Montpellier vs Stade Brest Prediction: Can Montpellier Halt Their Losing Streak Against a Confident Brest?

This is the Ligue 1 matchup between Montpellier and Stade Brest. These are two contrasting narratives, with Montpellier in dire need of revival as they find themselves on a baffling loss streak that has dropped them down to 18th in the standings, while Brest holds middle ground in 11th position, looking to hold consistency after a recent European win. This game is very important for Montpellier since any other defeat may drop the team to the bottom, while Brest has an opportunity to nail its mid-table place in the league.

A counterbalance of an anemic offense with recent struggles and inconsistent defense has materialized into a five-game losing streak for Montpellier. On the other hand, Brest was buoyed by its recent win in the UEFA Champions League that showed the resilience and tactical balance of the team. This is an extremely important match for both teams, with Montpellier fighting to break out of the relegation zone and with Brest trying to stabilize their league campaign.

Currently in the relegation zone, Montpellier has experienced a disastrous season with just one win and one draw from 10 games. The recent performance has been abysmal with five back-to-back losses in a row, the latest one being a narrow defeat of 1-0 to Le Havre. Boss Jean-Louis Gasset has played with a 3-4-3 but has so far failed to turn possession into effective play, fashioning just one big chance in the last match despite having 52% of the ball. Getting the goals into the net has been the problem, while at the same time keeping them out at the other end has also been an issue, and they desperately need something to go their way now.

Jean-Louis Gasset's 3-4-3 is theoretically meant to provide width and defensive cover, but the execution has been very patchy. They either fail to create opportunities or become an attacking threat on the opposition rearguard, finding themselves susceptible on transitions and often failing to profit from possession. Some of the issues for the defensives include a track of disconnection in all sectors and relying on individual saves and last-gap defensing. They could only manage an outing with just one shot on target, and in attack, they tend to get a little uncoordinated with the clinical finishing touch missing at the final third. Far too often reliant on long passes and crosses, little has come from it, and without an apparent tactical change, they could be in for another disheartening display.

While Brest is coming into streaks of good form, they won two and drew two of their last five matches in all competitions. Their 2-1 Champions League win over Sparta Praha showcased their improved attacking power and flexibility, where they converted three big chances and seven attempts on target. Brest manager Eric Roy prefers a 4-3-2-1 setup that has worked well for his team in controlling the midfield and giving attacking opportunities. Though not completely tight at the back, Brest seem better placed and resilient against the struggling opposition.

Eric Roy's 4-3-2-1 is all about defensive solidity but offers creative freedom to attack. The shape in midfield means that they can often transition back to front very quickly, although in recent weeks, they have managed to sharpen up their shooting, with seven efforts on target in their last match. Attacking wide players and full-backs are crucial to this, and their stretches might find some joy up against Montpellier's pace-less backline. Roy's tactical approach will most likely be to control the game's possession in the most vital areas and press Montpellier for mistakes. Brest will also try to take advantage of any opportunity from set pieces, which is a weakness shown by Montpellier.

Historically, Montpellier has a slight advantage over Brest. While the former has a 9-win record, the latter has 3 wins. Five matches have ended with both teams splitting the spoils. On the bright side, though, Brest has managed an improvement in recent times against them. They won the last between them 2-0 in January this year. Over 2.5 goals have been overstated in 5 of their last 6 meetings. Again, this is fairly anomalous given that they have relatively low card and corner counts on average, insinuating a tactically disciplined approach. Therefore, considering that, Brest comes into this fixture with the psychological edge, as momentum and confidence are with them.

Pressing issues for Montpellier are issues of not being able to make the most out of possession to create clear-cut opportunities and a porous backline. They leave gaps at many instances, especially when their wing-backs are caught out of position, which could be easily exploited by Brest's wingers. Also, the fact that Montpellier don't have consistent goal-scoring options puts huge pressure on the backline to deliver clean sheets, something they've struggled with throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Brest comes into this game in much better form, fresh from their Champions League win. Recent tactical flexibility and sharpness in front of goal give them the massive advantage. Brest has shown an ability to perform under pressure, and a recent uptick in form suggests they are primed to take advantage of a very vulnerable Montpellier side. With attacking players finding form for Brest, they could present a persistent threat to Montpellier's defense, particularly on the counter.

• 3 Way Total Brest Over 1 Goal @ 1.99 Odds
• Brest Win/Draw & Under 4.5 Goals @ 1.60 Odds
• Brest Wins DNB @ 1.57 Odds