Guingamp vs Laval Prediction

Right then, let's have a proper look at this Ligue 2 scrap between Guingamp and Laval. On paper, you'd think this might be straightforward, but football's never that simple, is it?

Guingamp are sitting mid-table in 10th with 15 points from 11 games. They've been a proper mixed bag lately - one minute they're banging three past Saint Etienne away from home, the next they're getting stuffed 5-2 at Troyes. At home, they've been a bit hit and miss, scoring just a goal per game on their own patch while letting in 1.6. That's not exactly fortress stuff, is it?

Now then, Laval. Oh dear. These lads are struggling big time down in 17th with just 8 points from 10 games. And here's the killer stat - they've managed a grand total of 3 goals in their last 10 matches. Three! That's 0.3 goals per game, which is frankly shocking for professional football. They've kept four clean sheets in that run, which tells you their defense isn't terrible, but when you can't score, you're always going to be in trouble.

Looking at recent results, Laval have been drawing blanks all over the shop - 0-0 at Bastia, 0-0 at Annecy, 0-1 defeats to Red Star and Montpellier. Their only win in ages was a 2-1 away at Boulogne, and even then they needed a late one to sneak it.

Head-to-head, Guingamp have had Laval's number over the years - 6 wins to 3 in 9 meetings, with no draws. Last time out, Guingamp won 2-0 back in March, and they've won four of the last five between these two.

The stats are screaming one thing here: this is going to be low-scoring. Laval simply don't score goals, and while Guingamp's defense is leakier than a sieve, they're not exactly facing Barcelona here. Guingamp average 1.5 goals per game, but at home that drops to 1.0. Laval away from home average 0.6 goals scored and 0.6 conceded.

When you've got one team that can't score and another that's average at home, the unders market starts looking very tasty indeed.