our typical Ligue 1 mid-season top squad

The goalkeeper

Our editorial team was not torn in choosing the best goalkeeper for the first part of the Ligue 1 season. Brice Samba (28), glittering with RC Lens since August, unsurprisingly garnered the most votes. It must be said that his performances speak for themselves: only 13 goals conceded in 19 games played and 9 clean sheets (games without conceding a goal). He is one of the great architects of the excellent results of the Sang et Or; but also the beautiful game they offer, his remarkable footwork is a formidable weapon in artesian recovery. Another goalkeeper has been appointed. This is Maxime Dupé (29) who has put in several top-level performances, including spectacular saves, for Toulouse FC.

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The defenders

Our central hinge is made up of a Marseillaise and a Lensois: Chancel Mbemba (28 years old) e Facundo Medina (23 years). The first is none other than the Marseille defense boss, especially with the repeated absences of Éric Bailly. His dueling qualities, his science of placement and his experience are predominant in the style of play developed by Igor Tudor. Furthermore, the Congolese knows how to be decisive, as demonstrated by his two successes. The second is part of the elements that make up the soul of the Sang et Or. Aggressive, in the good sense of the term, and a good anticipator, he forms a very solid penultimate bulwark with his friends Kevin Danso and Jonathan Gradit. And what’s more, he isn’t clumsy with the ball, which earns him the right to be called regularly in the raise … and also allows him to be dangerous in the opponent’s field (1 goal, 2 assists). Clermontois Alidu Seidu (22 years old), Lensois Kevin Danso (24 years old), Rennais Arthur Theate (22 years old) were also mentioned to appear in our eleven.

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On the right side of the defense there Jonathan Claus (age 30) favored by our editorial staff; undoubtedly for his ability to be decisive on an offensive level. The right piston from Marseille, who is one of the best weapons of his team in attack, already has one realization and seven bids to his credit. He was preferred to Parisian Achraf Hakimi (24) and Rennais Hamari Traoré (30). On the left we also find an offensive profile in the person of Caius Henrique (25 years old). The Brazilian is having an excellent first part of the season with a fairly inconsistent team, AS Monaco. His ability to make the difference in the last third of the pitch – one goal and five assists – has proved crucial for the Principality club since the start of the 2022-2023 financial year. Parisian Nuno Mendes (20) also collected votes, but not enough to overtake the Monegasque.

Midfielders

In midfield, our pair of collectors is (also) made up of a Marseillaise and a Lensois. If it weren’t unanimous, Valentin Ronnier (28 years old), who regularly wore the captain’s armband, nevertheless established himself in our standard top squad in mid-season thanks to his high-level performances, marked among other things by his ability to repeat high-intensity efforts and to balance the blockade of Marseilles. Seko Fofana (27), which was quoted later, accompanies it. The captain of the Sang et Or has been flamboyant since August. The intensity he brings, as well as his ability to project himself to create dangers (3 goals and 3 assists), have allowed the Artesian club to get on the podium during the winter break. The Parisian Marco Verratti (30 years old), the Marseillan Mattéo Guendouzi (23 years old) and the clermontois Salis Abdul Samed (22 years old) also collected votes.

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The attacking positions in midfield are filled by two elements of Paris SG, and last but not least: Lionel Messi (35 years old) e Neymar (30 years). The Argentinian had a remarkable first half of the season, worthy of his usual standards at FC Barcelona, ​​​​​​as he scored eight goals and provided ten assists in just fifteen games played. His Brazilian team-mate, author of a thunderous start to the championship, is no less with eleven wins and ten offers in seventeen appearances. Together, but also with Kylian Mbappé, they have been leading Paris Saint-Germain since last summer. They are ahead – quite logically – in our votes of Rennes Benjamin Bourigeaud (28), Lorient Enzo Le Fée (22), Lille Rémy Cabella (32) and Monegasque Aleksandr Golovin (26).

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attackers

Opposite, we find another Parisian with Kylian Mbappe (24 years). As in recent seasons, the Frenchman has proved to be decisive on many occasions – he has thirteen goals and three assists to his credit – even giving his team victory several times at the end of the game. He was acclaimed by our editorial team. There is beside him Martin Terrier (25 years old) which has been selected by our editorial staff. In the first part of the championship, Rennais led his team offensively by planting nine goals and providing four assists. He was preferred to Lyonnais Alexandre Lacazette (31), Lorientais Terem Moffi (23) and Lensois Florian Sotoca (32).