Paris Saint-Germain vs Lorient
Ligue 1
Saturday
12th August 2023
Parc des Princes
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the Gameweek 1 Ligue 1 fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Lorient: Preview
Paris Saint-Germain form analysis
PSG ended the season in inconsistent form, winning 2, drawing 2 and losing 1 of their final 5 league matches.
They picked up wins against strugglers Troyes (3-1) and Auxerre (2-1). However, a shock home loss to Clermont (2-3) highlighted defensive vulnerabilities.
PSG’s attack remained potent, scoring 12 goals across the 5 games, with Mbappe directly involved in 7. However, they were kept to just 1 goal in 2 of the games showing they can be contained.
Defensively there were concerns as they conceded 7 goals in total. The absence of clean sheets showed lapses in concentration and organization.
Their home and away form contrasted with 2 wins from 3 home games but 2 draws and a defeat in their away matches. Their travels showed they can be beaten by well-organized teams.
Overall, PSG showed signs of decline at the end of the season despite their attacking threat. Tightening up defensively and maintaining intensity across the full 90 minutes will be key areas to address.
Lorient form analysis
Lorient’s end of season form was underwhelming as they won 1, drew 1 and lost 3 of their final 5 league games.
Their sole victory came against Strasbourg (2-1) at home. However, away defeats to title challengers Lens (1-3) and European hopefuls Clermont (0-2) showed their struggles on the road.
Lorient scored just 5 times in their last 5 matches, with Romain Faivre directly involved in 4 of them. Their lack of secondary scoring options was worrying.
Defensively they were porous, conceding 8 goals across the games while keeping 1 clean sheet. Lapses of concentration proved costly.
Home form was decent with 1 win and 1 draw from 3 matches. However, their away record was dreadful – losing all 3 games without scoring.
Overall, Lorient limped over the finish line with declines at both ends of the pitch. Finding more varied attacking threats and tightening up defensively, especially away from home, will be critical focus areas in the summer.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Lorient: Predictions
PSG disappointed towards the end of last season. Moreover they lost four of their last six home league games. However, their opponents have been a shambles on the road. Registering just a win in their last ten home Ligue 1 fixtures. Expect a dominant home win.
The average number of goals scored in their last four league games is 4.5. A low scoring fixture is unlikely this weekend.
