Meatman French Ligue 1 Season Preview 2008/09

[meatman]

Part (I) - Challengers for the title


Lyon
They managed to win a ligue and cup double last season even with muppet manager, Alain Perrin in charge. They are the dominant force in French football, and again it will be hard for anyone to finish above them this year. There have been a few changes at Le Stade Gerland this summer- generally for the better. On paper they again have the best squad in the division, and the only team perhaps capable of beating them is themselves.

The defence has lost key centre back, Squillaci who moves to Sevilla in Spain. His replacement is Ghanaian international John Mensah from Rennes. He’s a solid defender and should do an excellent job for Les Gones. The other major change in defence is the departure of long standing keeper Gregory Coupet. His replacement is Hugo Lloris, someone who I rate extremely highly. The rest of the defence is pretty solid and there are a lot of versatile players who are capable of playing in different positions. You could argue that there is a lack of depth, but its not really an issue because midfielders like Bodmer often drop down into the backline if there are injuries or suspensions.


The midfield continues to be remarkably strong and can hardly be faulted. Again this summer Lyon have reinforced by adding quality players to their squad. The latest of those is Ederson from Nice. He’s a fine creative player who will do a fine job for Les Gones. Another new addition is Jean Makoun who is of course more defensive minded. Promising youngster Miralem Pjanic arrives from Metz although I’m not too sure if he’ll play such a major part for Lyon this season. Already there is a lot of quality and versatility in this midfield, Juninho and Toulalan are especially of importance. There are quite a few good midfields in ligue 1, but this is the absolute best and looks to be in superb condition.

The attack looks a bit thin on the ground and its likely that Claude Puel will often only go with one man upfront. They have lost Ben Arfa to Marseille, although reports suggested that he unsettled the Lyon team, so probably won’t be missed much. The key man in attack is of course Karim Benzema, who is a striker of remarkable quality. He should be able to terrorise defences one again and be able to score plenty of goals. However, should he get injured then there are perhaps a lack of other options and I’m a little worried about the lack of depth upfront. Nevertheless, the midfield is so strong that players such as Keita or Govou could easily fill in upfront if required. Frederic Piquionne has recently signed for the club and he should be able to score his fair share of goals.

Overall Lyon will once again be the team to beat and they look to be even better than last season. New coach Claude Puel is also far better than Alain Perrin. They should win their 8th consecutive title but their nearest challengers also look to be in better condition this season. If someone like Bordeaux or Marseille can really get on a good run and apply some pressure, then its possible Lyon might crack. But on paper they have the best squad once again so it would be a surprise if anyone managed to wrestle the ligue 1 crown off them.

Key players - Jeremy Toulalan (Midfielder), Karim Benzema (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 9/10 (Strong as ever, the only question mark is perhaps a lack of depth)

Midfield 10/10 (Absolutely top notch)

Attack 9/10 (The only concern is a lack of depth, but Benzema is awesome)

Overall 1st - Will be the team to beat again, but could be seriously pushed


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 and has gained left back Diego Plaacente from San Lorenzo. Effectively it will similar to 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, and the addition of Placente can only make it better.

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 holding 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. The only midfield that is better than this one is Lyon’s.

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 Norman 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 2008 and netted 15 goals in 23 appearances last year. I expect him to score plenty once again along with David Bellion and Marouane Chamakh. Bordeaux do like to base their success around negative 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 year, and if he can do the same again this campaign then they will challenge Lyon at the top of the table. One worry might be how they will 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 9/10 (An ageing keeper perhaps the only worry)

Midfield 10/10 (Really is terrific, I can hardly fault it)

Attack 9/10 (The arrival of Gouffran makes it even better)

Overall 2nd - They will be right in the mixer and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them win the title.


Marseille
They just managed to squeeze into the Champions League positions on the last day of the season and this is important for the continued development of the club. Marseille have big ambitions and once again their passionate fans will hope that the team can launch a promotion bid. A few players have come and gone during the summer and there’s no doubt that Eric Gerets’ men will be in contention at the top. Whether or not they have what it takes to finish above Bordeaux and Lyon remains to be seen, but I expect another strong campaign.

The defence hasn’t lost anyone of major importance and should be pretty solid. In front of the backline is Steve Mandanda, an excellent keeper who proved to be a revelation last season. The only new addition in in this area for OM is the arrival of Vitorino Hilton from Lens. He’s a strong centre back and should form a good partnership with Gael Givet. There is reasonable depth to this defence and they have quality players such as Bonnart, Taiwo and Rodriguez. They might have a little bit of a problem should injuries and suspensions kick in, but in general I expect Marseille to be fairly hard to penetrate.

The midfield has lost Samir Nasri to Arsenal and he will be missed. But they have replaced him with the impressive Ben Arfa who moves from Lyon. In him they have a youngster who will be desperate to get one over his old club and will strive to win the championship. However, the most important player for Marseille in midfield is captain Lorik Cana. Sometimes they look a different team without the defensive minded man and this is something which must always be considered. Marseille’s midfield is fairly strong but I don’t think its quite as good as their title rivals Lyon and Bordeaux. There isn’t so much depth and quality in comparison, but nevertheless its still pretty good.

If Djibril Cisse stays at the club then Marseille will arguably have the best attack force in ligue 1. They have signed Baki Kone from Nice, someone who will regularly score goals if he can stay fit. Mamadou Niang is another who is a proven goalscorer at ligue 1 level. So if Cisse remains then they really do look superb upfront. But even if he doesn’t then they have a couple of proven strikers who are definitely capable.

Overall, I think Marseille will be challenging for the title, but maybe they aren’t quite as good as Lyon or Bordeaux. Nevertheless, if they can keep their key players fit and healthy then they will be a major force. They have good all round strength and no real obvious weak area. At home they are traditionally strong and they do of course have the most fans in the whole of French football. The club has ambitions and wants to win the ligue 1 title. Personally I feel that they will just fall short, but it wouldn’t be a shock if they did lift silverware come the end of the campaign.


