PSG Slip Up Against Lyon: Winners and Losers from Week 6 in Ligue 1

With only three games finishing level this weekend in Ligue 1, Week 6 has an interesting mixture of winners and losers, especially as Paris Saint-Germain remain outside the top three going into the mid-week round of games.

Laurent Blanc's away-day travails followed them through customs at Charles de Gaulle after the 1-1 draw in Amsterdam. Lyon bounced back with an 86th-minute equaliser through Samuel Umtiti, leaving Blanc scratching his head at what to do next.

Saint-Etienne were the only side from France's Europa League competitors to come away with a victory on Sunday. They squeezed past Lens 1-0 while Guingamp faced the same score away at Monaco and Lille were held goalless at home to Montpellier.

Marseille finish the weekend on top of the table after another impressive performance from Marcelo Bielsa's free-flowing attacking side.

Here are some more winners and losers from Week 6 in Ligue 1.

Winners: Andre-Pierre Gignac

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So far this season, the form and explosiveness of Olympique de Marseille has mirrored the superb start of their burly No. 9, Andre-Pierre Gignac. The centre-forward scored twice as Marseille beat Rennes 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.

His first was a well-taken volley from inside the area, showing his instincts in the areas where it matters. The second was an accurate low strike from outside the area. It showed two different sides of his game, but both just as deadly.

Those goals take his total to six for the season and it looks like the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa and his tough training regimes has helped bring the best out of a player that can sometimes be inconsistent.

Gignac is helped by the support given by Andre Ayew, Florian Thauvin and Dimitri Payet, but he is looking leaner and fitter than ever, and it is helping the forward get the very best out of his own game.

Marseille may have enjoyed a fairly easy start to the season with regard to the fixtures they have had, but you can only play the teams in front of you and Gignac has been dispatching them with ease.

Losers: Rene Girard

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Lille’s goalless draw with Montpellier on Sunday keeps the home side unbeaten this season and it is their fifth clean sheet of the campaign. However, it was another disappointing display from Les Dogues and the fans are starting to demand more from Coach Rene Girard.

There is little doubt that the former Montpellier coach has improved the defence. They had 21 clean sheets last season, and look set to get close to that again, but it’s when they have to score at the other end that Lille has been lacking ideas and ability.

Girard lines up his team playing 4-3-1-2 but when it isn’t working well against well-organised defences, he doesn’t seem keen to change up the system.

On Sunday against Montpellier, Girard’s substitutions left a lot to be desired. Divock Origi came on for Rony Lopes, taking away Lille’s most creative force and it moved the formation to a front three, with Origi out wide on the right.

The move left the player on loan from Liverpool very isolated and added nothing to the attack. Then there was two like-for-like changes with Sebastien Corchia replacing Ryan Mendes on the right-wing and Rio Mavuba came off for Florent Balmont.

Montpellier offered virtually nothing in attack, failing to register a shot on target and Girard left Marvin Martin and Ronny Rodelin on the bench, both players who may not be consistent, but they have the ability to provide a spark.

Girard is showing too much loyalty to the old guard like Mavuba and Balmont. Lille need to bring in some new blood if they are to continue to develop, and Girard needs to develop to make that happen.

Winners: Diego Rolan

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The Stade Chaban Delmas has definitely become home sweet home for Uruguayan striker Diego Rolan. After struggling to find form after his 2013 move from Defensor Sporting, he has now scored six goals in his last six home matches for Bordeaux.

His latest goal came on Friday night as he opened the scoring against Evian in Bordeaux’s 2-1 victory. The win keeps Les Girondins in second place, joint on points with leaders Marseille and new boss Willy Sagnol will look to Rolan to continue his excellent form as they travel away to Saint-Etienne on Thursday.

There is little doubt that Sagnol’s new attacking style and man-management has had some impact on Rolan’s form, just now he needs to find a way to score on Bordeaux’s travels.

Losers: Toulouse FC

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Usually in Ligue 1, there are teams that are terrifically strong at home, but struggle when they leave the comfort of their own home. Toulouse were looking like being one of those sides this season, until that is, the 3-3 draw with Caen on Saturday.

After three away defeats and two home wins, it was expected that Alain Casanova’s side would have enough at the Stade Municipal to edge past the side from Normandy.

Despite the six-goal thriller, the home side had to come from behind three times to steal a point with Pavle Ninkov’s 87th-minute equaliser.

Florian Raspentino and Lenny Nangis put Caen ahead, then it was Jean Calve’s 86th-minute goal that gave the away side a 3-2 lead.

Some credit will go to Alain Casanova’s side for coming back for a third time, but more questions will be asked over why they were in that place to begin with.

Toulouse has problems all over the pitch and Caen exposed them well, and if Casanova can’t turn it around, he could be in more trouble as the season continues.

Winners: Itay Shechter

At the start of the season, with FC Nantes unable to sign any new players due to a transfer embargo, Israeli striker Itay Shechter was given a permanent contract after an initial loan deal from Premier League side Swansea City.

He was also handed the No. 9 jersey, despite having not scored in any of his 11 appearances for the club. His record of 614 minutes without a goal was far from impressive.

In three appearances, with more pressure on him to score, he still hadn’t opened his account before this weekend’s game against Nice.

The away side from the Cote d’Azur have their own problems, and Shechter used it to his advantage.

The Israeli robbed Nice defender Romain Genevois before powering his shot past young ‘keeper Mouez Hassen. Later Hassen would deny Shechter a second with a smart stop, but the striker had his goal and a huge monkey of his back.

It is now up to the 27-year-old to turn this into a run of form and help Nantes shake off the tag of relegation candidates.

Winners: Olympique Lyon

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After Edinson Cavani headed Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 ahead of Lyon on Sunday night, it should have been game over for Hubert Fournier’s men. PSG had started at a high tempo and it looked like Laurent Blanc’s changes had given the side a much-needed boost.

However, Lyon managed to hang around and stay just one goal behind going into the break. Arnold Mvuemba’s free-kick had given the home side a scare when even at full-stretch; Salvatore Sirigu wasn’t close to getting a hand on the ball. Luckily it smashed off the post and PSG’s lead made it to the break intact.

After the break, PSG failed to find their way out of third gear and the away team grew in stature. Eventually, they got their deserved equaliser. Blaise Matuidi failed to clear the ball effectively and after a scramble the chance fell to centre-back Samuel Umtiti, and the France under-21 defender smashed it past Sirigu.

Lyon shouldn’t have been in a position to find an equaliser in the 84th minute. PSG should have been clear out of sight, but once again the champions let a single-goal lead disappear and Lyon were still alert enough to take advantage.

With every game Fournier seems to be putting his stamp on this side after a terrible start. They deserved their point in the capital. They just shouldn’t have been allowed that opportunity.