FUT 22: Team of The Season Predictions - Ligue 1

Hello and welcome to Ligue 1 Team of the Season Predictions. It’s going to be big, huge and sensational TOTS.

This season of Ligue 1 was fantastic apart from the race for 1^st place. PSG comfortably won it and they’ll have the most representatives in TOTS. It’s deserved, but also some choices from me will be debatable (you’ll see who and why).

Overall it was fun: Monaco from midtable position climbed into 3^rd spot, Marseille finished 2^nd with pretty comfortable season. Then 4^th and 5^th came Rennes and Nice. To me – Rennes was the most fun and best playing team in the league. They had a lot of fun this season and played with style. A lot of goals, loads of combinations. Same can be said about Nice in 1^st half of the season. In 2^nd half they dropped off a bit, finished only 5^th, while a lot of people expected them to be higher. Then there were Lyon and Lens and bunch of other clubs. Season was really close and few match days before the finish – we didn’t know who will be in UCL and other Euro Cups.

Bordeaux relegated with Metz, Saint-Etienne will have a shot at survival in the play offs games, but still awful season for them.

My TOTS Predictions mostly consist of players from top teams, but we might get some moments from lower rated teams, as they had some special moments too.

Of course, as a disclaimer: I’m doing these predictions before TOTS even announced and season is far from over (around 9-7 games left in league). So, few players can be included, if they finish season strong and had an alright season before. It happened before; it might happen again.

Also, I’m including more than 15 players in these predictions. I can’t fit only 15 players in Predictions. I wanted to, but even at 23 players I was founding more and more players who deserve it. So, I hope that this year we’ll get more than 15 players, also a lot of SBCs for TOTSMoments.

So, let’s start it. As per usual – starting with Goalkeepers.

There were 2 main options for Goalkeeper spot, and no, despite him getting ridiculous Goalkeeper of the year award – I’m not including Donnaruma. No way. He played 17 games, and got 5 clean sheets. That’s not TOTS numbers. Main choice would be Albon Lafont. He had a very good season with Nantes, finished 8^th, won cup and overall he was the main man. He kept 8 clean sheets (maybe not that much, but with Nantes it’s good result) and overall played amazingly. He should get TOTS, but if not him – Walter Benitez from Nice. Friend of TOTW Predictions, he always got nice marks by L’equipe and got multiple special cards. This year is the same – he’s been exceptional for Nice, he kept 14 CS and conceded 36 goals (same as PSG by the way). Both goalkeepers would be deserved choice, but of course, for links – Lafont would be better.

As for defenders – it’s pretty simple. I had no problem with deciding main 4 spots: Clauss with another insane season for Lens – 5 goals and 11 assists and I have 0 doubts for his TOTS (even if Hakimi gets another card, Clauss should make at least bench). Nuno Mendes from PSG would be my choice on the left – he may not get a lot of contributions (only 1 assist), but he was very solid defender. Very nice signing for PSG and they should buy him in the summer from Sporting. Both wing backs got into Ligue 1 TOTY, so that gives a bigger chance of both happening in TOTS.

Main defenders would be William Saliba, who won YPOTY of the year in Ligue 1 and Marquinhos. Saliba was (arguably) the best defender in the league and that’s why he should get a very good card. Like an upgrade from his Future Stars would be very nice. Marquinhos, as a captain of PSG, may have failed them in UCL, but in Ligue 1 he was sensational. Apart from good defending, he also managed to get 5 goals and that’s impressive for a defender. Both CBs were in Ligue 1 TOTY, so both should get TOTS.

Apart from starting 4 spots – we should get someone on bench. I’ve chosen 3 main choices: Hamari Traore from Rennes with 3 goals and 10 assists (very nice numbers, similar to Clauss). He was very good, got multiple IFs and quite good card in FUT, so he’d be a very nice choice. Another choice from right back spot: Frederic Guilbert. He didn’t get numbers of ClaussTraore, but he was very solid defender in great Strasbourg side. Strasbourg were having an amazing season and nearly got European Cup spot (they nearly even got UCL) but crumbled in the last few games. Guilbert still was amazing and got himself 4 assists. That’s the least likeliest choice, but still had to mention him and good Strasbourg season. Apart from him – I couldn’t find any Strasbourg players who deserve TOTS (maybe Djiku or Ajorque).

And the last defender of my choice: Andrei Girotto from Nantes. He scored 6 goals and got 1 assist, Nantes had a good season and it’s a choice for Fodder for TOTS. Girotto was a good defender, but would be pretty unpopular choice, as he’s not that hyped IRL compared to the likes of main defenders.

Then we have midfielders. It’s very easy to choose 4 main midfielders: Paqueta-Tchouameni-Fofana-Payet. All 4 had very good season. Paqueta would be main choice from Lyon (apart from Moussa Dembele) – 9 goals, 6 assists, amazing performances and amazing card in FUT. He would be amazing midfielder and would get into a lot of players teams.

