Paris Saint Germain, who are bidding for their first French title since 1994, can extend their dominance Saturday against midtable Caen -- but for a clutch of recent title winners this season is going anything but smoothly.
Defending champions Lille are firmly in the championship race just four points shy of the Parisians after the opening 11 games while Lyon are likewise handily placed to launch an assault from within the top five.
But Marseille and Bordeaux - champions in 2010 and 2009 respectively - are both struggling.
Add the fact that former contenders Monaco and Lens both dropped out of the top flight last summer and it appears that clubs of true title material are thin on the ground.
Financial muscle is increasingly playing a key role.
Lyon, with seven titles on a roll from the start of the decade, have enjoyed repeated forays into the Champions League as a result as well as the riches which accrue from participation in club football's richest event.
Now it is PSG's turn with the capital club enjoying a Qatari cash injection last summer, allowing them to spend more than 85 million euros on capturing the likes of new starlet Javier Pastore.
In the continued absence of Champions League preoccupations PSG's focus is clearly on the domestic race for glory.
But they received a jolt in midweek following a midweek League Cup exit to Dijon.
"This has to serve as a warning to us," said PSG coach Antoine Kombouare. "But now we have to bounce back against Caen."
Lyon have a home derby with Saint Etienne, having just dispatched Les Verts from the League Cup.
PSG, who rested several first teamers at Dijon, Pastore included, will be without international midfielder Blaise Matuidi, struggling to shake off a thigh strain, while forward Guillaume Hoarau remains out with a shoulder injury.
Lille, who thanked a goal from in-form England international Joe Cole in their League Cup success over Sedan, will have to wait until Sunday to see if they can close in on top spot as the northerners travel to Valenciennes.
Lille boss Rudi Garcia was talking tough as he told L'Equipe sports daily that there was no way he would allow his budding star Eden Hazard to head for the Parc des Princes, amid persistent reports PSG covet his services.
In an allusion to PSG's Manchester City-esque keenness to build a huge squad using their financial muscle, Garcia said caustically: "I believe they (PSG) are also studying extending the Channel Tunnel through to Paris...."
As for Bordeaux and Marseille, the outlook on the home front is increasingly dismal, although the latter at least can dream of getting through the group stage of the Champions League should they survive a trip to Arsenal next week.
A thumping league cup win over Lens cannot gloss over the fact that Didier Deschamps' side have won just twice in the league to date to stand ten points off the Champions League places going into Saturday's game at Dijon, just one point behind them.
"We have been getting better over the past five league games - but that can't make up for August and September. We will see what Saturday brings. Victories are the best vitamins," said the coach.
Bordeaux, with just one win and in the drop zone, head for rock-bottom Ajaccio without suspended central defender Michael Ciani, forcing coach Francis Gillot to bring in Matthieu Chalme.
Saturday
Dijon v Marseille, Montpellier v Nancy, Brest v Lorient, Ajaccio v Bordeaux, Paris SG v Caen, Evian v Auxerre (all 1700 GMT) Lyon v St Etienne (1900)
Sunday
Nice v Sochaux, Toulouse v Rennes (both 1600), Valenciennes v Lille (2000)
Source: AFP