Key players - Lorik Cana (Midfielder), Mamadou Niang (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 9/10 (Solid and strong, even better with the addition of Hilton)

Midfield 8/10 (Impressive but not quite as good as their main rivals)

Attack 9/10 (They have proven goalscorers at this level)

Overall 3rd - Will challenge for the title but might just come up short

[meatman]

Part (II) - Challenging for European positions


St Etienne

Les Verts finished a respectable 5th last season and they will hope to at least match that this year. They probably aren’t good enough to challenge the big boys for the championship, but they should be in contention for European positions. There have been relatively few changes during the summer and they have yet to lose any players of major importance. There is a sense of continuity amongst the squad which could prove to be very advantageous.

The defence has gained David Sauget from Nancy, someone who can play either on the right or left hand side. He will add depth and provide competition to a few guys like Dabo and Varrault. Sylvain Monsoreau also comes in from Monaco and he’ll be useful. This defence should be pretty solid, and at home last season it amazingly only conceded four goals at Le Stade Geoffroy Guichard. This backline will be one of the best in ligue 1 and threes no doubt that Laurent Roussay’s men have solid foundations.

The one new addition in midfield is Daisuke Matsui from Le Mans. Over the last few seasons he has proven to be very useful and I expect him to be a good signing for St Etienne. Coming back from a loan spell at Lorient is Yohann Hautcouer, and his return will add depth and increase competition. A key man for Les Verts is Geoffroy Dernis, a left winger who had a great campaign last season. He can really strike a football powerfully and is especially good from set pieces. With other guys such as Feindouno, Matuidi and Perrin, I’m quite impressed with this midfield and I expect it to perform well again.

The attack also looks to be in good condition and is spearheaded by Batefimbi Gomis. Last season he scored 16 goals and was one of the best hitmen in ligue 1. Les Verts have done well to keep him during the summer and I expect him to fill his boots again this campaign. There are also quite a few decent other options besides Gomis. Ilan is a skilful player and Pascal Feindoundo can also score goals when he’s asked to play upfront. The newly arriving Sebastien Grax could be a useful addition and he’ll add to the squad depth in this area.

Overall I feel that St Etienne are well equipped in all areas of the pitch and have really good all round strength. They aren’t quite as good as the likes of Lyon Bordeaux and Marseille, but they appear to be the best of the rest. With a bit of luck and if they can keep players fit and healthy, then they might even become dark horses for the title, although this is perhaps a little too far fetched. Nobody can afford to underestimate them, especially at home where they are renowned for being a major force. This should be a successful campaign for Laurent Roussay’s men.

Key players - Pascal Feindouno (Attacking midfielder), Batefimibi Gomis (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 8/10 (Has the potential to be very solid)

Midfield 8/10 (Reinforced and has a good mix of players and depth)

Attack 8/10 (They have proven strikers who can score goals)

Overall 4th - Good all round strength and they might even become dark horses for the title


PSG

Perennial underachievers, will this be the season in which PSG finally manage to achieve their potential? That’s a really tough question, but once again on paper they look to have a pretty good team. However, that has meant absolutely nothing in the last couple of years where the team has come alarmingly close to relegation. Personally I’m surprised that Paul Le Guen has managed to keep his job over the summer because he looked all at sea for most of last season. PSG have been incredibly hard to predict in recent campaigns and again probably anything is possible from this time around.

The defence has lost the long standing Mario Yepes, although this might not be such a bad thing because he’s someone who I think looked very shaky sometimes. PSG have yet to add anyone new to their backline, although Sammy Traore does return after a year on loan at Auxerre where he did well. On paper there appears to be good quality, the likes of Armand, Ceara and Bourillon are all experienced and should be solid. Goalkeeper, Mikael Landreau is also a class act when he gets his head together. The trouble is that most of this backline has suffered major confidence problems in recent years and they need to try and make sure that they can get it back.

Midfield is where PSG really do look strong and it’s the area where they can really match up to the likes of Lyon, OM and Bordeaux. They have strengthened by adding Claude Makelele, Ludovic Giuly and Stephane Sessegnon. All of these are quality individuals who should do an excellent job for the capital club. Already there are some good players in this midfield anyway, and maybe with the new additions, people like Jeorme Rothen and Jeremy Clement might be able to achieve their potential. I really do like the look of PSG in the middle of the park where they should be creative, yet also hard to penetrate. This is where they should dramatically improve upon last season.

Upfront they have lost Amara Diane who scored 11 goals last season and also Pedro Pauleta who has retired. A lot will rest upon the shoulders of Guillerme Horau who netted 28 goals for Le Havre in ligue 2 last season. He should be able to adapt to ligue 1 level and hit the net a few times, but he might also struggle with the pressure. Apart from Peguy Luyindula and the returning Fabrice Pancrate, there isn’t really too much else upfront for Paul Le Guen to chose from. I think he needs to add another striker if he’s serious about using two men upfront this season.

Overall I think we shall see PSG improve this season but I don’t think that they are good enough to challenge for the ligue 1 title or even the champions ligue positions. There is something very strange about this club and there’s always a massive amount of expectation amongst the fans. The other problem is that they just cant be relied upon at home where they regularly seem to produce sub-standard performances, not helped by an inconsistent, sometimes negative crowd. They have a great looking midfield and are fairly decent elsewhere. Le Guen’s men should be a top ten team and challenge for European positions, but at the same time anything is really possible with this club.

