Meatman French Ligue 2 preview 2008/09

[meatman]

FRENCH LIGUE 2 PREVIEW 2008/09

On Friday the new ligue 2 season will kick off (yes its that time of year already!) I'm ready for it and excited, this is my season preview.

Part (I) Teams challenging for promotion


Lens
Lens are a big club and are definitely a high profile casualty of ligue 2. Last season Nantes’ relegation down into the division was a huge story, but this is even bigger. There is absolutely no way that Lens should be in ligue 2, and a club of their stature does not belong here. A lot of teams will raise the level of their game against them, but ultimately I feel they should obtain promotion with relative ease. As yet there hasn’t been a mass exodus of players, and although inevitably they will lose more before the end of the transfer window, this squad should have more quality than all other teams.

The defence has lost Bisevac and Coulibaly but has gained the recruits of Chelle and Sartre. At the moment they appear to be a little thin on the ground in this department, but what they do have is definitely quality. It would be a bonus if left back Nadir Belhadj was to stay, but this is unlikely and he will probably move on. I think the new coach needs to reinforce in this area, but he wont have any concerns about attracting players. Lens are a big club and they will be able to assemble a backline which should be very strong in ligue 2. It must finally be noted that they have retained the services of Vedran Runje, an international quality goalkeeper who should serve them well.

The midfield will definitely be the best in ligue 2 and it could be absolutely superb if some undecided players decide to commit their future to the club. The likes of Monterubbio, Lacourt and Khiter have all gone, and Kanga Akale looks almost a certainty to follow them out of the door. But what they have remaining is an excellent mix of quality players. There are guys like Demont, Boukari, Manganne, Kovacevic and Sable along with a few good new additions. All of these guys are proven at ligue 1 level and should be too good for this division. There looks to be excellent cover options and a wide range of variety for the coach to choose from. Lens are really strong in the middle of the park and I cant fault this area of their squad at all.

I do have some concerns about their attack force, but only in the short term. The fact is that when the likes of Aruna Dindane, Kevin Monnet Pacquet and Toifilou Maoulida eventually leave the club as expected, there are basically no strikers left. Of course this problem will be solved and I’m sure we’ll see Lens eventually buy in some quality strikers who will be capable of hitting the back of the net. But at the moment I expect they’d have to line up in a 4-5-1 formation and put one of the attacking midfielders or wingers upfront.

Overall I just cant see Lens not getting promoted this season and they should be far too good for ligue 2. They are definitely the most likely champions of the division and they have the potential to absolutely romp their way towards the title. But there is still a bit of work for them to do in the transfer market, especially in defence and definitely in attack. The squad that you see now is far from the final complete one that they will have for the season, so we must watch them closely in the next few weeks. But eventually I expect them to assemble a squad which can easily get them promoted back up to the top flight where they belong.

Key players - Nenad Kovacevic (Midfielder) Yohan Demont (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 8/10 (With a few more additions is could be the strongest in ligue 2)
Midfield 10/10 (Easily the best midfield in the division)
Attack - NO rating yet (They effectively don’t have a single striker at the moment, but this will change.)

Overall 1st - Should end up being champions and easily promoted



Troyes

There’s no doubt in my mind that Troyes had the ability needed to get promotion last year, and they were well in control of their own destiny at a certain point. But an absolutely disastrous end to the campaign cost them dearly and allowed Grenoble to overtake them. In the end they just didn’t have the right manager to oversee them, but now Denis Troch has departed the club to go to Niort. In his place comes Ludovic Batelli, someone who I rate quite highly and who did well with Amiens a couple of years ago, finishing 4th with a relatively mediocre squad. He is in control of some great offensive weapons and this team definitely has the ability to finish inside the top three.

The defence has seen no major departure and three new additions. However, I feel that only Ismael Bouzid, who comes in from Galatasaray will be a regular starter. Troyes have captured a couple of youngsters, Badin from Lyon and Taraval from Lille. Both could prove to be useful, but only time will tell whether or not they become important first team members or not. This defence probably needed a few new acquisitions anyway just to add to a lack of depth and also to improve competition. There are already a few experienced campaigners in the backline, guys who are capable of doing a good job at this level. At times they looked shaky last season, but in general I expect Troyes to be fairly difficult to penetrate. It must be noted that they have an excellent goalkeeper in Cyril Merville, someone with fine agility and a great shotstopper.

The most worrying area for Troyes looks set to be their midfield. They have lost two key players from last season, Stephane Noro and Gsel Danic. Both will be missed, especially Noro who had a terrific campaign, scoring quite a few goals and creating many as well. Troyes have brought in a couple of new wingers, Benoit Lesoimier on the left and Fabrice Fiorese on the right. From an attacking point of view this midfield looks to be in very good condition, I just feel that they could do with a few more holding midfielders. The strength is very much in the creativity department and there is excellent depth in this sort of area. They have a lot of players who can supply chances and good crosses to the strikers.

Troyes’ attack force is the best in ligue 2 and every manager would love to have the sort of weapons that Ludovic Batelli has at his disposal. They have signed one new player, Titi Buengo from Amiens who netted 15 goals last season and someone who Batelli knows really well. Already they have the impressive Yahia Kebe and Gregory Bettiol, both of whom are capable of scoring a lot of goals, although didn’t quite fulfil their potential last season. In addition to this they have Meslin, Lafourcade and Bangoura, all of whom had various injuries last season but are proven goalscorers at this level. There is absolutely no doubt that Troyes will score a lot of goals this year, and Batelli might sometimes be tempted to line up with three men upfront. Plenty of competition between the strikers should be a good thing and they will push each other hard.

Overall I think that Troyes will definitely be in the promotion hunt again this season, and under better management they might finally be able to fulfil their potential. The big strength of the team is in attack where they have excellent strikers, who in turn will be supplied by some good wingers and creative midfielders. I feel that Troyes do lack a bit of solidity in midfield and the defence could maybe be slightly better. But they can power their way towards promotion by scoring a lot of goals and they should feast upon some of the poorer defences. Potentially this could be a successful year for the Champagne club.

Key players - Titi Buengo (Striker), Yahia Kebe (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 8/10 (Strong and experienced with new additions increasing competition)
Midfield 7/10 (The loss of Noro and Danic a blow, strong in a creative sense but perhaps lacks solidity)
Attack 10/10 (The strongest in Ligue 2 with up to six proven goalscorers)

Overall 2nd - Great attacking weapons to help them obtain promotion


Metz

They finished rock bottom of the ligue 1 table last season but didn’t play too badly after the arrival of their new manager Yvon Pouliquen. He is a coach who I rate fairly highly and with him in charge of the club, I think Metz should have a fairly good season. It is never easy going down and they have lost a few important players, but Metz should be in the promotion hunt. The strength of the side is in midfield and attack, so they should be able to overpower a lot of teams by scoring quite a few goals.

The weakest part of the squad is possibly in defence, largely because they have lost a few players in this department. The trio of Delhommeau, Bassong and Cubillier have all departed and as yet no real replacements have really been found. Romain Bregerie comes in from Bordeaux but I really don’t know too much about him and he’s hardly played much football in the last few years. The other new face is Damien Chrysostome, a Benin international who I know nothing about. Already in this backline they have guys such as Cheikh Gueye, Jeff Strassser, Gaetan Bong and Mattheus Vivian, experienced guys at this level of football. At the moment there is a slight problem with depth, but with maybe just one more addition then the defence will be excellent.

