Breaking into our list of Top Ten Ligue 1 Talismen proved a hard task for some, with the likes of Gervinho -scoring 15 goals and 10 assists- just missing out on a place. His Lille team mate Eden Hazard also failed to find a slot, as did Sochaux’s Marvin Martin, despite his 19 assists being the best in Europe’s top five leagues last season; Martin’s additional 3 goals meant he contributed to 37% of his side’s goals while on the pitch. Here’s the rundown on those who did make it:
Despite playing up front for eleventh-placed Lorient, Kevin Gameiro fired in 22 goals last term on his way to finishing second-top scorer in Ligue 1. Gameiro also picked up 3 assists, contributing to 25 of the 41 goals Lorient scored with him on the pitch. At 60%, this is the highest in the division and makes him the best talisman for Ligue 1 last term. Unfortunately for Lorient, then, Gameiro has already moved on, with PSG snapping him up in a deal worth reportedly 11m Euros. Lorient scored 5 goals in the two games he missed though, winning one and drawing the other.
Top scorer for champions Lille with 25 Goals, Moussa Sow took Ligue 1 by storm last season as he fired the goals that saw Rudi Garcia’s win both the league and cup to complete a glorious double. Sow missed just 2 games last season but Garcia’s tendency to sub him off late in games meant he completed 90 minutes on just 12 occasions. This meant he was on the pitch for 53 of his side’s goals last season and with 25 goals and 3 assists, contributed to 28, or 52% of those. Lille won both the games he missed, scoring six times and conceding none.
Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season and the loss of Lisandro for 11 of their 38 games proved pivotal in how their season turned out. When Lisandro played, they not only scored more often, they won more often, too; the club emerged victorious in 44% of all league games but won 48% of the ones Lisandro played in. His 17 goals and 6 assists saw Lisandro contribute to 23 of Lyon’s goals last term and with the side scoring 45 times with him on the pitch, this means he played a part in 51% of them.
Youssef El Arabi took part in every one of Caen‘s 38 matches, and was essential to their team last season, as they finished two points clear of relegation. He scored 17 and assisted 5 of his side’s 46 goals- with 43 of these scored with him on the pitch, this works out at a contribution of 51%.
Montpellier were second-lowest scorers in the division and had Olivier Giroud to thank for much of their inspiration in beating the drop by three points. Their star forward scored 12 and assisted 3 of their 32 goals for the season, missing just one match through the entire campaign- ironically a 1-0 win over champions Lille. Giroud was on the pitch for 29 of his side’s goals, a fantastic contribution of 51%.
Similar to Kevin Gameiro, Gregory Pujol was another mid-table player whose goals and overall contribution was crucial to his club; Pujol scored 17 times for Valenciennes last term as the club finished fifth. He made 33 appearances, with the side winning just once in his absence, and contributed to 50% of the 40 goals Valenciennes scored with him on the pitch, with 3 assists added to those 17 goals.
Loïc Remy helped Marseille to a runners-up slot and a place in next season’s Champions League, finishing the campaign as the club’s top scorer on 16 goals. With 3 assists also in the bag, Remy, therefore, played a part in 19 of the 40 goals Marseille scored with him on the pitch, a ratio of 47%. The forward missed five of his club’s Ligue 1 matches- they won three and drew two, scoring 12 goals.
Dimitri Payet’s stand-out 2010/11 campaign looks set to win the winger a move to champions Lille, with PSG also in the race for his signature following his performances for Saint Etienne last season. Payet’s output was crucial to his side, with 13 goals and 3 assists meaning he contributed to 16 goals, or 44%, of the 36 goals his side scored with him on the pitch. Saint Etienne did win 2 out of the 5 games he missed, though, suggesting with some smart re-investing, they could compensate for his loss this upcoming season.
Rennes won just one of the six games Victor Hugo Montano missed last season, but ironically it was their biggest win of the season, 4-0; they scored just 1 goal in the other five games, winning 16 of the 32 games he played in, an indication of his influence on the field. Hugo Montano scored 9 goals and made 4 assists and with Rennes scoring 29 times with him on the pitch, this means he played a part in 44% of all goals when on the pitch.
Nene was the highest-rated Ligue 1 player in our who scored.com ratings last season, averaging 7.64 per game. He grabbed 14 goals and made 9 assists, meaning he contributed to 23 of the 53 goal scored by PSG while he was on the pitch- this works out at 43%. He missed just 2 league games, with the club winning one and losing the other, and completed the 90 minutes on 28 occasions. With the club’s new Qatari owners intent on strengthening this summer, Nene looks like having plenty help next term as PSG gun for the title.