Key players - Claude Makelele (Midfielder) Ludovic Giuly (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (On paper it looks strong but sometimes it can just go off form)

Midfield 9/10 (Some top class signings make it really formidable)

Attack 6/10 (Too much rests on the shoulders of new man Hoarau)

Overall 5th - A strong midfield paves the way for a better campaign


Nancy

The Lorraine club did fantastically well to finish 4th last season and they so very nearly beat OM to the final Champions Ligue position. But nevertheless, despite this final day disappointment, it was a successful year for Pablo Correia’s men. On paper they definitely overachieved, but played so well together as a team. The key was having a fantastic home record where they lost only one match all year. It was more of a struggle on the road, but in front of their own fans, Le Stade Marcel Pichot is a fortress. I think it will be hard for them to maintain 4th position again this season, but they should still be a top ten team and maybe even challenge for European positions again.

The defence, which was very solid throughout most of the year has lost key man Sebastien Puygrennier. He was such a rock and a massive physical strength, often a threat from attacking set pieces as well. But Nancy have reinforced their defence by bringing in three new players. Joel Sami comes in from ligue 2 side Amiens, and its about time he gave it a go in the top flight of French football. Abdeslam Ouaddou comes in from Valenciennes and is quite a useful player. Finally Jean Calve arrives from Le Mans, and he’s another with experience of ligue 1 level and who has impressed in recent seasons. Overall I think this defence will be solid again and hard to penetrate. Everyone will work hard together and fight hard for everything.

The midfield has been bolstered by the addition of Julien Feret from Reims. He’s a skilful player who is ready to test himself at ligue 1 level and could prove to be a useful signing. I think overall the Nancy midfield looks to be in reasonable condition, although it’s nothing special. Benjamin Gavanon is a key man in the defensive minded role along with Pascal Berenguer. There are some decent wingers who have good pace so there is a reasonable mix of defence and attack minded players.

The attack has lost Brazilian, Kim who has moved to Qatar. He was a skilful player and very useful to Nancy last season so might be missed. This is the area of the squad where I feel that Correia’s men are at their weakest, and there simply aren’t enough strikers to chose from. This isn’t a massive problem in a lot of ways because they usually opt for a 4-5-1 formation, but ideally I think they need to improve the depth. Youssef Hadji was last seasons top scorer, but he only netted 7 times. Issiar Dia is the other main hitman although he prefers to play in a centre forward role. Chris Malonga often comes on as a substitute and sometimes needs too many chances to score goals. Overall, Nancy will be a threat in attack, but I’d like to see them buy a real quality striker who can get them 10+ goals in a campaign.

Overall I think Nancy will have another fairly good season, but it wont be quite as good as last year. As usual they will be solid rather than spectacular and base their success around strong foundations. They look to have a good defence tied in with a useful looking midfield and attack. They wont score that many times but often they might only need one goal to win matches. At home they will be difficult to beat, and you’ll have to be brave to bet against them at Le Stade Marcel Pichot. But there will always be a lot of question marks about their away form where I doubt they can be relied upon. This home and away nature and pattern usually makes them a good team to bet on.

Key players - Benjamin Gavanon (Defensive midfielder), Youssouf Hadji (Attacker)

Verdict

Defence 8/10 (Has been reinforced and should be solid)

Midfield 7/10 (Quite good, although lacks a bit of star quality)

Attack 6/10 (Lack of depth)

Overall 6th - Wont be as good as last season, but should still be fairly decent


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’ll 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 should be 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)

Overall 7th - Will be one of the surprises of the season and perform well


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 feel that Lille could be hard to predict this season and they could be an inconsistent side around midtable.

The defence does 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 so good as last year, but 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 7/10 (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)

Overall 8th - Inconsistent, but should challenge for European positions

[meatman]

Part (III) - Midtable


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 football. 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 (The loss of Gouffran a blow, but Savidan is an excellent replacement)

Overall 9th - Safely in midtable, another good year for Caen


Rennes

The Bretons ended up dong quite well last season which was quite a good effort after going through a mid campaign slump. This cost previous coach Pierre Derossi his job, although he resigned and became a technical director. There is a triangle trio at the helm of the club which includes current manager Guy Lacombe and president Frederic De Saint Sernin. This is a fairly settled combination and they work together well. During the summer Les Rouges et Noirs have lost a few players but also gained a few. They are a team with ambitions and have the potential to challenge for European positions.

The defence has lost key centre back, John Mensah who’s gone to Lyon. His replacement appears to be Carlos Bocanegra who comes in from English side Fulham. This defence will have its good and bad days and could be inconsistent. Mensah was the real rock and might be missed quite a lot. There is some good quality with the likes of Fanni and Hansson and also a few youngsters who have shown promise at this level. Finally it must be noted that they have signed highly rated goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez from Toulouse. Rennes have had one or two keeper problems in recent years, but now they should be sorted with the acquisition of this man.

The midfield is pretty much unchanged from last season and they have lost nobody important. Likewise, no new additions have been added so there is a real feeling of consistency in this area of the field. There is a good mix of attack and defensive minded players. There is some good quality in this midfield and a decent amount of depth. Clearly Guy Lacombe must be very satisfied otherwise he would’ve brought in some new players to reinforce. My only real criticism is perhaps the lack of a ‘star player’ someone who has flair, skill and can win a match on his own. But nevertheless, Rennes do look to be strong in this department and it should perform well.

The attack looks very likely to lose Jimmy Briand and he would be missed quite a lot. But I like the signing of Ghanaian international, Asamoah Gyan who comes in from Udinese. I have a feeling that his pace could be suited to ligue 1 football and he should be able to score a few goals. Pagis, Wiltord and the returning Moussa Sow make up the rest of the attack which looks satisfactory enough, but nothing special. Ideally Les Rouges et Noirs could do with buying one more striker just to increase their depth.

Overall I think Rennes should probably be a top ten team that might have a chance of challenging for European positions. There is a general feeling of stability at the club and they haven’t been massively active in the transfer market. The team can often be inconsistent, especially at home where they sometimes produce a really poor performance out of nowhere. But at the same time they can be scintillating in front of their own fans and are capable of beating anyone. The Bretons have good general all round strength and cant be underestimated.