The midfield has lost the influential Pjanic and the important Gygax. However, it still looks to be in good condition and should be one of the stronger ones in ligue 2. One new face is the defensive minded Romain Rocchi who comes in from Ajaccio, and he should do a decent job for Les Grenats. Julien Francois will be a key man in the middle of the park and is a quality player. In the year that they were promoted to ligue 2, he formed an excellent partnership with Julien Cardy, although the latter suffered a broken leg last season. But now if he can regain his fitness we could see that partnership blossom once again. With the likes of Barbosa, Agouazziand Renouard lining up to play as well, Metz look to be in good shape in this midfield. There should be competition between the players and there is good squad depth.

Metz look to have three strong attackers all of whom will be able to score goals. In the year that they were promoted, Babacar Gueye and Papiss Cisse formed a formidable partnership and netted many goals between them. This partnership should be reunited this season and I see no reason why they cant be successful again. Victor Mendy comes in from Clermont on the back of a good year with the Auvergne club. There is perhaps a general lack of depth, but they have a strong spearhead trio of strikers who should get the job done. Crucially they have proven players who can score goals at this level which is important.

Overall, I think Metz will be in the promotion hunt and I think will probably be good enough to make it back up to ligue 1. Yvon Pouliquen is a clever tactical coach and I’m confident that with him in charge Les Grenats will be able to fulfil their potential. With just a few more new singings this squad will look very strong. But even now its still looking pretty good. There are quite a lot of players here who know exactly what it takes to get out of ligue 2, and I think they have an excellent chance of getting the job done again.

Key players - Julien Francois (Defensive midfielder), Babacar Gueye (Striker)


Verdict

Defence 8/10 (Slight lack of depth but should be hard to penetrate)
Midfield 8/10 (Should be fairly formidable)
Attack 8/10 (Some proven strikers who will definitely score goals)

Overall 3rd - Good all round strength and experience to propel Metz to promotion


Brest

Last season they did really well to finish in 7th position. This was a surprise because they were expected to end up in the bottom half of the table, but nobody could deny that they deserved to finish where they did. The question now is whether or not that they can do the same again this season, or maybe even become promotion contenders. I feel that they have the potential to be dark horses and should go quite well again. There hasn’t been much transfer activity in or out of Le Stade Francis Le Ble, but the new signings that have been bought in do look to be pretty decent.

The defence has lost Ludovic Jeannel to Nimes and he played quite an important part last season, but his age was against him and it might not be a bad thing that Brest decided to let him go. The only new signing in defence is Gregory Lorenzi from Bastia, but he‘s an excellent buy and is capable of playing either on the left or in the middle. When at full strength this defence should be fairly strong with the likes of Bourgis, Casartelli and Stinat. The only worry is perhaps a lack of depth should injuries and suspensions kick in. However, in general this is a very settled backline which understands each other well and one which I feel should be difficult to break down. Finally it must be noted that they have an excellent goalkeeper in Steeve Elana, who is very agile and a good shotstopper.

The midfield also looks to be fairly satisfactory, although is perhaps the weakest area of the Brest squad. But when at full strength they have a fairly good mix of players.. Their biggest strength is though the middle with guys such as Bouard, Masson and Bigne. No new signings have been added in the middle of the park although they haven’t lost anyone either, so there is a real sense of stability and continuity. There is reasonable depth, although if there is an injury and suspension crisis then they might find themselves struggling. The one new addition is on the left hand side - El Jadeyaoui from Chatearoux. Sometimes he has impressed me in the last couple of years, and he’s someone who possesses quite a lot of skill. He’s also capable of playing as a striker if required so is quite versatile.

In attack I think its fair to say that they have five genuine strikers who are all capable of scoring goals. The signing of Benoit Leroy from Niort could prove to be superb. In the two years that Niort spent in Ligue 2, he was definitely their best player and netted quite a few goals. He’s also capable of playing in a more centre forward role if required. Basil De Carvalho likewise can play as a right winger if needed. Socrier, Ayite and Poyet make up this excellent strike partnership and I’m confident that Brest will be able to score plenty of goals this season.

Overall I think that there is excellent all round strength in this team and there is no major weakness in any department. Brest will be a strong side this season, especially at home where they are traditionally difficult to defeat. The club is steadily progressing and this could be the campaign in which they can launch a promotion bid. I don’t think that they have quite enough to be able to challenge for the top three positions, but they are certainly a team worth keeping an eye on if the squad can stay fit and healthy.

Key players - Steeve Elana (Goalkeeper), Benoit Leroy (Attacker)


Verdict

Defence 7/10 (At full strength its pretty good, although maybe a bit thin in places)
Midfield 7/10 (Fairly unchanged since last season with a good mix of players)
Attack 9/10 (They have a lot of players who are all capable of scoring plenty of goals)

Overall 4th - Good all around strength and they are definite dark horses for promotion



Montpellier

They finished last season in a respectable 8th position and were very solid defensively. Only two teams conceded fewer goals than the south coast side and amazingly they only shipped in seven when playing at home. The problem was that sometimes they just couldn’t score enough goals themselves, obtaining too many 0-0s in matches that they should’ve won. Nevertheless it was a solid season for Rolland Courbis’ men and they are making steady progress towards their ultimate long term aim of promotion. I expect much of the same from MHSC this year and they should be a top half of the table side.

The defence has lost Alexis N’gambi to Partizan Belgrade and he will be missed, but the backline still looks pretty strong and Montpellier have reinforced in this area. Xavier Collin comes in from Ajaccio whilst Joris Marveaux comes in from Clermont. Already this defence was one of the strongest in ligue 2, and the new signings should make it even better. There is a lot of cover in all areas so if they have an injury or suspension crisis then they should be able to cope with relative ease. Rolland Courbis likes to base his team’s success around defence so its no surprise to see that this part of the squad is the strongest aspect. They will be very difficult to penetrate once again and I expect many more clean sheets this year.

The only departure from midfield is Malik Ait Alia who has gone to Amiens. MHSC have brought in a few new faces, the most interesting of which is Alberto Costa from national side Sete. He might prove to be a useful signing, whilst Nicolas Sahnoun will be looking to re-ignite his career after a couple of disappointing years with Dijon. Just like the defence, this midfield should be very solid and difficult to penetrate. Perhaps it does lack a bit of creativity down the middle but there are a few decent wingers who should be able to supply chances to the strikers. With just one departure, this is another area of the team which should be very settled and it should perform well.

The biggest problem area for Montpellier is definitely in attack. They have now completed the transfer of Souleymane Camara from Nice. Last season he was on loan and ended up being MHSC’s highest scorer, netting 11 times. He’s a quality player and will spearhead the attack once again, but apart from him there is a real lack of depth. Victor Montano and Romain Armand are the only other genuine strikers in the squad, although there are a few other midfielders who are capable of playing upfront. Montpellier definitely need to buy some more strikers, although I’m sure Rolland Courbis will address this issue before the end of the summer.

Overall I think Montpellier look to be a good side this year and they will base any success around their defence. I expect they will keep quite a lot of clean sheets which means they might often need to score just once in a match to win it. Their defence is probably one of the strongest in ligue 2 and will be very difficult to penetrate. The midfield compliments it well and increases the solid foundations. There is a worry of depth in attack, but if they use a 4-5-1 formation it will be less of an issue. I expect MHSC will finish quite highly in the table and they are dark horses for promotion.

Key players - Nenad Dzodic (Centre back), Souleymane Camara (Striker)


Verdict

Defence 9/10 (One of the best in ligue 2 with plenty of depth and should be very solid)
Midfield 7/10 (Will be hard to break down and looks fairly good)
Attack 5/10 (Camara will score goals but there is a general lack of depth)

Overall 5th - Solid foundations might pave the way for a promotion bid

[meatman]

Part (II) Outsiders for promotion


Angers

Just as I predicted, last season Angers performed very well in ligue 2 despite them being many peoples favourites for the drop. They recruited well and worked nicely as a team, especially at home where they were a formidable force. Eventually they finished in 10th spot, a position that I feel they can at least repeat this season. The squad has seen few departures, whilst they appear to have recruited wisely. I doubt that they can launch a promotion bid, but they should be top half material.

