LIGUE 2 START COULD BE POSTPONED !
The LFP refused Angers entry into ligue 2. Basically the reason is because Angers didnt opt for the protection of a professional club last season and became Semi Pro. According to some rules, a team is not eligable to become professional again at least 2 years after dropping that status. Despite support from the CNOSF, the LFP still refused Angers their place in ligue 2.
Angers will now go before the 'Le Tribunal Administratif' which will decide their fate. However this could take some time and the estimation for the final decision is Wednesday or Thursday.
End of the day I think the LFP is being a bit unreasonable here and many people beleive that special circumstances apply to Angers and that they should be allowed to play in ligue 2 this season
a petition has been set up by them. Click the link below and sign it, then confirm the link from an email that is sent back. I have some friends in Angers and it this means a lot to them, so I would be appreciated if you could sign. All you need do is put your surname (Nom), first name (Prenom), and Town you live in (Ville), and of course your email address (Mail)
http://petition.thescoismagic.com/php/appel.php
you never know it might do something. I would like to see them in liguie 2 this year, not least because I think there is the potential for money to be made on them
Ligue 2 start date could be postponed a week because of this mess
Auxerre
Last season was a real struggle for Auxerre and they finished in 15th position, only just above the relegation zone. They are always a team who you feel will be at risk of being relegated, but often end up in midtable security. On paper they look to have a squad capable of that again, but you never really know with AJA sometimes. I think keeping Jean Fernandez as coach could be a mistake. He was under serious pressure for most of last season and I feel that a change was needed at the helm for this campaign.
There haven’t been too many exits so far this summer, but most of them have been in defence. Key centre back Sammy Traore returns to PSG after completing his loan, whilst important left back, Juares moves to Borussia Monchengladbach. But Auxerre look to have reinforced fairly wisely by brining in some decent new faces. Cedric Hengbart is an arrival from Caen and he will slot in at right back. Jeremy Berthod is Juares’ replacement on the left and you could argue that he will do a better job. Adama Coulibaly comes in from Lens and he is an excellent signing for AJA. There are already a few decent players in this backline, but it must be remembered that they conceded a massive 52 goals last season. Nevertheless, I think that they have made improvements during the summer and should be more solid.
The midfield has lost Frederic Thomas back to Le Mans, not an important departure but it does decrease squad depth a bit. Auxerre have brought in a couple of new additions but there are question marks about both. Maurice Dale comes in from Martigues, a team who were relegated from the national division. He did well last season but the step up to ligue 1 level will be a big one for him to adapt to. The other signing is Darisuz Dudka, a defensive midfielder from Poland who I know absolutely nothing about. This was an area where Auxerre were sometimes dominated last season. Guys like Lejeune, Pedretti, Chafni and Khalenberg are the key figures in the centre of the park and can have their good and bad days. I generally feel that there is a lack of depth, although when at full strength and when at their best, the midfield can be formidable.
The attack force has yet to see any new additions and I feel that they needed to strengthen in this department. They simply don’t have enough options and have a real lack of depth should injuries and suspensions kick in. The top scorer last season was Romanian Daniel Niculae who netted 11 times/. He’s a quality player and proven himself at this level, but I feel that there are question marks about most of the others. Jelen, Quercia and Oliech are the only other genuine strikers in the squad, so they definitely need to bring some other options in. If nothing is done to change the make up of this attack force, then they will struggle to score goals.
Overall I think Auxerre could be an inconsistent team and will have their good and bad days. The leaky defence looks to have improved since last season but there are still some doubts in the midfield and attack. At home they are traditionally a strong force, but on the road they are usually very poor. I don’t think that they will anything special, although should be good enough to avoid relegation. But if things go badly then they are capable of being sucked into the battle at the bottom.