Key players - Nicloas Douchez (Goalkeeper), Rod Fanni (Right back)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (The loss of Mensah a blow but should still be alright)

Midfield 7/10 (Unchanged and very stable with a good mix of options)

Attack 6/10 (I think they need to buy one more striker to increase depth)

Overall 10th - They could end up challenging for European positions


Monaco

There’s no doubt that Monaco have been one of the strangest teams over the last few seasons and are always overrated. Of all the teams in ligue 1 they are a real enigma and you never know what your going to get with them. Expectations will as always be high and people will probably expect them to be in the mixer towards the top of the table. On paper they appear to have some good qualities and they might be able to improve this season. But its always so hard for the players to play at home where there’s sometimes a non existent crowd and it might be hard for them to make progress.

Defensively Monaco look to be fairly solid but they have been known to have occasional serious off days. In goal they have Flavio Roma, captain and an experienced shotstopper, although a little eccentric at times. They have guys like Adriano, Curfre, Modesto and the new signing, Legati on loan from AC Milan. There is some good quality and experience here, but last season it just didn’t perform well enough as a team. If coach Ricardo can sort his men out in that way then they should be able to keep quite a few clean sheets. With decent squad depth, I’m reasonably confident about Monaco at the back, although there will always be some niggling doubts.

The midfield is another area where Monaco appear to be fairly strong. There are no new additions though, so its pretty much the same as last season, when again, just like the defence, they just inexplicably didn’t click together properly. Jeremy Menez is a key man in the middle of the park for Monaco and he can provide the creative spark for his team. If he can stay fit then the south coast side have someone who should assist quite a few goals and manage to score a few as well. There’s no doubt that Monaco have some good attacking options in this midfield, guys like Meriem, Gakpe and Nene are all capable of creating chances for the strikers. I think they lack a few holding men who can really provide the tackling strength, this is perhaps an area where Ricardo might try and reinforce. Diego Perez is the only real quality guy who can play this role, so if he gets injured then there could be a problem. But overall I quite like this midfield and I think it should go well.

The biggest area of concern for Monaco is upfront. They have lost Frederic Piquionne to Lyon and his departure has left a big hole. They have signed Freddy Adu on loan from Benfica. This guy was talked about for years as a teen sensation in the USA, but since he moved to Europe he’s so far failed to deliver the goods. Will he find ligue 1 to his liking? Only time will tell but he has the pace and skill to cause potential problems to defences. Monaco don’t really have any other genuine strikers, although do have a lot of attacking versatile midfielders who are capable of playing upfront. If Piquionne leaves, then they’ll need to replace him with someone substantial.

Monaco are a weird team and you never know what your going to get with them. On paper they appear to have a good side that should be in the top half of the table challenging for European positions. But the squad hasn’t really changed that much from last season , when they didn’t really perform very well. I think they are a side that is best watched in the early stages of the season because anything is possible from them. At home they can sometimes be really poor and unmotivated, although they have traditionally developed good away tactics. It will be interesting to see how they fare this campaign.

Key players - Jeremy Menez (Attacking midfielder), Camel Meriem (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (On paper it looks strong, but can it fulfil its potential?)

Midfield 8/10 (Another strong area especially in a creative sense, but can it produce the goods this time?)

Attack 5/10 (Lack of genuine strikers in this area and they need to reinforce)

Overall 11th - A real enigma team and anything is possible, hard to predict


Nice


Last season, the south coast club had a very good year and finished in the top half of the table. Traditional fighters against relegation, it was a much more pleasant campaign for Frederic Antonetti’s men. But they have paid the price for their success during the summer by losing a lot of their best players. Nevertheless, they have plenty of money in the bank to spend and they have attempted to replace guys with some interesting captures. They could get sucked into the relegation battle this season, and they will have their good and bad days. But ultimately I feel that Nice have enough quality and should remain in ligue 1 again.

The defence has lost nobody except for key goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris to Lyon. He’s a fine young shotstopper and he saved Nice many times in the past, so will be greatly missed. As a replacement, they have brought in young Mexican keeper, David Ospina, who I know absolutely nothing about. The rest of the backline remains unchanged and should perform quite well. Guys like Apam, Kante and Rool are experienced campaigners and know how ligue 1 works. This defence isn’t anything special and is sure to have its good and bad days, but it should be relatively solid.

The midfield has lost a couple of really important players. Firstly, creative man Ederson has gone to Lyon and he is pretty much irreplaceable. The Brazilian did a great job for Nice over the last few years and his flair and skill was always such a major weapon for Antonetti’s men. Another loss is the defensive minded Florent Balmont who was such a grafter. As replacements Nice have brought in a couple of interesting players. Chaouki Ben Saada comes in from Bastia and he has the potential to flourish on the south coast. But he wont be of the same class as Ederson (yet). Emerse Fae comes in on loan from Reading in England and could be a useful addition. With a few guys like Echouafni, Jeunchamp and Hellebuyck remaining in the squad, this midfield doesn’t look too bad. But it wont be quite as good as last season due to the two key departures.

The attack has suffered a major blow by losing key man Baki Kone. The Ivorian has been a major part of the Nice set up over the last few seasons and scored 14 goals for the south coast side last year. There’s no doubt that he will be missed, and although they have tried to replace him, its something that they wont be able to achieve with ease. Eric Mouloungui comes in from Strasbourg and he has potential, whilst Loic Remy from Lyon also looks to have a bright future. Matt Mousilou comes back from a loan spell in the middle east and joins up with other players like Modeste and Bamogo. Nice do have good depth to their attack but need someone to step into the shoes of Kone and score 10+ goals in a season. Its possible this might happen, but until it does, then there will always be question marks.

