Lorient are seizing the moment and challenging the elite in Ligue 1

There was always going to be one club who made the most of the World Cup interruption and challenged the elite this season. A few clubs on the fringes of Europe made this calculation in the summer transfer window and, instead of selling players, they held firm. Lens and Strasbourg were chief among these sides in Ligue 1.

Lens managed to keep their talismanic midfielder, Séko Fofana, despite inquiries from across Europe for his signature. They also secured like-for-like replacements for Cheick Doucouré, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Jonathan Clauss, their three major departures in the window, and the team remains unbeaten after seven games, with the third-best defence in the league.

Strasbourg also gambled, keeping the sought-after pair of Ludovic Ajorque and Alexander Djiku in the hope that they could make the leap up to continental competition. Things have gone rather less smoothly for the eastern side. Injuries have decimated their backline and they are winless in seven matches, with only Ajaccio on fewer points.

The rest of the sides jockeying at the top of the table are familiar enough. Marseille, who brought in new manager Igor Tudor and another armada of veterans, sit level on points with leaders PSG. Nipping at their heels are Lyon, Rennes, Monaco and Lille, all European regulars who showed ambition in the summer window, even as they each let some of their biggest names depart.

The outlier among the top eight is Lorient, a humble Breton club whose transfer record until the season before last was a mere €5m. Les Merlus (the cod – a tribute to the importance of the fishing industry in Brittany) have lost just one of their first seven matches, despite having their home match against Lyon rescheduled owing to the sorry state