Key players - Benoit Pedretti (Midfielder), Daniel Niculae (Attacker)
Verdict
Defence 7/10 (New additions make it stronger than last season)
Midfield 5/10 (Some quality but general lack of depth)
Attack 5/10 (Apart from Jelen, there are some major worries)
Bordeaux
They were a revelation under new coach Laurent Blanc last season and pushed Lyon all the way until the final game of the season. They had been expected to challenge for a European position but nobody had predicted them challenging for the championship, so it was a terrific effort. The team’s success was based largely around a very solid defence, but in the 2nd half of the season they also showed their attacking strength. The squad has been very settled during the summer and they have brought in a couple of real quality players. There’s no doubt that Les Girondions will be a top of the table team once again.
The defence hasn’t lost anyone important although also hasn’t gained any new additions. Effectively it will be the same as last season, only Paul Baysse returns after competing his loan at Sedan, although I doubt he will figure very prominently. In goal, legend Ulrich Rame will continue to wear the number one jersey, but now at 36 years of age is he simply too old? I’ve got the feeling that he might prove to be a bit of a weak link this season but only time will tell. This backline was very solid last year and contains key players such as Chalme, Planus, Diawara and Jurietti. When at full strength its one of the best in the ligue, although there is perhaps a lack of depth should injuries and suspensions kick in.
The midfield is really strong and is bolstered by the loan signing of Yoann Gourcuff on loan from AC Milan. He’s a quality player who should do an excellent job for Les Girondins. This is a midfield which has a really good mix of defence and attack minded players. Playing the holdings roles will be Diarra and Fernando. Both are generally solid as a rock and you should never underestimate the importance of especially Diarra in the team. On the left wing, Wendel was a revelation last season and is superb from set pieces. There are a lot of other guys in the squad who can do a good job and there is excellent depth for Bordeaux in this area of the park. This is definitely one of the best midfields in ligue 1.
The attack doesn’t have massive depth to it but they now have four genuine strikers who are all capable of scoring goals. The arrival of Yoann Gouffran from Caen is one of the biggest transfers in ligue 1 this summer and he will be a superb signing. The ex Caen attacker is one of my favourite players in French football and he will do a superb job for his new team, either directly upfront or on the right wing. Fernando Cavengahi was a revelation in 20078 and netted 15 goals in 23 appearances last year. I expect him to score goals once again along with David Bellion and Marouane Chamakh. Bordeaux do like to base their success aroundnegative tactics, but they do have some quality strikers who will hit the back of the net.
Overall I think Bordeaux will once again be a force this season. Laurent Blanc got his men playing really well as a team last season, and if he can do the same again this year then they will challenge Lyon at the top of the table. One worry might be how they can cope with champions ligue football. The last time that Les Girondins were in Europe’s premier competition their ligue form suffered a bit. But it might be different this time around and on paper they appear to have excellent quality. There doesn’t appear to be one major weak area and they look especially strong in midfield and attack.
Key players - Alou Diarra (Defensive midfield), Fernando Cavenaghi (Striker)
Verdict
Defence 8/10 (Probably their weakest area due to lack of depth and an aging keeper)
Midfield 10/10 (Really is terrific, I can hardly fault it)
Attack 9/10 (The arrival of Gouffran makes it even better)
Caen
Last season, Caen were the only promoted team that managed to avoid relegation - and they managed to achieve it with relative ease. Throughout the whole campaign, bar a brief blip in the early part of 2008 they played some good football, especially at home where they were a formidable force. The Normans are a very well supported club and can never be underestimated in front of their own fans. There have been relatively few transfers in and out of the club this summer so the team should be very settled ahead of the new season. I expect Franck Doumas’ men to have another solid year around midtable.
The defence has lost Cedric Hengebart to Auxerre, a key right back. But he has been replaced by south American Pablo Barzola who could be a very useful addition. The Caen backline was relatively solid last season and it will be even better now that its had a year of ligue 1 experience under its belt. There is perhaps a slight lack of depth, and they will of course have their good and bad days. But I think overall the defence should do a satisfactory job.