Overall I think that Nice might need a bit of time to adapt to their new set of players this season, but they do have potential. The squad isn’t as strong as it was last year, but the new players that have arrived could prove to be useful. Again I don’t think anyone can afford to underestimate the south coast side, especially at home where they are traditionally very strong. Coach Frederic Antonetti is a fiery coach and will always command respect from his players. He has got the best out of mediocre looking sides before and I expect them to be a safe midtable outfit.

Key players - Oneyekachi Apam (Centre back) David Hellebuyck (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (Relatively unchanged and should be solid, the loss of keeper Lloris a blow though)

Midfield 6/10 (A couple of key losses but looks to be quite decent)

Attack 6/10 (Replacing Kone will be hard but there is good depth to this attack and it should go alright)

Overall 12th - Solidly in midtable

[meatman]

Part (IV) - Teams that could get sucked into the relegation battle


Nantes

Last season they were promoted with relative ease and they are a big club that definitely deserves to be back in ligue 1. Les Canaris weren’t especially spectacular, they just got the job done and did what was required to see them back up to the top flight. There was a lot of pressure upon their shoulders and a lot of teams raised the level of their game against them So I think Nantes have to be ultimately commended for being promoted despite being such strong favourites. This summer they have reinforced quite well and lost nobody of major importance. They should perform the best of all the promoted teams and I can see them ending up in the safety of midtable.

The defence, which was pretty strong last year has been reinforced by no fewer than four new players. The only one whom I know much about is Guirrane N’daw who comes in from Sochaux. Ibrahim Tall from Hibs in Scotland is someone I’ve never heard of, whilst they have also brought in a Brazilian called Douglao and Michael Gravgard from Copenhagen. I’m not sure exactly what the first choice backline will be and there is sure to be a lot of competition between the players. Already they have quality performers such as Poulard, Pierre, Mareval and Guillon. Nantes have a lot of players who already have ligue 1 experience and know what its like at this level, always such an advantageous thing for any promoted side. It might take some time for the new players to settle in, but overall I quite like this defence and it should be fairly solid.

The midfield only sees one new addition, Djamel Abdoun who impressed on loan last season in ligue when on loan at Sedan. But I’m not so sure that he’ll be used much as a regular starter and Le Canaris should stick with the midfield which served them so well last season. It was in this area of the park where they had such an advantage over many ligue 2 teams and it should perform quite well again in the top flight. David De Freitas was a key man, and this campaign will be his first taste of ligue 1 football, so it’ll be interesting to see how he performs. It’s the same for a few others as well, although guys such as Frederic Da Rocha are far more experienced. I’d have liked to have seen them bring in perhaps one new major face into this midfield, but it looks in pretty good condition and should do alright.

I think Nantes will be able to score a few goals and they crucially have players who have played at this level of football before. They have brought in Ivan Klasnic from Werder Bremen, and if he can stay fit, then he should do a pretty good job. Ibrahima Bagayoko had a good season last year and he’s another that should do quite well if he can stay fit. Nicolas Gousse I’m not so sure will adapt to ligue 1 life so well, but he could turn out to be a surprise. There is reasonable depth and quality to this strike force and I think it’s the best of all the promoted teams. Its nothing special but does have the potential to score a few goals.

Overall I think that Nantes should be able to survive with relative ease and will probably end up around the midtable vicinity. If things rally go well then they might even become a top half side. However, the last time that they were in ligue 1 they had a lot of problems and things went dramatically downhill very quickly, so they will have to be careful. This squad looks far better than it was 2 years ago though and it has completely different personnel in it. I expect they will be well supported by their passionate fans, so Les Canaris should be a strong home force and aren’t to be underestimated at Le Stade Beajoire.

Key players - Jean Jacques Pierre (Centre back), David De Freitas (Defensive midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (Looks quite strong and has a lot of depth to it)

Midfield 6/10 (Unchanged since last season and should do a good job)

Attack 6/10 (Not spectacular but they have guys who should score goals)

Overall 13th - Will be the best of the promoted teams and shouldn’t have too many relegation worries


Sochaux

Last season was a strange one for Sochaux, and in the end they did superbly to finish in 14th position. They suffered a disastrous start to the campaign and eventually sacked new coach Frederic Hantz. It was Francois Gillot who took over and performed a half miracle by managing to keep Les Lionceux in ligue 1. There haven’t been too many changes during the summer and there is a sense of continuity about the squad. They wont be anything special, but should be good enough to finish up in the safety of midtable.

There are a couple of important departures from the defence - N‘daw and Brechet. Coming in as a sort of replacement is Jacques Faty but there are a few question marks about him after a couple of lean years. Damien Perquis completes his transfer from St Etienne, but was on loan for all of last season so isn’t a new addition as such. Afolabi and N’daw are the key players In a defence which should have its good and bad days. Stephane Pichot on the right hand side is also an important cog in the wheel. Finally it must be noted that they have an excellent keeper, Teddy Richert who has been one of the most consistent shotstoppers in ligue 1 in the last few years. Generally Sochaux should be fairly tight, but there is a possibility that they will lack consistency in this department.

The weakest area of this Sochaux team appears to be in midfield. The positive thing is that they have a couple of good wingers, Dalmat and Isabey. Romain Pitau is also a useful defensive midfielder as well. However, there is generally a lack of quality and certainly a lack of depth to the squad in this department. When at full strength it will be satisfactory, but if there are injuries and suspensions then they could be in trouble. There are a lot of very strong midfields in Ligue 1 this season so its possible that Sochaux could get overpowered in a few of their games. I definitely think Gillot needs to reinforce in this area.

Les Lionceux do have potential in attack and they are spearheaded by the impressive Turkish striker, Melvut Erding. Last season was really a ‘coming of age’ campaign for the hitman and he will hope to improve even more this year. He will score goals and there are a few other players such as Dagano, Birsa, Traore and Maurice Belay who are capable of hitting the back of the net. Alvaro Santos returns after a year on loan at Strasbourg, and he might prove to be useful again. Erding is the only real massive quality striker in the team, but as long as he stays fit, then this attack force should turn out to be fairly impressive.