The defence has lost old legend Cedric Lecluse who has now retired, and he’ll be missed. But he was no spring chicken at the age of 36 so it was probably the best thing that he decided to hang up his boots. As a replacement, Angers have signed Malik Couturier from relegated Niort who can do a job at either centre back or left back. Generally there seems to be a decent set of options in all areas with some reasonable back up if injures happen. This defence isn’t special by any means but its satisfactory and should be fairly solid. Perhaps its potentially weakest part is goalkeeper Jean Padovani, who can be a little eccentric on occasion.

The only other major departure this summer has been Guy Moussi who moves to Nottingham Forest in England. He is a fine prospect for the future but he wasn’t actually a ‘key’ player last season. He made a lot of appearances, but wasn’t always a first choice starter. Obviously it would’ve been better if they could’ve kept him, but I don’t think it’s a ‘huge’ blow to have lost him. A couple of new players have been added to the midfield, Charles Diers and Floyd Ayite. Both are attack minded and will play on the wings, but I doubt either will be first choice starters initially. Angers do have a lot of good attacking options in the middle of the park, the likes of Benkhalfallah, Brunel, Djellabi and Sola. This is in addition to a couple of holding players - Olivier Auriac and Mikael Stephan. They don’t have massive midfield depth, but have enough to see them through times of crisis. Overall I think this is a very satisfactory area of the squad for Angers and it should go well.

In attack, Angers have yet to lose anyone and they now appear to have four genuine quality strikers who will be all capable of hitting the back of the net. Paul Alo’o Efoulou was last season’s top scorer netting twelve times. Fellow partner Fabrice Do Marcelinho wasn’t quite so prolific, but still looked fairly useful. Mansour Boutabout joined the club later in the year, and whilst he didn’t score, he’s proven in the past that he can do a good job in ligue 2. Angers have brought in Jean Francois Riviere from relegated Niort and I think he is an excellent signing. In the two years that Niort had in ligue 2, he was one of their best players and he will provide goals and creativity to his new team. I really like the look of this strike force and I have no doubts that Angers will be able to score goals this season.

Overall, I think that Angers have very good all round strength and don’t have an obvious weak area. I feel that they posses good attacking strength in both midfield and upfront, they certainly shouldn’t struggle from lack of goals. A lot of teams in ligue 2 will use defensive tactics and be quite negative, but Angers will probably be more open and creative. They should be able to at least match their 10th place finish of last season and I think they will be able to improve on that placing. They probably don’t quite have enough quality, but if they can play well as a team again, and have a bit of luck, then they might become dark horses for promotion.

Key players - Fahid Benkhalfallah (Central midfield), Paul Alo’o Efoulou (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (this is probably their weakest area but its still reasonable, goalkeeper can be eccentric)
Midfield 8/10 (A good mix of attack and defensive options and should go well)
Attack 8/10 (They have four genuine decent strikers and should be able to score a few goals)

Overall 6th - Good all round strength could propel them into dark horse for promotion


Strasbourg

Last season they played quite well in ligue 1 for two thirds of the season, but ended the year by losing a massive 11 consecutive games. Ultimately this relegated the club, the only surprise was that it took so long for them to be found out. I’m amazed that they have kept coach Jean Marc Furlan because I think this man just ‘breeds’ failure. When was the last time he had any real success? Answer: ages ago. I just don’t think he’s the man for this job and ultimately this might cost Strasbourg dearly. They will be in the promotion race but I think they’ll fall short of the top three places

The defence has lost the key duo of Dos Santos and Bellaid who will be hard to replace. A few other squad players have left which now means the backline is looking really thin on the ground. The options they do have - Paisley, Szelesi, Ekobo and Ducrocq are pretty decent, but until reinforcements come in then I will have my concerns.

The midfield has lost key holding man Rodrigo who goes back to Ajaccio after completing his loan. Again, just like the defence its looking a bit thin on the ground, although does have a nucleus of genuine quality. Cohade and Lacour are the two key individuals in the middle of the park but Furlan definitely needs to bring in some new faces and add to the depth, otherwise it wont be good enough to launch a promotion bid.

The attack force looks in reasonable condition but this is still another area where I feel that they need to reinforce. A couple of years ago in their promotion season, Eric Moulongui played a key part. But now it has been announced that he will leave to go to Nice, something which was expected. Marcos Daos Santos coming in on loan from Berne should do a reasonable job and last season he was fairly impressive with Ajaccio in this division. There are a few other decent players in attack such as James Fanchone, and I think Strasbourg will score their fair share of goals. But I don’t feel as if it’s a good enough attack force compared to their promotion rivals.

Key players - Reynaud Cohade (Midfielder), Guillaume Lacour (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (Too thin on the ground)
Midfield 7/10 (Some real quality but also a lack of depth)
Attack 8/10 (They have proven strikers who will score goals)

Overall 7th - Will hope to be in the promotion hunt, but I think they'll fall short


Reims

Its all change at Le Stade Auguste Delaune this season and Reims will look to start a fresh following a few years in which they never quite achieved their potential. New coach Didier Tholot replaces Thierry Froger and it will be interesting to see how he does. Tholot is a coach whom I rate quite highly, even though he got Libourne relegated last season. He did an excellent job in his time with such a small club and now he has his chance on a bigger stage. Reims have lost some key players and have been quite active in the transfer market. This might be a season of solidity and consolidation and they should end up around midtable.

The defence hasn’t really lost anymore of major importance and has been strengthened by the addition of some new players. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the strongest area of their squad and Reims have potentially one of the best backlines in ligue 2. The new signings include Gamiette, a youngster from Entente in the national division who might prove to be useful. Martinez comes in on loan from Ligue 1 Valenciennes and will surely be an automatic pick for the starting XI. Mikael Tacalfred also arrives from Dijon and he’s a useful right back. This defence already has some strong experienced players such as Balde, Giraudon, Barbier, Deveaux, and has excellent depth to it. As soon as the manager finds a settled back four (or five) then I expect it will work very well together and will be difficult to penetrate.

The midfield isn’t as strong as the defence and has lost one or two important players, the most notable of whom is Julien Feret. For the last few seasons he’s been such a key individual for Reims, being the main creative man and also scoring his fair share of goals. But now he deservedly moves up to ligue 1 level to play for Nancy and will be sorely missed. Didier Tholot has signed three new players in midfield, all of whom could prove to be hit or miss. Vincent Gragnic comes in from Marseille, looking to re-ignite his career, whilst Guillaume Quellier comes in from Caen on loan. The final signing is left winger Wilfrid Moinge (Bordeaux loan). I don’t know too much about a couple of these players and it will be interesting to see how they settle into the team. In all reality I feel that this midfield lacks a few holding players and there is a lack of graft and solidity, some teams might be able to overpower it. But at least they have plenty of creative options, especially on the wings.

The attack force looks a bit thin on the ground considering that they have lost key man Cedric Faure. He was the joint 2nd highest scorer in ligue 2 last season netting 16 times. But now he moves on up to ligue 1 side Le Havre and will be sorely missed. Reims have brought in David Pollet on loan from Lens, someone who I have no idea about. Stephane Samson comes in from Caen, and although he’s getting on a bit in terms of age, he should be able to do a reasonable job and score goals. The only other two strikers are Shiva Nzigou and Yann Kermorgant, so there is a definite lack of depth. The options that they have available to them are fairly decent, but if injuries and suspensions kick in, then I have my concerns. Upfront is definitely an area that they need to reinforce in.

