Having rediscovered their defensive solidity and determination, Bordeaux could well cause problems for champions Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
SEVEN CLEAN SHEETS
Having shipped six goals in back-to-back losses to Monaco and Montpellier before the international break - one more than they'd let in in their first eight league matches of the season - Bordeaux scored a massive 1-0 win at Rennes in Round 11, achieving a remarkable seventh clean sheet of the season in the process.
Coach Jean-Louis Gasset said: "When we play together, we have individuals who can make the difference. For that to happen, we need to be solid at the back and we were. Once we get ahead, we know that we will fight tooth and nail for the result. I'm not surprised by our spirit."
THE BAYSSE
In Rennes, Bordeaux's commitment was symbolised by centre-half Paul Baysse, who had a fine match alongside Laurent Koscielny, taking advantage of Pablo's suspension to remind Gasset of his qualities.
Baysse commented: "We played like real men, with character. It wasn't perfect from a technical point of view. We didn't have a lot of chances and it wasn't our best level of football but we showed the spirit and rigour we need to show in all matches and that we'd been lacking in recent times. If we put the same determination into every match then we'll often take points. In Paris next week, we'll need to show the same spirit."
MAGIC MAN BEN ARFA
Hatem Ben Arfa, signed as a free agent at the start of October, scored a wonderful winner at Rennes, his former club - and Round 12 sees Ben Arfa return to another of his former employers in Paris Saint-Germain. The strike at Roazhon Park got the 33-year-old attacker off the mark at Les Girondins and the former French international will be looking to build on that at the Parc des Princes.
Baysse said: "When we see the differences that he's capable of making, and that he doesn't need much to make something happen, it's another reason to give absolutely everything."
Gasset added: "Ben Arfa had such desire to get a good result at Rennes. He doesn't like losing and hasn't lost much in his career. When he saw that we'd lost two matches in a row… He led by example and defended and the whole team backed him up and that's a good sign."
NOT PRETTY
Having failed to score in four of their six home games this season, Bordeaux are not a side to have the neutrals purring. Gasset is yet to find the right attacking formula, reluctant to hand a start to veteran 100-goal man Jimmy Briand. Without a reliable centre-forward, Bordeaux are overly reliant on Ben Arfa and Samuel Kalu - who returned from six weeks out with a hamstring injury against Rennes but went off with what looked like a recurrence of the problem after playing a major role in Ben Arfa's goal.
Being true to himself, Gasset would have to admit his side's strength is their defence and commitment but the veteran boss claimed: "With Kalu on one side and Ben Arfa on the other, the teams we're up against know they need to watch out. That's our strength."