Overall, Sochaux should probably end up around the midtable vicinity and they will have their good and bad days. They have potential in defence and attack, although do look to be a bit weak in midfield. They have enough quality to make sure that they aren’t sucked into the relegation battle, but if things start badly then nothing can be ruled out. I think we might see Sochaux become a fairly inconsistent team. Traditionally they aren’t the best of home sides but have always had a habit of playing some decent stuff on the road.

Key players - Teddy Richert (Goalkeeper), Mevlut Erding (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (Has the potential to be solid)

Midfield 5/10 (Their weakest area with a general lack of quality and depth)

Attack 7/10 (Spearheaded by Erding, they should score a few goals)

Overall 14th - Could get sucked into the relegation battle but should ultimately be safe


Toulouse

Last season, Les Violets had to win their final match to remain in ligue 1. They flirted far too close to relegation for comfort in what was a really disappointing campaign. Coach Elie Baup has decided to move on and a new man, Alain Cassanova is now in charge. TFC have lost a few players so far this summer and a few changes have taken place within the squad. Overall I think we should see them improve a little bit, but there’s certainly a chance that they could get sucked into the relegation battle again.

The first major change takes place in between the sticks where Nicolas Douchez has moved to Rennes. He was an excellent keeper for TFC and saved them many times in the past. Coming in as a replacement is Cedric Carrasso. Of course no longer required at Marseille, he suffered a bad Achilles tendon injury last season, but has now recovered and should do a good job. The rest of the backline stays the same with no major departures or arrivals. On paper it looks quite good with the likes of Arribage, Congre, Ebondo, Ilunga and Mathieu. It will also help if everyone can stay fit this season, because they had a real injury crisis last year. For this very reason, I’m certain we shall see TFC be much more solid and I quite like the look of this defence.


The midfield looks to be in reasonable condition, but isn’t anything special. Toulouse have lost a couple of key players during the summer who might be hard to replace. Archile Emana has gone to Betis and Nicolas Dieuze to Le Havre. The only new additions are Etienne Didot from Rennes, someone who will be looking to re-ignite his career. Daniel Braaten also comes in from Bolton but he’s not someone who I know too much about. There are some proven performers in this midfield like Sireiux, Mansare and Sissoko, but it doesn’t look to be in as good a shape as last season.

The attack will be hit hard by the loss of Johann Elmander. He was a major source of goals for Les Violets over the last few years and will be greatly missed. He’s the sort of person that you just don’t replace easily, and so far they don’t appear to have found anyone good enough. Soren Larsen comes in from Shalke in Germany and he’ll be looking to re-ignite his career after a couple of lean years. Xavier Pentecote comes back from a year on loan at Bastia and I have the feeling that he could start quite a few matches. Last year he impressed me in ligue 2 and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score a few goals in the top flight. The other striker that TFC have is Pierre Andre Gignac, someone who was a real flop last season, scoring just 2 goals. Maybe this time he will have a better year and show how good he really is. Overall, Toulouse definitely need to buy a couple more strikers to increase depth and also quality.

Overall I think Toulouse could be a hard team to predict and their season is capable of going either way. Defensively, they look solid enough on paper, but they do lack a bit of flair and star factor in midfield and attack. They still have a bit of work to do in the transfer market if they want to become a top of the table side. They should probably be too good to get sucked into the relegation zone, but anything is possible after last season. If the players don’t work well together as a team then the same thing will happen as before, and it’ll be a struggling campaign.

Key players - Albin Ebondo (Wing back), Fode Mansard (Left winger)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (If everyone can stay fit then it should be solid)

Midfield 6/10 (Weakened by the loss of a couple of key players)

Attack 4/10 (The loss of Elmander a huge blow, and they simply don’t have enough strikers anymore)

Overall 16th - Lack of goals could mean a struggling campaign


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 that I feel are 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 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 in Germany. But Auxerre look to have reinforced fairly wisely by bringing 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 the improvements made during the summer should make it more solid.

The midfield has lost Frederic Thomas 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. 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 need 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 now 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 new faces. 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 be anything special, although should be good enough to avoid relegation. But if things don’t go as planned, 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)

Overall 16th - As usual it will be a nervous season for supporters

[meatman]

Part (V) - In the relegation battle


Le Havre


They were promoted as champions of ligue 2 and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the top flight. The only major departure this summer is Guillaume Hoarau, but he was by far their best player last season scoring a massive 28 goals. They look to be in reasonable condition in defence and midfield, but the real question is whether or not that they can score enough goals to keep them in the division. Often the key in ligue 1 is to have a solid foundation though, so they might have a chance to stay up.

The defence will be similar to the one which kept things pretty tight in ligue 2 last year, but the big question is whether or not it can make the step up to ligue 1 level. They have brought in a couple of new additions who are capable of playing in defence. Guillerme Norbert from Nantes who does have experience at this level of football, and also Massamba Sambou on loan from Monaco. He performed well last season and could prove to be a useful addition. Henin, Baca and Gillet are key men in defence for Le Havre and they have the potential to be solid. They should also be backed up well by keeper Christophe Revault who had some really good performances last season. Its never easy to step up to a new level, and its possible that they could struggle, but there is potential for Le Havre at the back.

The midfield has been bolstered by the addition of a couple of players who should perform well. Nicolas Dieuze from Toulouse knows what its like in ligue 1, and he’ll add some useful experience to the squad. Stephane Noro arrives from ligue 2 Troyes and its only fair that he gets another crack at the top flight. The last time he was here with Sedan he suffered an horrific injury which forced him to miss more than half the season. I think Le Havre needed to buy a few additions to this midfield because it was a bit unsettled last season and they used a lot of players. Jerome Ait Ben Idir is a good player and it’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to ligue 1 life. Again, just like the defence there will always be some doubts, but there is potential for Le Havre to be strong in this area if they work as a team.