Overall I feel that Reims will be another of those teams that are likely to be solid rather than spectacular,. This is a bit of a new era at the club and they will base their success around their defence this season. They will be difficult to penetrate and make themselves hard to break down. As always, I expect them to be strong at home where they are well supported. There is a worry that they might not score enough goals, but considering that their defence should keep a few clean sheets, it might well be that only one goal is needed for them to win matches. The champagne club should be a midtable force with an outside possibility of becoming dark horses for promotion.

Key players - Marc Giraudon (Defender), Habib Balde (Defender)

Verdict

Defence 9/10 (Strong, experienced and has plenty of depth - one of the best in ligue 2)
Midfield 6/10 (Not enough solidity, although does have decent creative options)
Attack 5/10 (Lack of proven goalscorers and depth)

Overall 8th - Will be solid rather than spectacular, an excellent defensive foundation should set them up nicely.


Sedan

There have been a lot of changes at Sedan this summer so it might take a little bit of time for everyone to settle down. They have decided to get rid of coach Jose Pasqueletti, despite him leading them to a 4th placed finish last season. Personally I don’t think he needed to go and was doing a fairly good job. In his place comes Landry Chauvin, someone who has never been a 1st team coach before and comes in from the Rennes academy. He has really rigged the changes and it will be interesting to see how Sedan progress. They should be a top half of the table side, but whether or not they have what it takes to be in the promotion mixer remains to be seen.

The defence has lost key centre back, Romain Sartre to Lens, whilst Paul Baysse returns to Bordeaux after completing his loan. Chauvin has reinforced by bringing in Cherfa from Reims, a fairly strong centre back. Another signing is Anthony Scaramizzino, a left back from Nice who has played little football in the last few seasons. The final addition is Gharzoul, from a Tunisian club, someone whom I know absolutely nothing about. This defence looks to be reasonably solid but might take some time to settle down. There is a decent amount of depth so they can cope with a major injury or suspension crisis.

The midfield has lost some key personnel. Abdoun, Amalfitano, Banning and Bonnet all played important roles for Sedan last season, so this year we shall see them look completely different in the middle of the park. They have signed a couple of right wingers. Firstly Johann Eudeline a proven ligue 2 player from Guingamp. The second addition is the unknown youngster, Lossemy Karaboue from Lyon. Youssef Sekour will look to re-ignite his career after a difficult spell at Nantes, whilst the final signing in midfield is the quality Djibril Sidibe from Chateauroux. I think it might take some time for the midfield to get to know each other properly and there are some question marks as to how it might perform. Nevertheless, there is definitely some potential and it could perform well.

The attack has lost Moussa Sow, who goes back to Rennes after completing his loan. Sedan have had a real problem in the last couple of years in that they just haven’t had one main hitman who they can get 10+ goals from in a campaign. I’m still not at all convinced that they have found this man and they will rely on a number of different strikers contributing. David Suarez is the only new signing, someone who has potential but has had some injury problems in the last couple of years. If he can stay fit and regain his best form then he could be useful, but in all reality I really don’t expect too much from him. Mokake, Lucau. Allart and the returning Rachmane Barry will all score a few times between them, but I just think they lack one major spearhead attacker. This isn’t the worst of strike forces but its not in the same class as some of the major promotion contenders.

Overall I think that Sedan have fairly good all round strength, but I don’t think that they are good enough to offer a major promotion challenge. They are dark horses but I don’t feel that they are ‘ready’ to take on the big teams. There have been a lot of changes this summer and it might take a bit of time for the squad to settle down properly. Nobody can underestimate them and Sedan will probably be one of those teams that will be capable of beating anyone on the day. But consistency could be the problem and they could be difficult to predict. They are a side who are probably best watched in the first few weeks rather than betting on their games heavily.

Key players - Ismael Traore (Centre back), Djibril Sidibe (Defensive midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (Lost a couple of key players but should be solid enough)
Midfield 6/10 (A lot of changes and key departures, will take time to settle down)
Attack 7/10 (They lack a major hitman, but there is decent depth and they should score goals)

Overall 9th - Hard to predict and could be inconsistent, but do have some reasonable quality

[meatman]

Part (III) Midtable mediocrity


Clermont

There’s no doubt that Clermont were the big overachievers last season and they did superbly to finish in 5th position in the table. But the real test now comes for them in their 2nd year after promotion back into ligue 2, and all teams will be much more wary of them now. The club has been very busy in the transfer market, already bringing in at least a dozen new players. But about the same number have left the club as well. It could be that bringing in so many new signings could unsettle the team, but only time will tell. On paper they look to have a squad good enough for a midtable campaign and they should be able to stay clear of the relegation scrap.

Defence is where the biggest changes have taken place and they have lost the trio of Cordonnier, Haaby and Marveaux. All of these guys were prominent in the central positions and formed the heart of the Clermont backline last season. Coming in as replacements are Martin and Benatia, both on loan from Ligue 1 clubs. This is a bit of a worry IMO and there are definite questions marks as to how they might perform. Nevertheless, there are still quite a few decent defenders left and there appears to be plenty of strength in depth in this department. But overall I just don’t feel as if this defence will be as strong as it was last year.

The midfield has lost key left winger, Benoit Lesoimier to Troyes and his replacement is Martin Douillard from Ligue 1 Le Mans. In addition, Clermont have brought in Loriot from Le Mans (on loan) whilst Kevin Bru also comes in on a temporary basis from Rennes. The key player in the middle of the park is Franck Chaussidiere who plays the holding role and is a rock. Bruno Grougi and Rachid Hamdani are the other important personnel. Again I don’t think that this midfield will be quite a strong as it was last season but it still might turn out to be fairly decent. One problem does look to be lack of depth if injuries and suspensions kick in.

They have lost Victor Mendy to Metz but this attack looks to be in slightly better condition than it was last season. Amazingly, despite their high ligue position, nobody managed to score more than 8 goals for Clermont last season, something which they hope will change this year. Mikael Pote and Victor Mendy did a good job, but now they will have some extra competition from some new signings. Both Chafik Najih and Mustpaha Yatabare did well for their respective clubs in the national division last season (Arles & Villemomble), although the step up to ligue 2 level can be quite difficult sometimes. Nevertheless, we have seen many players manage to do it before so they could prove to be quite successful. Clermont have also signed Mikael Murcy from a Danish club, so he’s another one to look out for. Overall, this attack force probably looks in better condition than last year.

Clermont are a team who I feel could be difficult to predict this season. They have the potential to be challenging in the top half of the table again, but if things don’t go so well then they could be nothing more than an inconsistent midtable side. I think they have too much quality to get sucked into a relegation fight. The defence and midfield could be unsettled by the loss of players, whilst the whole squad has to contend with an influx of new signings. It could take the team quite a few weeks to properly settle down and for the manager to realise exactly what his best starting XI is. In the early weeks I think they are probably a team that is best watched rather than gamble on them.

Key players - Frank Chaussidiere (Defensive midfielder), Mikael Pote (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (Has lost important personnel but the replacements could be decent, good depth)
Midfield 6/10 (A lot of new players who might need time to settle in, also a lack of depth)
Attack 7/10 (Could prove to be very useful should the new players adapt well to ligue 2)

Overall 10th - Hard to predict. They wont do as well as last season but should be fairly comfortably in midtable


Guingamp

Les Costamoricains season followed a familiar recent pattern last year. Once again they started the campaign awfully, eventually sacking a manager. Victor Zvunka took control and brought about their usual mid season turn around. Eventually they ended up in 12th place, probably a fair reflection on their performance. During the summer they have been surprisingly inactive in the transfer market, although this might not necessarily be a bad thing. The team should be battling it out in midtable, with possible potential to challenge in the top half.

