Monaco v Lens
Saturday 02 September, 20:00
Live on TNT Sports 3
Sometimes it feels like the football gods don't like me very much. Marseille led after just four minutes of their game at Nantes, the hosts had a man sent off in the ninth minute, and yet l'OM couldn't see it through and had to settle for a 1-1 draw to ruin our Bet Builder. We'll stay in France, because Monaco are up against Lens in a battle of teams who will push for Europe this term.
Monaco made a change of coach in the summer, and Adi Hütter has made a bright start to life in Ligue 1. Monaco have won 4-2 at Clermont, swept aside Strasbourg 3-0 and drawn 3-3 at Nantes in a game they dominated. ASM have boosted their attack by bringing in Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who was rattling in goals aplenty in Ligue 1 for Reims last season.
Monaco have scored ten goals and have racked up 21 shots on target across their first three matchdays, and Hütter has always been an attack-minded coach who lets strikers thrive. If you go back to his Eintracht Frankfurt days, he put together the unstoppable trio of Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Ante Rebic. I would argue that none of those three players have recaptured that form since the attack was broken up.
Lens have lost star striker Lois Openda to RB Leipzig, and the loss of Seko Fofana to Saudi Arabia has ripped the heart out of the team. Coach Franck Haise will still find a way to succeed because he's so smart, but Lens have claimed just a point from their three games. Last weekend they were swept aside 3-1 by PSG, a team they finished just one point behind last season.
I'll back Monaco/Draw, Monaco to have 4+ shots on target, Over 2.5 Goals and Over 6.5 Corners at 2.77/4 on the Sportsbook's Bet Builder. Monaco have looked the better team so far, and all of their games have featured three goals or more.