This season in Ligue 1, Nantes’ form is poor overall with three wins, eight draws, and six losses. This performance currently places Nantes at 15th out of 20 teams in the Ligue 1 table, winning 18% of matches. Nantes’ home form is average with the following results: three wins, four draws, and one loss. And their away form is considered very poor as a result of zero wins, four draws, and five losses. Nantes have scored a total of 18 goals this season in Ligue 1. The team finished ninth last season and is currently not in a position to improve on its standings from the previous season. Below is an analysis of the stats suggesting why the team is not in the best position this season.
Nantes so far this season
The above viz shows the percentile rank of the team in attacking, defensive, and possession stats compared to other teams in the French League. We can clearly observe that Nantes are ranked at the bottom in the defensive stats, especially for high-pressing success. They are ranked poorly in attacking displays, which has led to an unsuccessful start. Nantes have a low xG rate of 1.34 per match. The area where they have excelled is in making recoveries and putting crosses into the box. The overall performances have led to them hovering above the relegation zone.
Expected goals comparison
Nantes are currently in 15th place in the 2022–23 French Ligue 1, with 17 points from 17 matches played. They have won three matches, drawn eight, and lost six. They have scored 18 goals (20.2 expected goals (xG)) from 194 shots and conceded 24 goals (23.6 expected goals against (xGA)). Most of their goals have come from inside the box and around the six-yard box. We will now look at their xG map from last season and try to get a better picture of their struggles this season.
The above viz is the xG map for the club in the previous season. Nantes scored a total of 48 goals last season and finished ninth on the table. They had an overall xG of 40.7 and scored most of their goals from in and around the six-yard box. Comparing their last season to their current season, it can be noted that Nantes are having a tough time netting goals this season. They have scored the same number of goals as the teams in the bottom four in Ligue 1 this season.
Lesser efficiency in attack
Nantes are at an average rank when it comes to their efficiency in attack, and the above benchmarking shows where they stand currently in Ligue 1 as compared to other teams. Nantes are currently at 18% counterattacking efficiency, making 2.65 counterattacks per 90, with 50.9% of them ending in shots. They perform 28.12 positional attacks per 90, whereas their opponents are averaging 31.9 positional attacks this season. Their lack of efficiency in attack is one of the major factors behind them not being higher in the league standings and being placed just two spots above relegation.
The above viz is a representation of ball progression made by the team in the current season. It can be observed that Nantes tends to move up the pitch by using wider areas. They also heavily depend on dribbling into the box in order to generate an attacking threat. Nantes make only 15 attacks through central zones on average, which is the lowest in the league. The above viz shows areas where the team attempts dribbles. Nantes attempts 24 dribbles per 90 minutes and has a success rate of 54 percent for attempted dribbles in Ligue 1. These numbers are among the lowest in the league and are the reason why the team is sitting very close to the relegation zone this season.
Nantes in defence
The above viz shows the defensive territory of the team. It indicates that Nantes are involved in a lot of defensive actions in the defensive third, and the team makes 41.06 interceptions per 90. They have committed numerous fouls in their half, including a few in the box, and average 12.24 fouls. The team makes 82.41 recoveries and attempts 208.51 duels on average with a win rate of 46.6 percent. Defensively, they possess numbers that are similar to those of their opponents in the current season, but they still have work to do in the department of goals conceded on average, as they let in 1.44 goals as compared to their opponent’s 1.06 goals conceded per 90 minutes.
Overall, Nantes are having a tough season and will be looking to get into top gear and move up the ladder in the second half of the season. They will hope to prevent the worst-case scenario, in which they are headed closer towards relegation. Their offensive woes must be resolved if they are to see a safe spot in the standings. As of now, Nantes are hovering above the relegation zone and will need to repeat their heroics from last season to improve their position in Ligue 1 this season.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