The defence has lost left back Arnaud Lelan to ligue 1 Lorient, but as long as they replace him with someone then the backline should be fairly strong. They have some experienced campaigners, guys such as Deroff, Savinaud, Pele and Vergerolle, all whom I have a fairly good opinion of. Add this in addition to young centre back Felipe Saad, who did well last season, then I think you have a fairly good looking line up. Its crucial to remember that they will probably only have one new addition in defence which means everyone should have a good understanding of each other.

The midfield has lost Yohann Eudeline to Sedan, someone who did a reasonable job for the club in the last few years. The only new signing in this area of the park is youngster Francois Bellugou, who comes in from national division club, Sete. I’ve heard that he has excellent potential so it looks like he will be a good acquisition for Guingamp. The midfield definitely looks to be solid rather then spectacular, possibly lacking a bit of creativity, especially through the middle. They have some decent-ish wingers who have the potential to do better than they did last season. Again the lack of change might be a good thing for the squad in the middle of the park. Everyone should have a fairly good understanding of reach other, a factor which can never be underestimated.

The only other new signing so far for Guingamp is striker Ogunbiyi, who comes in from an African club. I really have no idea how good he is, but in the last few years Guingamp have signed a few strikers out of nowhere and they have proved to be fairly decent. If this new man proves to be a major hit then this attack force isn’t looking too bad. Victor Zvunka often likes to go with just one man upfront using a 4-5-1 formation. The key man is Brazilian, Eduardo, last seasons top scorer with 10 goals. But he is very prone to injury and often gets crocked just when he finds some good form. There are some useful back up players, guys who are nothing special but are capable of hitting the back of the net a few times in a season. I’d like to see them buy another proven striker, but this attack looks to be in reasonable shape.

Overall this squad is very similar to last season, a squad which did play fairly well from January onwards in 2008. Clearly coach Victor Zvunka doesn’t feel the need for too much change, and this can be a good thing. I have known many teams in the past like this and they often start the season well because of a good understanding between the players. Guingamp have potential in all areas of the pitch, and although are unlikely to challenge for promotion, they should be good enough to finish around midtable..

Key players - Nicolas Savinaud (Defender), Eduardo (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (The loss of Lelan is a bit of a blow but they have good experience and solidity)
Midfield 6/10 (Solid rather than spectacular)
Attack 6/10 (Eduardo the key with reasonable back up)

Overall 11th - Continuity amongst the squad could be a good thing, but they will only be midtable


Amiens

There’s no doubt in my mind that Amiens definitely underachieved last season and 15th place was nowhere near good enough compared to what they expected. On paper I felt that they had a squad capable of challenging for promotion, but in the end they were relieved just to avoid the drop. The problem now is that in the last couple of years they have gradually lost their best players, and again this summer they have been weakened dramatically by the loss of some key guys. They welcome a new manager, Thierry Laurey, and he might take some time to settle in. It’ll also be a challenge for him to step up to Ligue 2 level after managing Sete in the national division last year.

The big loss in defence is Joel Sami who goes to ligue 1 club, Nancy. This man has been a rock for Amiens in the last few years and he’ll be greatly missed at the back. But despite his departure, defence looks to be Amiens’ strongest area, and they still have some decent options. The Picardinians are especially strong on the wings with the likes of Vairelles, Bosche and De Parseval. The good thing about this defence is that there are a lot of players who are capable of playing in different positions. There is a lot of cover and back up, so if they suffer injury problems then it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Amiens have also signed a few new players in defence just to increase competition. As long as the coach can find a settled line up which understands each other, Amiens should be strong and relatively tight at the back.

The midfield looks to be in ok condition but the biggest problem is the lack of creativity. They have lost Antoine Buron and Fabrice Fiorese, both attack minded guys who were fairly decent. Amiens still have Thibault Giresse, who is a key man, but in general I feel that they need a bit more flair. The new coach has decided to bring in a couple of defensive minded players, hardly an area that they needed to strengthen much. Nevertheless, Ait Alia and Laurent should be useful additions. I think its clear that the new coach wants a more solid rather than a spectacular midfield. This might not be a bad thing, but personally id like to see them have more creativity.

In attack they have a major problem because they have lost 15 goal man, Titi Buengo, who was one of the top scorers in ligue 2 last season. They desperately need Sebastian Heitzmann to have the sort of year he had in 2007. Now that he has a new coach to work with then he might be different, but only time will tell. At the moment there is a lack of quality and a lack of depth upfront which leads me to suggest that the new coach will often only line up with one man in attack.

Amiens have been one of the more ‘flair’ teams in the last few years and have based much of their success around scoring goals and being more attack minded than most other sides. But I think that this will now change and we shall see them being far more negative, probably using a 4-5-1 formation most of the time. They might be hard to break down and their best area is definitely in defence and defensive midfield. They could struggle to score goals and this will be a problem. Midtable looks to be a probable finishing position for the club, they might even get sucked into the relegation battle, although this is unlikely. Yet another club which will be solid rather than spectacular.

Key players - Aurelien Bosche (Left back), Thibault Giresse (Attacking midfield)

Verdict

Defence 7/10 (The loss of Sami a blow, but this is their strongest area and they have decent depth to it)
Midfield 6/10 (Apart from Giresse they lack creativity, although do have a lot of defensive options)
Attack 4/10 (The loss of Buengo a huge blow, and unless Heitzmann can regain his form, then they will struggle to score goals)

Overall 12th - Likely to be solid rather than spectacular. They could struggle to score goals

Ajaccio

Last season I feel that they were lucky to finish as high as 9th and they were overachievers compared to how they actually played. ACA were often lucky with a few of their victories, especially away from home. It was surprising to see them end up with the 6th best road record in the division because traditionally they are poor travellers. For the first time in a few years Ajaccio haven’t appointed a new coach during the summer break so Gernot Rohr will take charge for his 2nd season. He will likely stay at the helm unless things really go disastrously wrong, so at least they have stability in that department.

The defence has been weakened by the loss of two strong wing backs, Dujeux and Collin. The replacement at left back is Alain Cantereil who is on loan from Lorient. I don’t know too much about him but I do know that he hasn’t played too much football in the last few seasons so might be rusty. At the moment there isn’t a genuine right back in the squad so that could be a major problem area unless they sign someone. Carl Medjani makes his transfer permanent from Lorient and he is a very strong centre back, but I have my worries about this defence. There appears to be a lack of depth to it, and not a massive amount of quality. First choice goalkeeper Thierry Debes is experienced and fairly decent, but is no spring chicken at the age of 35 and isn’t as agile as he once was.

The midfield has lost a few players, and looks to be little more than satisfactory. Romain Rocchi has gone to Metz, whilst Serge Die has also departed. Ludovic Gueurriero coming in from ligue 1 Nancy could be a useful signing, whilst Elie Dohin arriving from recently relegated Libourne should do a decent job on the right hand side. The final new signing in midfield is Sebastien Gregori, a hard hitting player who’s had ligue 2 experience before. When at full strength this will be a reasonable midfield and could perform quite well. But there is a possible lack of depth, so if they have injury and suspension worries then this could be a problem. Stephane Darbion on the left hand side is a key man whilst Jerome Pierazzi in the middle will also be of importance. Overall I feel that Ajaccio are looking ok in this department, but they are nothing special

ACA will often only line up with one man in attack. Their options upfront are a bit poor to be honest and they will rely heavily on Jean Jacques Mandrichi. They have lost last season’s top goalscorer, Marcos Dos Santos and this is a severe blow. Julien Viale could be a useful signing from Brest, but he’s nothing special and wont put too much fear into opposition defences. Cheick Diabate on loan from Bordeaux is a bit of an unknown factor and I don’t really know much about him, I guess its possible he could turn out to be decent. There is a lack of depth in attack, but if Mandrichi stays fit then it wont really be a problem because he’ll be the only man upfront. If he gets injured, then I struggle to see where goals are coming from except midfield.