Tchouameni – amazing season for young midfielder. Monaco climbed up to 3^rd place, due to manager change and they had fantastic 2^nd half of the season. Tchouameni got 3 goals, 2 assists and also he was very good for Monaco. He earned himself a big move in the summer and Liverpool and Real are deciding now for him. Tchouameni would be insane card in FUT – good links, amazing stats and amazing card in game.

Seko Fofana – same as Tchouameni in terms of FUT. Fantastic card and amazing stats all around. He might even get into club 90, if EA are generous enough. He got 9 goals and 1 assist.

Dimitry Payet – leader of Marseille and captain of that club. Marseille finished 2^nd and Payet was crucial for that success. 12 goals and 10 assists – very good numbers and should get TOTS despite receiving FUT Captains card. Fofana, Tchouameni and Payet were in Ligue 1 TOTS, so this should increase the chance of them getting into TOTS. Paqueta still good choice.

As for other choices: Teji Savanier from Montpellier had another great season, Mr. Consistent in Ligue 1, multiple awards, multiple MOTMs and multiple Special Cards. 8 goals and 7 assists and very good chance at TOTS and if he’ll get it – he should get some nice stats on that card. Also he got Headliners card during the year, so maybe that will increase a chance of his TOTS.

And last, but not least – Renato Sanches. Very popular card in FUT, very popular player IRL. Overall – I’ll be honest. I don’t think he had a very good season. Lille overall fell off quite hard after Championship last season, but Renato kept his good level. 2 goals and 5 assists, some nice performances, but nothing special. Overall, if it’d be my choice – he wouldn’t get in TOTS. I’m just including him in TOTS due to his popularity and a lot of people would like his TOTS card in their team. Very hard choice, but let’s see what route EA will go.

Then we have few wingers to cover. First I have: Martin Terrier from Rennes, who was named in Ligue 1 TOTY. He scored magnificent 21 goals and got 3 assists, he’s a must in TOTS, he was named as POTY nominee and got multiple cards in FUT. Amazing year for Martin Terrier. His partner on other wing Benjamin Bourigeaud should get TOTS or SBC or Objective. He’s a must, in my opinion. 11 goals and 12 assists, many TOTW cards, even POTM. I will feel very sad if he won’t get TOTS, but I’ll understand why. If he gets TOTS – he’ll be very good option for any position on the pitch. He should get club 80 card and can play on the wing or even center midfielder.

Apart from them – 2 PSG wingers. Messi and Neymar. It’s very debatable choices. Of course, I expect both to get in. I think Messi deserves TOTS, but not over Bourigeaud. Messi got 6 goals and 14 assists, 20 contributions should be enough for any player to get in TOTS, but it’s Messi. He still should get a card. I’d say 90% chance that he’ll get in a team.

Neymar is fun player. He had amazing 2^nd half of the season. He scored 13 goals and got 6 assists. 19 contributions and also should be enough, but it’s Neymar. It’s very hard. I would include both without a problem, if TOTS would have more than 14 players. But he should be in over Terrier. Both should get it. Neymar for end game, Terrier for the culture. I’m prepared for any slander for these 2 choices, but understand me. I can’t not include both Neymar and Messi as I’m sure at least 1 of them will get in. Maybe both. We’ll see.

And last, but not least: strikers.

Mbappe and Ben Yedder both scored 28 and 25 goals and both should get amazing TOTS. No doubt, as they both were in TOTY for Ligue 1. Ben Yedder will be very very fun card. Mbappe is Mbappe, right?:D

Last 2 choices: Delort and LabordeDembele. I was kinda undecided until the end. Delort carried Nice, especially at the end. Delort got 18 goals. He should get very fun TOTS, but he might miss out and it’ll be very sad if that will be the case.

Laborde or Dembele would be my last choice. I think Laborde had much better 1^st half of the season, while Dembele had very good 2^nd half of the season (on the level of Lewandowski by the way). So, if Laborde – it’d be 4^th Rennes player and it would be too much, in my opinion, despite him getting POTM, Headliners and 8 assists (apart from 15 goals).

Moussa Dembele got 18(IIRC) goals in 2^nd half of the season and also got himself 4 assists. And it’d be really deserved TOTS if Lyon would get into at least some Euro Cup, but that’s not the case. Very hard choice, but I’d go with Dembele, as he was just better in 2^nd half of the season. Maybe neither of them will get TOTS and both will miss out. At least 1 of them should get Moments of some sort of card, but we’ll see how it goes.

Well, it wasn’t that hard, as compared to other TOTS, as there aren’t that many debatable spots. I tried to show you more than 14-18 usual choices, so we have some players to look forward to and debate them.

I know that I’m going to get blamed for NeymarMessi, but I’ll live with it, as it’s expected and I know what I’m doing when including them. Let’s see what result we’ll get, hopefully it’s a good one. Despite my Predictions – we should get a very good TOTS with amazing players in it, most of them will be META and even then I had hard time finding fodder choices.