I posted the following on New Year's Eve...............

 

Ligue 2: 19 rounds played.

 

 

Net ITB numbers for the season directly alongside each team, figures after that in brackets are ITB numbers (created-conceded) for the last five games.

 

A quick look at those last five numbers will tell you that games in Ligue 2 are close, but that only means we should take more notice of those at the extreme end(s).

 

Niort are finally in the bottom three which is where numbers have suggested they should be all season, Ajaccio and Valenciennes are 100% in false positions and Guingamp, Nancy, Auxerre and Orleans all have improvement to come.

 

Within the numbers , Sochaux had a good run a while back, but that aside, their numbers have been pretty poor and I would have a question mark against both them and Troyes, which saddens me to say, as they are a team and club I like, but they have been struggling for 10 games or so and only Paris FC have created fewer ITB attempts in the last five .

 

I will also mention Rodez who look to have stopped the rot and they are 20-6 in their last two starts. Chateauroux have conceded a league high number in their last five and their numbers reflect badly on Sochaux and Troyes too.

 

 

 

 

 

Le Havre are a net +87 over Niort for the season.

 

Niort look increasingly National bound and have L2 worst numbers, they scored just 29 goals in the whole of 2019 and the loss of top scorer Ndoh from last season has crippled them offensively. HAC collected 24 more points in 2019 and are traditionally a second half of the season team, they have L2 top scorer Tino Kadewere finally able to fulfill his huge potential and he has six goals more than any other second tier player this season , Le Havre need to make hay now as the striker is the subject of much transfer interest. They have received a boost  with the return from long term injury of DM Victor Lekhal after missing the last 10 months, not sure that we will see much if anything of him today, but his inclusion will increase options and competition for starting places.

Already low confidence levels at Niort were hardly helped last weekend by a loss at home to a SIXTH level team in the cup and 10 of the 11 who started the previous league game did so against Saint-Pierroise, so they clearly looked to win. Niort have won once since August in the league, are in freefall and heading for where the ITB stats have suggested they should be all season long.

 

 

Good Luck.