The attack has lost 28 goal man Guillaume Hoarau and he’ll be greatly missed. There’s no doubt that he’d have been a major weapon in this division and probably would’ve scored enough goals to keep Le Havre in the top flight. Without him they might struggle to penetrate defences and I have my worries about the amount of times that they’ll hit the back of the net. Cedric Faure has been signed from ligue 2 side Reims and it’ll be interesting to see how he performs at this level. There’s every reason to suggest that he’ll do well, but only time will tell. Jean Lesage was a flop with Auxerre last season before he moved back to Le Havre, so he’ll be hoping to do better this time.

Overall I think that Le Havre will be in the relegation battle and it’ll be hit and miss whether or not they can survive. Any success they have will be based around solid foundations and they are unlikely to be a very spectacular team. The big loss is of course Hoarau who was such an integral part of their promotion campaign last season. The problem could be that they struggle to score goals and it might be that they regularly go with just one man in attack. Its vital that the players fight hard as a team, if they can do that then they’ll give themselves a chance.

Key players - Jeremy Henin (Defender), Nicolas Dieuze (Midfielder),


Verdict

Defence 6/10 (Has the potential to be solid if it can step up to ligue 1 level)

Midfield 6/10 (A couple of new signings make it stronger)

Attack 4/10 (The loss of Hoarau a massive blow and I have my concerns)

Overall 17th - The Normans just about manage to survive

Valenciennes

Les Nordistes survived their 2nd consecutive season back in ligue 1, and last year they achieved it with relative ease. The key to their success was their excellent home form, although that did start to drift off a bit in the latter half of the campaign. Crucially, over the summer they have lost key captain and influential striker, Steve Savidan, someone who is pretty much irreplaceable for VA. Without his goals they will be in for a struggle and most likely involved in the relegation battle.

The defence looks to have been weakened during the summer with the loss of both Ouaddou and Chelle from the backline. Coming in as replacements are Bisevac and Rafael, guys who should do a reasonable job. At times this defence looked very weak last season and they are definitely in real trouble should they have a lot of injuries and suspensions. There are only about half a dozen outright defenders in the squad so there is a definite lack of depth. When at full strength it should be ok, but I do have my doubts and concerns.

The midfield has seen a lot of changes to it during the summer and arguably looks to be the best area of the squad for Valenciennes. There is a lot of depth in this department but what they do lack is genuine real quality, a player whom they can centre themselves around. Coming in are a couple of Lens players who didn’t fancy life in ligue 2, Khiter and Lacourt. Gael Danic also comes in from Troyes, although he’s never has the best of luck at ligue 1 level. There is a decent mix of defence and attack minded players and plenty of cover should they have any injury problems. This midfield should perform quite well, but the real question is whether or not there is enough real quality.

The attack has been seriously weakened by the loss of Steve Savidan who played such an important part in VA’s survival in the last couple of years. They have brought in Luigi Pieroni who will be looking to re-ignite his career after a couple of lean years. Audel, Sebo and Pujol make up the rest of this attack force and they will score a few goals. But they aren’t anything special and they now lack the x factor and flair factor with the departure of Savidan. I do have my concerns that they will struggle upfront without his influence.

Overall I think Valenciennes will be involved in the relegation battle and it’ll be hit and miss whether or not they can stay up or not. In the last couple of years they have relied heavily upon their home form and Steve Savidan. But with their ex captain gone there could be some real problems, and if their home form does dry up, then they will find themselves in the bottom three positions. This set of players will have to combine really well as a team and fight hard for everything. I think it’ll be a very nervous campaign for the supporters and they might ultimately end up going down.

Key players - Nicolas Penneteau (Goalkeeper), Johan Audel (Striker)


Verdict

Defence 4/10 (Lacks depth and will probably be leaky)

Midfield 6/10 (Their best area although perhaps lacks real quality)

Attack 5/10 (The loss of Savidan is a real blow)

Overall - This is the year when they finally get relegated


Le Mans

They have done well in the last few years to be a solid midtable ligue 1 team. However, I feel that this could be the campaign in which they get sucked into the relegation battle and struggle to cope with the loss of several key departures during the summer. Of course one of the biggest losses has been coach, Rudi Garcia who did an excellent job last year. Le Mans have lost players in all areas of the park and have yet to find satisfactory replacements. They will definitely slip down the table this season, the question is exactly how far.

Defence is probably the area where they have been hit hard the least, but nevertheless things don’t look too great. Right back Jean Calve has gone to Nancy and key centre back Marko Basa looks set to leave Le Stade Leon Bollee any time soon. Le Mans have yet to buy anyone new at the back, so what’s left is just a reasonable set of players. Guys such as Bouhours, Camara, Gerder and Cerdan will do a satisfactory job. However, even with some new additions, this defence will be surely perform worse than last season which is a concern. It must be noted that they have an excellent goalkeeper in Yohann Pele, but he’s another that looks set to leave the club.

The midfield has been decimated by the loss of three massive players. Romaric, Matsui and Sessegnon have all been a key part of Le Mans’ success in the last few seasons and will be greatly missed. A couple of new additions have been added, Frederic Thomas and Frederik Stromstad. Both of these two will do a reasonable job, but the guys that have gone are pretty much irreplaceable. I’m really worried about the lack of genuine quality for Le Mans in the middle of the park and they wont be anywhere near as good as they’ve been in the last few seasons.

The attack has also lost a key player- Tulio De Melo who has gone to Parma in Italy. He was last seasons top scorer for the club and without him they could struggle. But I feel there is at least some potential upfront. Grevinho looked useful last year, he just needs to convert more chances into goals. Anthony Le Tallec is another who has the ability to be a threat sometimes. New signing Thorstein Helstad comes in from Norwegian club Brann and he has scored plenty of goals up there in the last few years. Its possible he might prove to be useful in ligue 1. Le Mans need to bring in a couple of other strikers but they appear to have reasonable quality in this area.

