Angers vs Nantes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2022-08-06 13:00.
Having finished tenth or below in each of the last six Ligue 1 seasons, Angers may hope to embark upon an ambitious journey towards a first top-five finish in the top-flight finish since 1973/74. Securing a fourth successive opening day victory here could prove a psychological boost for Angers, but the summer departure of five players aggregating 1,000+ top-flight matches with the club leaves a huge void to fill.
You’d have to go back as far as September 2019 for the last time Angers won three successive home Ligue 1 games, but victory here would see that long run end, albeit across seasons. The dichotomous nature of their home form will undoubtedly keep the fans on tenterhooks though, as Angers picked up 80% of their overall league wins at home last season but also lost the joint-most games on home turf (nine).
If anything, facing Nantes adds to the nerves as Angers are winless across four top-flight H2Hs (D2, L2). Inflicting more misery on Angers could be the perfect way for Nantes to kick-off boss Antoine Kombouaré's 16th Ligue 1 managerial season, as the club looks to build on a ninth-place finish last campaign which landed their highest points total since 2003/04 (55).
Bettering that total may require Nantes to drastically improve their away form having secured just six away league points in 2022 – the second-worst of all current Ligue 1 sides behind Angers. There’s certainly no guarantee of that travelling form improving on opening day considering Nantes haven't won their first Ligue 1 match of a season for five years in a row – their longest such drought since 1971-1975.
Players to watch: Angers new signing Adrien Hunou has opened the scoring with five of his last six goals, but faced Nantes the highest number of times in Ligue 1 (ten) without scoring. Contrastingly, Ludovic Blas has a personal-high nine Ligue 1 goal contributions (G3, A6) against Angers including a brace here last season.
Hot streak: Angers have scored in each of the last eight league matches against Nantes, only doing better in the 1960s.