidileye is definitely out and Nancy have conceded three goals in the last two games he has not started, just four in nine otherwise.

 

 

1.5 units Nimes +1 ball 2.12 asian line/Sportmarket.