Five key stats from week 12 in Ligue 1 featuring Lille’s amazing defensive record

After another smashing week of Ligue 1 football, PSG extend their lead at the top of the table. While Lille picked up a fantastic home win against Monaco. Here are the best five stats from week 12 in Ligue 1.

Lille the Clean sheet kings, Enyeama the Emperor

The big game this weekend was in Lille as 2nd place Monaco travelled north to battle 3rd place Lille. The home side had kept six consecutive clean sheets, but with Radamel Falcao in town it seemed destined that the run would end. Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama had other ideas.

Monaco enjoyed the majority of possession, they completed 76% of their passes and won eight corners and 15 shots on goal. Enyeama however, was in one of those moods, none shall pass. His stat of seven excellent saves included an incredible double save late in the second half when he saved from both Falcao and Emmanuel Riviere, the save from Riviere came when Enyeama was still on the ground.

This is a club record seven consecutive clean sheet for Lille and its Enyeama’s 10th clean sheet of the season. Amazingly through all of last season Lille managed the same number of clean sheets over the 38 game season. With 26 games still to go, it shows the improvement in the LOSC defence under René Girard.

Man of the match last night was Lille centre-back Marko Basa. The Serbian defender returned to the team after an injury and was in inspired form, scoring 77 points on the Squawka performance Score. Lille recorded 49 clearances; Basa had 19 of them, plus 4 interceptions. Even when Monaco turned up the pressure, trying to get back in the game, both Basa and Enyeama had all the answers.

The win takes Lille up to second, in a season in which they were meant to struggle; the stern defence has turned them into Champions League contenders.

First Home Defeat for Nice against Bordeaux

After enjoying three victories in three games at the newly opened Allianz Rivera, it was the often poor travellers Bordeaux that ended Nice 100% record in their new home. As a team the home side recorded a Squawka score of -85 and Cedric Carrasso in the Bordeaux net could have wandered off for a look round the Rivera as Nice didn’t force the keeper to make one save, poor from a team that is usually quite clinical in front of goal.

The Bordeaux defence must take most of the credit for keeping Carrasso out of trouble, with 34 clearances and 17 interceptions they made sure Nice didn’t get close to any dangerous positions. Midfielder Gregory Sertic was in excellent form as he recorded a Performance Score of 90. After opening the scoring with a stunning strike he chipped in with three tackles, three interceptions and completed 82% of his passing.

Bordeaux aren’t the most clinical side in front of goal. From 117 shots they have only managed 46% of those on target and 16 finding the back of the net. Henri Saivet attempted three of Bordeaux’s eight shots, all three off-target. If Bordeaux are to do well this season they will rely heavily on the likes of Sertic to keep the games tight and hope that one of their forwards finds the net, he can’t score screamers every week.

Champagne football fired Reims to sixth

After wins against Lille, Lyon and Marseille in the league, Reims knocked Monaco out of the Coupe de la Ligue mid-week; they could have been forgiven for being a little tired for the visit of Bastia on Saturday. It was quite the opposite in fact, scoring four goals and playing their excellent brand of consistent, attacking and direct football to get the better of their Corsican opponents.

Their heat-map clearly shows their game-plan, attack down the wings and look for the midfield to provide support through the centre with great off the ball movement. They completed 82% of the 506 passes they attempted, again with the majority of the moves being built down the channels. Nicolas De Preville’s opening goal came after a blistering run down the left from Olivier Fortes, he found the striker just outside the box, and his finish beat Landreau low into the corner. Grzegorz Krychowiak’s penalty made it two at half-time.

In the second half the third goal came from the very impressive Prince Oniague, a thunderous shot from 20 yards made it four goals in four games for the Parisian born midfielder, he has been superb since his move from Ligue 2 side Tours. If he continues to impress clubs from England and elsewhere in France will start showing an interest. The fourth goal was another from the wide areas; Mads Albæk broke down the left, crossing for Israeli Eliran Atar to spark the popping of Champagne corks.

Their high pressure, fast break style is causing problems for Ligue 1 clubs, staying in Ligue 1 was the target, who knows where they could finish if they can keep this form going into 2014.

Valenciennes second win spells the end for Fabrizio Ravanelli

Two of the worst teams in Ligue 1 faced off in Corsica this weekend and it took an excellent solo performance for the veteran striker Gregory Pujol to earn Valenciennes only their second win of the season and the first under new boss Ariel Jacobs.

Both sides enjoyed the same amount of shots, 14 each, but that extra but of know-how from Pujol made all the difference. Persistence and experience got him the first when he followed up his own rebound to open the scoring. He would then play a delightful chipped cross for Mathieu Dossevi to give the away side a 2-1 lead in the second half.

Then to complete the victory he made an intelligent run to the near post, and then provided the neat first-time finish to give Valenciennes the 3-1 win, three vital points and a score of 104 points for Pujol on the Squawka performance index. Ajaccio boss Fabrizio Ravanelli was relieved of his position after the game.

Purring PSG put four past Lorient

French champions PSG continue their run towards this season’s title with a 4-0 win over Lorient, making it 31 games without defeat, 23 consecutive in the league. They still have a way to go before beating Nantes 32 game unbeaten streak back in 1995, but anything is possible the way this team in playing. Friday’s game saw them record an incredible Squawka Performance Score of 651.

Marco Verratti was judged to be the Man of the Match, scoring 78 points. He stepped up to the job with Blaise Matuidi starting on the bench. He made five tackles and six interceptions as well as his usual excellent passing display. He finished with 100 completed passes, 93% completion rate. Helping PSG finish with just one pass short of 700 completed.

No doubt Edinson Cavani will get the plaudits with his excellent double, but it was Verratti that made the team tick, and his performance helped young prodigy Adrien Rabiot settle into the midfield without any blips, the 18-year-old was superb and alongside Verratti the future of PSG’s midfield looks incredibly bright at the moment.