Overall I think Ajaccio should end up in the midtable vicinity. They wont be very spectacular and any success they have will be based on negative tactics. The midfield looks to be reasonable but the defence and attack look fairly poorish to me. However, when they are at full strength, Ajaccio will give most teams a decent game. They will have their good and bad days, but they should be consistently boring. A lot of their matches will be low scoring affairs and they will line up with a 4-5-1 formation..

Key players - Carl Medjani (Centre back), Jean Jaqcues Mandrichi (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (If anything it’s got weaker than last year, and it looks nothing special, there is a lack of depth in all areas)
Midfield 7/10 (Their best area, although perhaps lacks depth)
Attack 5/10 (Mandrichi is quality, but apart from him, they don’t really have too much)

Overall 13th - Another tean who should be solid rather than spectacular, but cant be completely underestimated

[meatman]

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


Vannes

They amazingly managed to win the national division last season despite being tipped by many to be serious relegation candidates. What they achieved was quite remarkable and if you just look at the squad that they had, then you really are left quite astonished as to how they managed it. Maybe this shows just how poor the standard is in the national, but it’s a different kettle of fish in ligue 2. If they are to survive this season then they have to recruit some experienced ligue 2 players - so far they appear to have done a reasonable job.

The defence has lost a few players, one of whom (Reynaud) was a key right back last season. Clearly Vannes have realised that they simply have to have better quality defenders if they are to have a chance of keeping things tight. Despite some of those players having had a key part to play in their promotion, sometimes you have to be harsh and get rid of guys who wont be able to curt the mustard at ligue 2 level. Vannes have brought in Damien Bridonneau and Pascal Delhommmeu, both of whom are experienced at a higher level. Patrick Leugueun should also do a reasonable job at the back for the Bretons. One problem is the lack of depth, so if injuries and suspensions kick in, then they could be in trouble. But what I like about this defence is that there aren’t so many questions marks over player adaptation. They have brought in guys who are proven at ligue 2 level and I know exactly what they’re like.

The midfield has been really bolstered by the addition of four new experienced players. Boudarenne, Avezac, Martot and Faivre all know whats its like in ligue 2 and should do an excellent job.. The rest of the midfield has never come into contact with football higher than the national division, so there are going to be some question marks over their adaptation to a better standard of football. One player who I will be keeping my eye on is Jerome Lebouc. He’s a central midfielder but managed to score 11 times last season and he looks a bright prospect. There is a good mix of defence and attack minded players and also reasonable depth. With a good number of proven guys brought in, I feel that Vannes could be very useful in the middle of the park. For a promoted team it looks rather impressive.

The attack doesn’t look quite so good compared to the rest of the squad but it has some reasonable potential. One player I will follow with interest is Frederic Sammaritano. He can play in a range of attacking roles and scored 10 times last season. At just 22 years of age he’s someone who could quite possibly adapt nicely into ligue 2. Again, just like in other areas of the squad, Vannes have wisely brought in some players who have experience at this level. Kemal Bourhani has had a miserable couple of years at Lorient in Ligue 1, although this was mostly due to injury. The last time he was in ligue 2 was a much better time for him, and if he can stay fit then I expect him to score goals. Hassan Ahamada is another who could be a useful addition, and he comes with a lot of ligue 1 and 2 experience.

At the end of last season when I saw the Vannes squad that got promoted as champions, I said to myself that they definitely had a lot of hard work to do in the summer and some tough decisions were going to have to be made. The club has shown itself to have a brain though and I like what they have done. In each area of the squad they have reinforced wisely, and by doing this I feel that they have given themselves a decent chance of avoiding the drop.

Key players - Pascal Delhommeau (Centre back), Jerome Lebouc (Midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (Lack of depth but some decent new additions)
Midfield 7/10 (Some very useful looking new players and good squad depth)
Attack 5/10 (Not enough conviction, but it might prove to be useful)

Overall 14th - It could be a struggle sometimes, but I think they have enough quality to stay up


Dijon

Lat season they survived by the skin of their teeth and only finished one point clear of the relegation zone. It was a poor campaign for Les Rouges and one which definitely would’ve disappointed their fans. Ultimately this is a club with big ambitions, and in the long term they would like to become a ligue 1 club. Had they been relegated then these aims would’ve taken a severe hit. A few players have left during the summer and they look to have recruited fairly wisely. I don’t expect that Dijon will be a brilliant team but they should improve on last seasons 17th place, pushing towards midtable security.

The defence, which was so leaky last season, has lost right back Mikael Tacalfred to Reims, but he is the only departure. Replacing him is Arnaud Lebrun who comes in from recently relegated Niort. He is joined by his fellow ex Chamois team-mate Stephane Morisot. Dijon do appear to have a lot of options at the back and plenty of cover should injuries and suspensions kick in. Competition between players will be strong, which can only be a good thing. Last season this defence was a bit of a shambles sometimes, but I know its definitely better than it showed. Under the right management they should be fairly solid. One worry at the moment though is the lack of a proven keeper due to the departure of Barel Mouko

The midfield has lost Nicolas Sahnoun, who was quite an important part of the team. But I cant help but feel that his departure is a positive thing for the club. Sahnoun isn’t a bad player but he never really settled in his time for Les Rouges, not producing his best football. I like the look of a couple of new signings that they have brought into the middle of the park. Yet another Niort player jumps ship into Burgundy - this time Desire Periatambe, someone who I rate fairly highly and will do a good job in the holding role. The other signing is experienced campaigner, Eric Carriere. He might be fairly old at 35 years, but he has a lot of ligue 1 experience and was probably one of Lens’ best players last season in the top flight, even scoring in the cup final against PSG. The remainder of the midfield looks to be fairly poor and without these 2 new signings then I’d be worried. But now it looks to be in reasonable condition and should perform better than last season.

The attack force was a major problem for Dijon last season. Their top scorer was Stephane Mangionee, but he only managed to net a measly 6 goals. He’s not a bad player and neither is Christophe Mandanne, but they just didn’t produce the goods. They will both argue that they received lack of service though and are probably capable of better. Dijon have brought in a couple of new signings in attack, and both could prove to be hit and miss. The first is Remi Souyeaux who comes in from National division Arles. He did well for his team last season, but the step up to ligue 2 level can be difficult for some players, only time will tell whether or not he can adapt. Willy Aumabeyang arrives on loan from AC Milan, but I know absolutely nothing about him. I really don’t know what to expect, he could be brilliant or could be an absolute flop. There are still too many question marks about this attack force, and also perhaps a lack of depth. However, I admit it has potential and should be able to do better than it did last season.

And that phrase ‘should do better than last season’ is one which comes to mind when thinking of Dijon this year. On paper they have a squad which should be good enough to end up in about midtable, if they really work well as a team then they could maybe even do better. Something went wrong last season and the squad simply didn’t achieve anywhere near its potential. I expect an improvement, although that doesn’t mean that they will suddenly become one of the best teams in the division. They have a decent looking defence and midfield, with potential in attack. Ultimately the makings of a more solid team.

Key players - Desire Periatambe (Defensive midfielder), Stephane Mangione (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (Performed much worse than it should’ve last season, with 2 new recruits should do better)
Midfield 5/10 (A couple of new signings should bring about improvement)
Attack 5/10 (Has potential but a few too many question marks)

Overall 15th - They will do better than last season but aren’t anything special


Bastia

Last season was a strange one for the Corsicans and also a bit disappointing. They ended up with the 4th best away record, a surprise considering how poor they normally are on the road. However, they lost 7 times on home turf and had bad record at Le Stade Furiani, something which is unusual. This is a club which is more ‘on the down’ than ‘on the up’ and I think this could be a tough campaign for Bernard Casoni’s men. Somehow the bookies have them as 6th favourites to win the division, I personally don’t even think that they will finish inside the top 10.