The midfield has lost nobody of major importance and looks to be in good condition again. They welcome back Alexandre Raineau from Libourne after completing his loan spell and he’ll add to the squad depth. There are a lot of key men in midfield for Caen, winger Juan Eluchans is especially of importance. Last season he proved to be a real revelation and is an excellent creative force in this team. Gregory Proment is the main holding man whilst Benjamin Nivet‘s experience in the middle of the park was also very useful for the Normans. With plenty of other squad players and the exciting new addition of youngster Val La Parra, this midfield looks to be pretty strong and should go well.
The attack force will be hit hard by the loss of the influential Yoann Gouffran. But at least Caen knew that he was going to leave for quite a long time and have had time to prepare for his departure. His replacement is the excellent Steve Savidan who has proven himself in ligue 1 for the last couple of years at Valenciennes. There’s no doubt that he will score plenty of goals in this attack minded Caen team, and with his skill and flair, he’ll fit into the squad very nicely. Compan Toudic and Mazure are the other strikers who will support Savidan, and they can all be useful in their different ways. We should also get to see Youssef Adnane, someone who has scored masses of goals on loan in the national division for Cherbourg in the last couple of years. Overall this is a very satisfactory attack force for Caen and it should perform quite well.
Overall I think Caen will have a similar campaign to their last. They will often play with an attacking mentality and use their strength of their squad which is in those departments. They will create plenty of chances for their strikers, and in Savidan they have an excellent finisher of the ball. Le Stade Mahelerbe should be strong at home and possibly weak away, but they cant be underestimated by anyone. For anyone who likes to watch attacking football which is great on the eye, then id recommend you watch Caen play at home, they often produce some great entertainment. They are one of my favourite teams in France and I hope they have a good season. I think its realistic to say that they will end up in midtable.
Key players - Juan Eluchans (Winger), Steve Savidan (Striker)
Verdict
Defence 6/10 (A year of Ligue 1 experience will do it good but there is perhaps a lack of back up)
Midfield 8/10 (Strong and settled with an excellent mix of players)
Attack 6/10 (Loss of Gouffran a blow, but Savidan is an excellent replacement)
Lille
Last season they were in the relegation battle for half of the campaign, but a really good run of results from January onwards enabled them to end up in 7th spot. This was largely thanks to a great away record, although at home they were often disappointing. The biggest change during the summer for LOSC is the departure of long standing coach Claude Puel. He has gone to Lyon and will be missed, but his replacement Rudy Garcia is a very bright prospect and should do quite well. I fell that Lille could be hard to predict this season and they could be an inconsistent side around midtable.
The defence does perhaps lack a bit of depth, but it’s very solid when at full strength. Tafforeau, Rami, Beria, and Plestan along with a few others make up this backline. Its possible that they might lose one or two of these key individuals before the end of the transfer window, but if Rudy Garcia can keep this main nucleus of players then I expect the defence to be very formidable again. Ideally they could perhaps do with adding one or two new players just to increase competition and depth, but in general I expect Lille to keep quite a few clean sheets.
The midfield has lost key holding man, Jean Makoun, but still looks to be in pretty good condition. The one new addition so far is Florent Balmont who comes in from Nice. He is a player who I rate quite highly and I expect him to do well for his new club. The other key holding player for LOSC is Yohann Cabaye, someone who is a real rock in the heart of this midfield. On the attacking side of things, Michel Bastos and Ludovic Obraniak are key wingers for the club and also very good at taking set pieces. There is plenty of depth in this department and a pretty decent level of quality. The loss of Makoun will hurt them and maybe it wont be quite as good as last year, but I it should perform well.