Overall I think that Le Mans will take a step backwards and it will be difficult for them to maintain their safe midtable status. I think they will get sucked into the relegation battle and it’ll be a struggle for them to survive. Big changes have taken place and it will take everyone quite a bit of time to regroup.

Key players - Yohann Pele (Goalkeeper), Gervinho (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (Some important losses but still has reasonable quality)

Midfield 4/10 (Decimated by the loss of key players)

Attack 5/10 (Looks reasonable but the loss of De Melo a blow)

Overall 19th - Key summer losses hit them hard and cost them their top flight status


Grenoble

This is a club which has perhaps got promoted to ligue 1 ‘too early’ and I think they need to reinforce more if they are to remain in the division. The club does have plenty of ambitions and probably the best modern stadium in the whole of French football, but it’ll be hard for them to survive with the set of players that they have available to them. I don’t think that they will be complete fodder and they cant be underestimated, but ultimately I think you have to ask a certain question. Are there three worse teams than them in ligue 1? The answer is probably not.

At the back they have the oldest goalkeeper in the top flight, Gregory Wimbee who will be 38 in August. He really is no spring chicken and that could be a problem this year when he is sure to be tested quite a lot more than in recent campaigns. The defence has reinforced by bringing in David Jemmali from Bordeaux. He’s an old but quality player and should do a useful job for the alpine club this year. They have also brought in a player, Zoran Renduluc from Serbia who I know nothing about. This defence was solid last season but it’ll be a completely different kettle of fish in the top flight and the players might struggle to adapt. A key man at the back for Grenoble is MilivojeVitakic, someone with ligue 1 experience in the past so he might do alright.

The midfield has brought in Laurent Batlles from Toulouse and his experience and quality will certainly be an asset for Grenoble. But they need to buy more proven players at this level because there is a risk of them being overpowered. The likes of Robin, Kamissoko and Romao have never played in ligue 1 before and its possible that they could struggle. Midfield was the area where I was most concerned about Grenoble last season, and again this year I’m a bit worried for them. Its a big step up to ligue 1 level and I feel that they need to bring in some more new faces.

Likewise in attack I really do have my concerns. For the last few years they have relied heavily upon Nassim Akrour who has done a good job for his team. But the Algerian international is now 35 years old and there is a real possibility that he could struggle in the top flight. Franck Dja Djedje has the potential to fare better, but until we see him in action, then there are always going to be some question marks. Grenoble have brought in Daniel Moreira from Rennes on loan and he could prove to be useful. But they really do need to bring in more players because there is a lack of depth and definite doubts about whether or not they’ll be able to score enough goals this season.


Overall I think Grenoble will be relegated but they wont be complete pushovers. If the coach could bring in a few more quality players then they might even give themselves a chance of avoiding the drop, but at this moment in time I just don’t think they are good enough. The step up to ligue 1 level is never going to be easy and they will have to play really well as a team and fight hard for everything. Teams have come up before and managed to survive like this though, so anything is possible.

Key players - Milvoje Vitakic (Centre back), Laurent Batlles (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (Some new signings make it stronger but there are always going to be doubts)

Midfield 5/10 (The signing of Batlles is good, but again I’m worried for them in this area)

Attack 4/10 (Lack of depth and proven goalscorers at this level)

Overall 20th - Will end up going down, but wont be that bad

[meatman]

So if things go as I predict, then the final Ligue 1 table should hopefully look something like this:-

1 Lyon
2 Bordeaux
3 Marseille
4 St Etienne
5 PSG
6 Nancy
7 Lorient
8 Lille
9 Caen
10 Rennes
11 Monaco
12 Nice
13 Nantes
14 Sochaux
15 Toulouse
16 Auxerre
17 Le Havre
18 Valenciennes
19 Le Mans
20 Grenoble

That concludes my preview, there will of course be new signings made and I will try to keep you all updated with them along with other key news. Any questions, feel free to ask

[marseille]

like usuall Meatman great job

each year we hope someone can make trouble on lyon each time finish in the same way ...

Last year Lyon got difficulty to win Ligue1 and this year i hope they will have too.their best transfer for me is their new coach Claude Puel .Is a great men leader not like this stupid Alain Perrin.Is a really defencive coach with system base on 4-2-3-1.Last year Lille finish 7th with 18 draw match and a result of 25 under in 38 match .This year could be different with for sure best quality player but result against Monaco or Bordeaux last week ...

For their rival Bordeaux is for sure the most serious.Marseille can make trouble here but never regular all the season and what's why they miss chance to play for title in April-May

Team who can make suprise could be for sure PSG and ASSE.PSG with their old new comer can do something this year and ASSE who make their 1st europeen competition since many year make a lot of serious transfer and is always very difficult to play in their home stadium .

Lille and Nice could be overevalueted here.

Lille because each year they loose their best player and this year they loose their coach and i don't think the new arrival Rudy Garcia can replace him .I see them to finish 10th or after.

Nice for the same reason like you say about LeMans.Too many best player will not be replace Ederson,Koné,Lloris,Balmont all of them are key player on Antonetti coach system and this year Nice could be the bad suprise of this ligue1.Around 15th17th.

Valenciennes is for me underevalueted :

Last year finish 13th with a 5th place classement at home in front of Marseille with 11/4/4 result in their 19 home match .But for sure got the worst result in away match with only a 1/5/13.If Valenciennes can find solution and start to comeback at home with point i think we can see them around 11th-13th


for finish some usufull link for this new season comer :


http://www.frenchleague.com/ligue1/transfert.asp

http://www.frenchleague.com/indexSite.asp