Caen vs Marseille Predictions

Caen were picking up a solid run of form before they welcomed Lille to the Stade Michel d’Ornano last week. They were beat 3-1 despite winning and drawing two of the four games previous. Fabien Mercadal’s men currently look one of the best suited teams to escape the relegation battle this season with the geniuses of Faycal Fajr and Saif-Eddine Khaoui in midfield pulling the strings. They managed to end 2018 with two good results to flex their muscles as they beat Toulouse 2-1 and drew 2-2 with Reims who have one of the best defences in the league. The Lille defeat was disappointing but Caen had 57% of the possession and have a lot to build on for the rest of the season. 

They have been pretty good for goals despite sitting 16th in the league as they have scored ten in their last seven games. Their defence hasn’t matched this though as they have kept just one clean sheet in that time, against bottom of Ligue 2 side Red Star. Caen have lost each of their last five matches with Marseille though and with les Caennaise losing four of their last five at home, it doesn’t make great reading for their fans. However, Marseille have been pretty uncharacteristically poor recently and there may be points up for grabs here. 

Marseille’s season has turned into somewhat of a comedy over the past few months with them winless since November, losing to teams like Nantes (2-3) and Andrézieux (0-2). The latter of these results was particularly embarrassing for les Olympiens as the opponents currently play in the fourth tier of French football but managed to topple the giants at L’Envol Stadium. It has really been disappointment after disappointment with every coming result. Their midweek clash at Saint-Étienne continued this trend as Marseille lead for an hour before losing 2-1 via a Wahbi Khazri double. 

Marseille finished 4th in Ligue 1 last season but have only won eight of their last 27 matches in all competitions, seeing them drop down to 9th in the table and are now at major risk of dropping into the bottom half of the table. Marseille just haven’t offered enough to deserve any more than that though as they have had many ample opportunities to thrash teams but passed on it; their recent 1-1 draws with Monaco (19th) and Angers (15th) being great examples of this. Manager Rudi Garcia has faced major questions of his ability to lead the side and those will only intensify should his team fail to beat 16th place Caen. 

Caen have been improving recently with ten goals in their last seven games and with Marseille without an away clean sheet since October, we’re backing them to get on the scoresheet but also concede as they have conceded in each of their last five home matches. Marseille have been slipping up to many teams at the lower reaches of the table and we don’t see why Caen can’t take the game to them here. However, Marseille haven’t lost any of the last five clashes between these teams so we’re going to back a draw no bet in favour of Caen for this one. We’re expecting a 1-1 draw here, as Marseille did against Angers and Monaco just a few weeks ago.