The defence has lost two key individuals, left back Gregory Lorenzi to Brest and right back Damien Bridonneau to Vannes. There guys were arguably Bastia’s best defenders last season and will be badly missed. Les Bleus have brought in a couple of players at the back that I’ve never heard of. Moizini from a club called St Priest, a couple of divisions below ligue 2 and also Tunisian Ben Zekri from an Eyptian club. As yet they have found no replacement for Lorenzi and it might well be that Fethi Harek will have to play this role instead of his preferred wing spot in the midfield. Maire, Meniri and Gomez are solid enough in the middle but I’m very worried about the quality of this defence and the general lack of depth.

The midfield has lost key creative playmaker, Chaouki Ben Saada, but this part of the squad is still probably Bastia’s strongest area. They have brought in Darko Dunjic from a Ukrainian club, someone who I know absolutely nothing about except that he will play on the right wing. Only time will tell whether or not he’ll be a decent acquisition. There are a few decent players in the middle of the park for Bastia, but if you look at it in more detail, there isn’t a huge amount of quality. They have a lot of options on both wings but appear to lack some more defensive minded players who can play the Keane / Vieira type role. Despite it being their strongest area, I still have some concerns over Les Bleus in the middle of the park.

Sadly the attack is looking fairly thin on the ground and they need to reinforce more in this area. Xavier Pentecote was their top goalscorer last season but he now goes back to Toulouse after completing his loan. He did very well and will be very hard to replace. Old legend Pierre Yves Andre is still around, but at the age of 34 he’s certainly no spring chicken any more and tends to be very prone to injury these days. Nevertheless, he’s now Bastia’s most important striker again which shows just how bad the situation has got. Bernard Casoni will be praying that loan signing from Auxerre, Ludovic Ganest can prove to be a useful addition. Abdelmalek Cherrad returns to the club after a year away, but overall I’m really disappointed with this Bastia attack force, I think they will probably struggle to score goals.

Overall I think Bastia will again prove to be one of the most overrated teams in ligue 2. Every year their reputation seems to make them one of the favourites to be promoted and it appears nothing has changed this season. Their odds of winning the ligue are around 15/1, which I find an absolute joke and shocking value. I don’t think they will finish inside the top 10, and if things go badly then they could even get sucked into a relegation battle. I’m not convinced coach Bernard Casoni is the best man for the job anymore, and if results don’t go his way before Christmas, then he might be sacked. To me, this squad looks poor and I think it’ll be another disappointing campaign for the islanders.

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (Two key losses a real blow, also a general lack of depth)
Midfield 6/10 (Their best area, especially on the wings, but lack of balance and depth through the middle)
Attack 5/10 (A bit thin on the ground and I have some concerns)

Overall 16th - Could have a poor season and might get sucked into the reelgation battle

[meatman]

Part (V) - In the relegation battle


Chateauroux

This is a team that I feel will be very hard to predict this season and anything is possible with them. Last year they were fairly poor and didn’t finish many points above the relegation zone, only some good home form managed to keep them in the division. This is a club that has been involved with a lot of transfers in the last few years, often some bizarre ones which include a lot of loan signings. Its sometimes very hard to keep up to date with developments and new players just appear from nowhere. They should be too good to go down, but not good enough to break into the top half of the table.

The defence has lost Eddy Viator and Samuel Allegro but has gained four new recruits. Cordonnier, Cerielo, Camara and Sow. On paper this defence doesn’t look too bad but it was very shaky at times last season. With a lot of new people coming into the team it might take a bit of time for everyone to understand each other. There are plenty of cover options should injuries and suspensions kick in, and also there should be plenty of competition between the players. But there are a lot of question marks about the backline and only time will tell how good it really is.

The midfield looks to be in poor state and I am very concerned that it might be overpowered too many times. Djibril Sidibe has left to go to Sedan and he will be greatly missed. Les Berrichonne have brought in Alexandre Hauwe on the left hand side from relegated Gueugnon and he might prove to be useful. However, he is currently the only new addition and they desperately need to recruit some more players. Guys such as Grauss, Constant and Thiago Xavier are ok and reasonable solid. But there just simply isn’t enough quality or depth for this midfield to be a force in ligue. It’s either they get some better players in, or risk being overpowered in too many games. If not, then they had better pray that some youngsters really develop quickly.

The attack also looks a bit week but does have the potential to score some goals. Last season, Mathieu Scarpelli only started 12 games for his new team yet still managed to net 6 times. He suffered a bad injury which meant that he was ruled out for most of the campaign. However he came back at the end of the season and I’ve no doubt will be looking forward to the forthcoming year. H’s a quality player who is capable of scoring 10+ goals for Chateauroux. And it looks like Les Berrichonne will need them because there are few other candidates who can hit the back of the net for them. Momar N’diaye is on loan from Metz and should do ok, whilst the returning Jacob Mulenga can also be useful. The big problem is the lack of depth and the coach needs to bring in at least another couple of strikers just to increase cover.

Overall I think Chateauroux will be one of the poorer sides in ligue 2 and might even get sucked into the relegation battle. There are question marks all over the field and anything is possible with this team. They will probably have their good and bad days, and be very inconsistent. I still expect plenty of transfer activity throughout the whole year and there will always be a lot of changes to the squad. Usually they are relatively hard to beat at home and struggle away, which is something to consider. They also never seem to do very well against the top teams and give them too much respect.

Key players - Henri Bedimo (Left back), Mathieu Scarpelli (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 6/10 (A lot of new changes but it has the potential to be solid)
Midfield 4/10 (Lack of quality and depth, they need to reinforce this area)
Attack 5/10 (In Scarpelli they have a quality player but there is a definite lack of depth)

Overall 17th - They look fairly poor and could get sucked into the relegation battle


Nimes

The are promoted after finishing 3rd in the national division last season, but this will now be a new test for the club. The step up to ligue 2 level is never easy and its all about how well that they can adapt. Last year they based their success around an excellent home record, but they were only the 12th best team away from home. This is a big worry and I don’t expect them to improve on that in this division. Nimes look to have signed a few decent players, but this will be a struggling campaign in which they will try fight off relegation.

The defence has been strengthened by the addition of three players, all of whom have played in ligue 2 before. Ludovic Jeannel will add some experience to the backline whilst William Massot and Abderauf Zarabi should do a good job. There looks to be plenty of depth to this defence and there are a lot of options should injuries and suspensions kick in, but its all about moving up a level to ligue 2. At the end of the day this defence wasn’t that tight in the national division so it will have to work very hard to become a force in this ligue. The new signings should be useful, but until we have seen them for a few weeks, then there will always be a lot of question marks.

Nimes have signed Johann Cavalli, an attacking midfielder who comes in from Mons in Belgium. He’s has ligue 2 experience before and isn’t a bad player, but has been rather unsettled playing for many different clubs in the last few years. The key question just like the defence is whether or not they are ready to step up to ligue 2 level and how they can adapt. The defensive minded duo of Horjac and Mostpeha are key players in the middle of the park for Nimes and much will depend on how solid they can be. There looks to be a decent mix of players in this area and reasonable depth should they have an injury crisis. But again there will always be question marks until we have seen them play at ligue 2 level.

I do have my worries about the Nimes attack force simply because last season their main marksman was Robert Malm. He scored a massive 16 goals in 16 games which was an excellent achievement. But I don’t think that there is any way that he will even be half as prolific in ligue 2. He has experience at this level and has scored many goals in his time, but age now isn’t on his side and the last time he was in ligue 2 he struggled quite a lot. There’s no way that Nimes can rely on him for goals here, so they will need to look for them from another source. Ech Chergui looks to be a decent player, one whom I’ve had my eye on for quite a few years now, and I have a feeling he will adapt to ligue 2 level fairly well. New signing Eli Kroupi could also prove to be useful, someone who knows French football and who has played even at ligue 1 level.

