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Ligue 1 Team of the Week: Round 18 - Mathieu Valbuena stars for Marseille
Goal.com rates the best players on show after the conclusion of round 18 in Ligue 1
Dec 19, 2011 9:00:00 AM
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Ligue 1 Team Of The Week: Round 18 Table/Results |
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| GOALKEEPER |
Salvatore SIRIGU
PSG
TOTW Apps: 1
| Salvatore Sirigu produced a solid display to salvage a point for PSG in the draw against Lille. The ex-Palermo shot-stopper denied Joe Cole and Moussa Sow on two occasions before pulling off a wonderful double save deep into stoppage time from Ireneusz Jelen to deny what looked like a certain goal. |
| DEFENDERS |
 Yoann POULARD Ajaccio TOTW Apps: 1 |
 Jonathan ZEBINA Brest TOTW Apps: 2 |
 Fousseini DIAWARA Ajaccio TOTW Apps: 1 |
 Jeremy SORBON Caen TOTW Apps: 1 |
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| Ajaccio duo Yoann Poulard and Fousseini Diawara both make the grade after impressing in the shock 1-0 win over a below-par Rennes side. Poulard was a rock in defence, and won most, if not all of the challenges he faced. Diawara scored the winner against les Rouge et Noir adding to his defensive capability as well. Joining the Ajaccio pair is Jonathan Zebina of Brest who makes his second consecutive appearance in the side after putting in a good performance in the 1-0 win over Auxerre. The ex-Juventus man undertook his defensive duties well, putting in important tackles along the way. Rounding off the defence is Jeremy Sorbon who found the perfect blend of attack and defence on the left flank in Caen's 1-2 defeat to Nancy. Though les Malherbes were defeated, Sorbon's impressive outing looks to be the only shining light in an otherwise poor game for Franck Dumas' men. |
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| MIDFIELDERS |
 Gregory SERTIC Bordeaux TOTW Apps: 1 |
 Max GRADEL Saint Etienne TOTW Apps: 2 |
 Florent BALMONT Lille TOTW Apps: 1 |
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| Gregory Sertic makes his debut in the Team of the Week after his imperious form in midfield in Bordeaux's 1-0 win over Sochaux on Sunday. With the absence of Landry N'Guemo, Sertic bossed proceedings in the middle of the park as les Girondins grabbed a morale-boosting victory. Joining him is Saint Etienne's Max Gradel who was a constant thorn in Dijon's defence on Saturday. Gradel scored and created countless opportunities to prolong les Verts' recent run of good form. And finally, Florent Balmont of Lille was an electric presence in midfield in les Dogues' 0-0 draw at PSG. Balmont constantly carved out chances, and would have scored had it not been for an acrobatic save from Salvatore Sirigu. |
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| FORWARDS |
 Mathieu VALBUENA Marseille TOTW Apps: 2 |
 Anthony MOUNIER Nice TOTW Apps: 2 |
 Jimmy BRIAND Lyon TOTW Apps: 3 |
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Marseille's Mathieu Valbuena makes the grade for only a second time as he oversaw a late thriller to secure a 2-1 win over Lorient. Valbuena scored a cracking goal to beat Audard before assisting Benoit Cheyrou's 95th minute winner to seal all three points. Joining him is Nice's Anthony Mounier who came off the bench to bag a double against Valenciennes. Rounding off round 18 in Ligue 1 is Lyon's Jimmy Briand who scored in les Gones' 2-1 win over Evian to round off a fine match at Stade Gerland. |
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