Attack is where I have my worries about Lille because they still lack one genuine striker who can get them 10+ goals in a season. Rudy Garcia has a lot of options available to him and there is a lot of pace in this attack force, but a lack of physical strength. Belgian international Kevin Mirallas is the most important player upfront and he performed well last season often showing some excellent moments of flair and skill. If Garcia could bring in a proven goalscorer who can really hit the back of the net a lot of times in a season, then they would look strong upfront. But at the moment its still too disfigured, unconventional and has too many doubts about it.
Overall I think that Lille will be a very hard team to predict this season and they will have their good and bad days. There is genuine quality in all areas of the squad, especially in defence and midfield. I expect most of their success will be based on negative tactics, with Garcia often using a 4-5-1 formation. The attack force lacks physical height and strength, but does have a lot of pace in it. Lille are a team that work well on the break and counter attack, catching their opponents by surprise. I think they are a side that will be best watched earlier on in the campaign before getting heavily involved in betting on them.
Key players - Franck Beria (Centre back), Yohann Cabaye (Defensive midfielder)
Verdict
Defence 8/10 (When at full strength very solid but does perhaps lack depth)
Midfield 8/10 (The loss of Makoun is a blow but it still has a good mix of players)
Attack 5/10 (They need a ‘main man’ who can score them a lot of goals)
Lorient
In the last couple of years Lorient have done well in ligue 1 and have cemented their status in the top flight. The Bretons always work hard together as a team and are managed by Christian Gourcuff, someone who I rate quite highly. Traditionally they are strong at home and can be difficult to beat on the road. They are a typical French side who are solid rather than spectacular, always capable of grafting out a result. During the summer they have lost nobody of major importance and look to have acquired a few new interesting signings. They should be good enough for at least midtable and might even challenge in the top half.
The defence has lost nobody and is strengthened by the arrival of left back Arnaud Lelan from Guingamp. He has to step up to ligue 1 level but should do a decent job for Les Merlus. This is a solid looking backline which conceded only 35 goals last season. Its spearheaded by the massive physical strength of Mikael Ciani, who in partnership with Sylvain Marchal make up a formidable duo in the middle. There is maybe a lack of depth to the defence but when at full strength it will be hard to break down.
The midfield has lost defensive minded Yoann Hautcouer who goes back to St Etienne after completing his loan. But they have brought in quite a few new players in this area of the park and it will be interesting to see how they perform. Morgan Amalfitano comes in from ligue 2 Sedan whilst Antoine Buron comes in from Amiens. Both of these guys have impressed in the last few seasons but now have to step up to ligue 1 level. Bertrand Robert comes back from his loan at Ajaccio and will bolster up the Lorient left hand side. The key man in this midfield is Fabrice Abriel who will play in the centre of the park. He played in every game last season and had a good campaign. Overall, this midfield has improved on last season and there appears to be a decent mix of attack and defensive minded players. I think it should perform quite well.
Lorient have never been the most prolific scorers of goals but they do now posses a few decent players in attack. Rafik Saifi was last seasons top scorer with 14 goals, netting more than a third of Les Merlus total tally of goals. Manama Vahirua will partner him and he’s a really skilful player who made a good impression last season. One problem with him though is fitness and he’s often injured. Lorient have signed Kevin Gameiro from Strasbourg and he could be a useful addition. The attack force is a little bit thin on the ground but I feel that there are more goals in Lorient this season than there have been in recent years.
Overall I think Christian Gourcuff’s men will have quite a good campaign. They have strengthened in all areas of the squad and have yet to lose anyone of major importance. Les Merlus have good all round ability and I feel that they are ready to challenge in the top half of the table this season. In the last couple of years, fans have been nervous about relegation, but I think that they should be more optimistic this time around. They will be solid rather than spectacular, but nobody can afford to underestimate them.
Key players - Fabrice Abriel (Midfielder), Rafik Saifi (Attacker)
Verdict
Defence 7/10 (Maybe lacks a little depth but will be solid)
Midfield 7/10 (New additions make it better)
Attack 7/10 (Spearheaded by Saifi, it looks reasonably strong)