Nimes are quite a big club and I’m pleased that they have managed to find their way back into ligue 2 after a few years in the wilderness. They have ambitions and they wont just lay down and die. Everyone will fight really hard to stay up, and they have the potential to avoid the drop. But I feel its inevitable that they will be deeply involved in the relegation battle and it’ll be hit and miss whether or not they can remain in the division. They look to have recruited fairly wisely, but the key question, as with all promoted teams, is how well they can adapt to a higher level. Only time will tell if they are good enough or not.

Key players - Sadio Sankhare (Defender), Mahdi Mostefa (Defensive midfielder)

Verdict

Defence 5/10 (Some new signings with experience and plenty of depth, has potential to be solid)
Midfield 5/10 (If the players can adapt to ligue 2 level then it might be quite good)
Attack 4/10 (I have my worries here and they might struggle to score goals)

Overall 18th - They will fight hard against relegation, and cant be completely underestimated, but might ultimately go down


Boulogne

The northerners only just survived by the skin of their teeth last season, needing a goal deep into injury time in their last match which secured their ligue 2 status. In my opinion they didn’t deserve to stay up, but they managed to achieve it so fair play to them. This season they are sure to be involved at the bottom of the table again and it’ll be hit and miss whether or not they can avoid the drop. The good news is that they haven’t really lost anyone important and the main nucleus of the squad stays the same. They have brought in half a dozen new names, but nobody of massive quality. This squad has plenty of depth and variety to it, but the big word is QUALITY, or the lack of it. This is the reason why they will again struggle this season and are major relegation candidates.

One of the biggest problems that Boulogne had last season was in between the sticks, and once again I’m disappointed with their lack of goalkeeper options. Florian Baque or Jean Bedenik didn’t really impress me much last season and aren’t the best of shotstoppers. The defence is reinforced by the arrivals of Lachor and Mouyokolo but its questionable as to whether these two guys can actually help improve the back line. Boulogne have about three left backs which they can chose from, and if injuries set in then they have plenty of cover. But again we come back to the world quality and this is a defence which looked very shaky last season. Unless the new signings prove to be very useful then I cant see how it’ll get any better.

The midfield has been bolstered by the arrival of Antoine Devaux, their one signing this summer who does appear to be of substantial quality and who will help improve the team. But this is a midfield that lacks solidity and many sides will be able to overpower it with relative ease. There are plenty of attacking options and wingers, new man David Vandenbosche from Chateauroux should do alright there. But they only have Johann Ramare is capable of playing the holding role. There are quite a lot of strong midfields in Ligue 2 this season, but sadly this isn’t one of them. I’m definitely very concerned for them in this area.

The attack force is all about one man - Gregory Thil. I’m very surprised that they managed to hold onto him during the summer because he was very impressive last season. Scoring 16 times, Thil was the joint 2nd highest marksman in the division. There’s no doubt that he’s a quality player and will surely score goals for Boulogne again this year. However, if anything bad happens to him then they could be in real trouble. Upfront isn’t too bad an area for the northerners though and they have a range of options upfront, not necessarily of massive quality, but who can do a reasonable job. The signing of Jeremy Blayac from Cannes could prove to be very useful, but only time will tell if he can cut it in ligue 2. Boulogne should be capable of hitting the back of the net this season, but the big question is whether or not the strikers will have much of a supply line.

If Boulogne are going to survive then they will again have to be strong at home and keep their discipline. Last season they picked up only 46 yellow cards and just 1 red. They were one of the best behaved teams in the division, and in the end, the lack of suspensions possibly proved crucial. The strength of the team is in attack, not in defence which means they will go looking for goals rather than play boring negative tactics. But with such a poor looking defence and midfield they will certainly concede their fair share of goals. They will fight hard, but it’ll be a real struggle for them to preserve their ligue 2 status once again.

Key players - Damien Perrinelle (Centre back) Gregory Thil (Striker)

Verdict

Defence 4/10 (Plenty of depth but lacks quality and hasn’t improved during the summer)
Midfield 4/10 (The arrival of Deveaux is useful, but it looks to be very weak and many teams will overpower it)
Attack 5/10 (Their strongest area simply because of Gregory Thil. They have reasonable other options)

Overall 19th - It will be a struggle for them to survive


Tours

A couple of years ago they were in ligue 2 but only managed to obtain 26 points and were easily relegated. I was surprised that they managed to hit back last season in the national division, in fact I was quite amazed considering how poor their squad looked on paper. In order to survive they simply need to recruit - something that they just haven’t done yet. Unless they seriously bring in some proper ligue 2 experienced players, then I really cant see any other side finishing bottom of the table this year.

The first problem lies with the goalkeeper. Last year’s main man, Antoine Raimbault has decided to move on, and at the moment I really don’t know who will be first choice in between the sticks. In defence Tours have recruited Alexandre Dujeux from Ajaccio and he is a decent signing who will help strengthen the backline. This is a defence that was very strong in the national division last season, but moving up to ligue 2 level is a completely different kettle of fish. Another new signing is Julio Santos, a Brazilian that I know nothing about. They have lost left back Walid Cherfa who returns to Toulouse after completing his loan. I just don’t really see enough quality in this defence, although there is a reasonable amount of depth and back up. I’m sure plenty of strikers will enjoy playing against it.

The midfield is probably the best area of this Tours squad. They have brought in three new players, all of whom I know nothing about. Englebart from Belgium, Evandro from Brazil and Julien Cetout from Toulouse. This is a midfield that was fine in the national division, but it will be hard for them to make the step up to ligue 2. There are simply not enough players who have the experience of playing higher level football. There is a good mixture of defence and attack minded players, in addition to reasonable depth of cover. However, just like the defence, I am very worried that it just wont be good enough for this level. Still this is the one area of their squad which does at least have some apparent potential.

The attack force is simply a joke and currently consists of just three genuine strikers. Tours’ top scorer from last season was Tenema N’diaye. He is someone who has played ligue 2 football before, but has been completely inept at this level. He might be able to terrorise defences in the national division, but I’d be amazed if he managed to do the same again this year. Tours desperately need to recruit more strikers because they are seriously thin on the ground in this department at the moment. Unless things change then I really don’t see where they are going to get goals from this year. At this moment in time it’s the worst attack force that I have ever seen lining up to start a season in ligue 2.

Overall, I’m almost certain that Tours will be relegated this season. Its very likely that they will finish rock bottom of the table again, just like they did a couple of years ago. This squad is simply not good enough to remain in ligue 2, especially this season when it appears that there will be few teams fighting it out at the bottom. The defence and midfield does have one or two bright sparks in it, but in general, it simply doesn’t look good enough. The attack force is quite simply an absolute joke and they will desperately struggle to score goals. They are going to have to play extremely well as a team and fight really hard if they are to be competitive.

Verdict

Defence 4/10 (Dujeux will be a good addition, but in general it lacks quality)
Midfield 5/10 (I’m not convinced that it will be able to adapt to ligue 2 level, but is their best area)
Attack 2/10 (Pathetic)

Overall 20th - Going straight back down, most likely finishing bottom of the table

[meatman]

So if things go as I predict, then the final Ligue 2 table should hopefully look something like this:-

1. Lens
2. Troyes
3. Metz
4. Brest
5. Montpellier
6. Angers
7. Strasbourg
8. Reims
9. Sedan
10. Clermont
11. Guingamp
12. Amiens
13. Ajaccio
14. Vannes
15. Dijon
16. Bastia
17. Chateauroux
18. Nimes
19. Boulogne
20. Tours

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