Boulogne
- Boulogne can be a frustrating side for teams to play when they set up in their preferred 5-4-1 system and they will try to frustrate Montpellier HSC with a disciplined game plan on Friday.
- Fabien Dagneaux’s pragmatic approach to soccer, which shuns taking risks and is based on a compact 5-4-1, is perfect for a side that is fighting for its life in Ligue 2.
- Boulogne have one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five games and come into this match on the back of a two-game losing streak that included a 3-0 loss away to relegation rivals EA Guingamp last time out in the league.
- They do have some good players, such as Corentin Fatou, who has scored four times in 17 appearances in Ligue 2, but they do not have a goal scorer to match the quality of Montpellier’s Alexandre Mendy, who has registered five times in 18 league games.
Montpellier HSC
- Montpellier HSC: Zoumana Camara has done a fine job at Montpellier, implementing his possession-based football system in a short time and getting his youthful team to defend solidly.
- La Paillade are 9th in the French second tier, but their 25 points from 18 matches are a bit below where they should be.
- Their recent results have been mixed, winning two, drawing one and losing two of the last five matches, but they are unbeaten in three away games.
- Montpellier beat FC Metz 4-0 away in the Coupe de France in midweek and have the kind of game plan that could cause Boulogne problems if they can work the ball through the midfield and create chances.
Boulogne
Corentin Fatou - has scored four times in 17 appearances in Ligue 2.
Montpellier HSC
Alexandre Mendy - has registered five times in 18 league games.
Betting Insights
The visitors have not been prolific on the road in Ligue 2, scoring only six times in eight games ( 0.75 goals per game on average ), so under 2.5 goals at 1.67 is a price we would take for this matchup given both teams are somewhat goal-shy.
