Dunkerque

vs

Stade Laval

Preview

Dunkerque

• Dunkerque are without a win in five games in all competitions, conceding ten goals and scoring four.
• Dunkerque are favored in the betting for this Ligue 2 clash at 1.95 as the home side.
• Dunkerque, who sit 11th with 40 points from 30 games, are much more solid and have a stronger attack than the visitors, who have managed only 25 points, putting them under pressure of relegation.
• Dunkerque coach Gonçalo Feio is a modern, possession-based coach who likes his team to play a proactive 4-3-3 system, press high up the field and dominate the ball, creating chances through quick combinations and the wide areas.
• His side can be a little vulnerable to teams that sit back with a compact structure because they do not always have the firepower to break down stubborn opposition and they have been conceding too many goals recently.

Stade Laval

• Stade Laval have avoided defeat in four of their last five Ligue 2 matches (W1 D3 L1), winning their last away game at Grenoble in dramatic fashion.
• 12th-placed Stade Laval look good enough to get a result at 3.94.
• Stade Laval coach Olivier Frapolli has put together a disciplined, well-organised team who can be dangerous in transition and work hard off the ball.
• They set up with a three man defense and deep pivot to control the midfield and space in front of their defense before using pace in wide areas and on the break to be a threat.

Dunkerque

• Thomas Robinet leads the line for Dunkerque with 12 goals in 26 Ligue 2 appearances this season and is usually their penalty taker, so he is the key player to watch for a goal.
• Behind him, Enzo Bardeli provides a focal point in midfield, who can both provide and score goals - as he did in the equaliser at Rodez at the weekend.
• The pace and energy of Gessime Yassine gets them moving forward and links up the play.

Stade Laval

• Mamadou Camara is the focal point of Laval’s attack and has scored seven goals in Ligue 2 this season, more than any other player in the team.
• He is the danger man, who can hold up the ball, lay off to others or break the offside line and run onto through balls.
• Malik Sellouki can come from the wide position to play in the hole and is a threat on the edge of the box - he has contributed both goals and assists this term.
• Malik Tchokounté provides a bit of pace and the hold-up play for Camara.
• Laval have injury concerns and it is unclear if Trévis Dago is available, so they may be without one of their more experienced players who would have offered a different dimension in attack.

Betting Insights

• The draw is also tempting at 3.32, but the hosts should have enough to edge this one out.
• Under 2.5 goals is our main selection at 1.78 for this clash of mid-table sides and two coaches with different philosophies.
• Dunkerque play a more attacking system, but they are vulnerable to the counter attack while Laval are so disciplined they are very difficult to break down.
• Dunkerque's recent home form is mixed, with low-scoring draws and a heavy defeat, so there is an air of inconsistency about the hosts right now, so we are leaning towards the double chance bet in their favour.

Prediction

• Dunkerque have enough edge in attack to win.
• This should be a tight, tense game and perhaps a single goal could settle it.