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By Pete Sharland (@psharland55)
The 2013/14 season represented a success for Bastia and their team, largely because they avoided
any sort of relegation problems and managed to break into the top ten of Ligue 1. The club produced
some good football at times and, even though they mostly played on the break, when in Corsica they
were more than a match for anyone. Additionally they were undefeated in three matches against
arch rivals Ajaccio and even helped send ‘the enemy’ down to Ligue 2.
The best thing about Bastia was that everyone contributed; there was no one player carrying the
team, and every man did his bit. Their tasks were simple but they carried them out efficiently and
they ensured that the team were always hard to break down. An honourable mention must go to
Arsenal reject Sebastien Squillaci, who proved to be an extremely shrewd acquisition on a free from
the Premier League side, and goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, who will go down as one of the league’s
best ever shot-stoppers. However, their efforts would have been in vain had it not been for the team
effort in scoring 42 goals, many of which came at crucial times.
Transfers
Bastia have been moderately busy in the transfer market but the first name they brought in was a
big one: it was the man chosen to be Frederic Hantz’s replacement. The man given the job was none
other than former Bleus midfielder Claude Makelele - the man so good he had a position named
after him has been cutting his teeth as an assistant manager with the champions, but now he feels
he is ready for the number one job.
In terms of the playing staff the standout departures are Wahbi Khazri to Bordeaux and the
retirement of Landreau. Makelele has brought what he knows in replacing the veteran goalkeeper
by swooping on the uncertainty surrounding Lens to bring in PSG keeper Alphonse Areola on loan.
The young keeper is one of the most promising in the world in his position and he will be desperate
to show what he can do in Ligue 1. Elsewhere the wide areas have been bolstered by the signing of
Floyd Ayite from Reims but at 25 it is time for the Togolese international to start producing
consistent performances on a regular basis.
Expectations
At Furiani Bastia won ten games, only being outdone by the season’s top four, and that more than
made up for the fact that they travelled terribly. This season if they are to build on those
foundations, they will need to improve their away form, which saw them pick up just 14 points away
from the Furiani.
The expectations for Bastia this season should be to consolidate on the good work done by Hantz as
they give Makelele time to find his feet. Once the former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder settles
into the job he can start to express his own style of football and try to push Bastia up the table. It will
be interesting to see whether he sticks with Hantz’s formation or moves to the 4-3-3 with which PSG
have become synonymous.
Despite the promise of Makelele and the likes of Areola I think the loss of Khazri will hit Bastia hard,
and I struggle to see them improving on their tenth-place finish of last season. Having said that, they
are the sort of team that, if they are given a favourable draw, could cause a bit of a storm in a cup
competition and a good run would certainly constitute a successful season along with a solid league
showing.
Predicted Finish: 12th
By Simon Scutt (@simonscutt)
The 2014-2015 season will see les Girondins de Bordeaux both beginning a new chapter and
finishing an old one in the club’s history. The new will come in the form of new gaffer Willy Sagnol
taking the reins at club level for the first time, while at the same time, the club will be playing its last
season at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, their home since 1924, before moving to a new stadium, built
as part of France’s Euro 2016 preparations.
It is hard to gauge the previous season’s efforts. A seventh-place finish was a solid if unspectacular
result. It was only after their slow-death elimination from the Europa League group stages that they
hit any real form, briefly threatening the top four and guaranteed European competition. They
finished seven points behind Marseille in sixth yet were four, plus a far better goal difference, ahead
of the bunfight that was the teams in mid-table. Somewhat betwixt and between.
When it surfaced that Francis Gillot would be not be carrying on as manager, rumours abounded
that a certain former Bordeaux legend, Zinedine Zidane, would be taking the Bordeaux hot-seat. This
was not to be, however.
The Bordeaux hierarchy thus appointed former French international Willy Sagnol as the new man.
One of a new breed of managers in France this season making the step up to the top job, Sagnol
brings a stellar European playing career behind him. There are obvious similarities with the summer
of 2007 when Bordeaux appointed another untried French manager in the shape of Laurent Blanc.
Blanc would famously bring the French title and Coupe de la Ligue to the club in 2009 as well as a
Champions League quarter-final the following year. A remarkable success.
While asking Sagnol to replicate Blanc’s achievements might be too big an ask, a more reasonable
ask might just be to reinvigorate a club whose on-the-pitch performances have not really set pulses
racing in recent years. That is most definitely his intention as he said during his unveiling in June.
“People come to the stadium to see goals, football is thus. We cannot come into a match looking for
a one-nil or a nil-nil”.
Transfers
Much like many clubs in Ligue 1, Bordeaux will be counting on their youngsters to come to the fore
and establish themselves in the first team. As such, appointing someone like Sagnol with a
background in youth development could prove a shrewd move.
In terms of player recruitment, they have pulled off a good bit of business in recruiting Wahbi Khazri.
The Tunisian has been one of Bastia’s standout performers over the last four seasons. He should add
an extra layer of creativity to Bordeaux. They have also signed centre-back Nicolas Pallois who
enjoyed a terrific season with Niort and made it into l’Équipe’s Ligue 2 team of the season. The
former Quevilly and Valenciennes man has been signed with a view to replacing the Brazilian
Henrique who ended a nine-year spell with Bordeaux this summer.
As is often the case, the end of the season signalled the end of several players’ contracts and their
departure for pastures new. The Girondins squad will be bereft of nine such players.
Expectations
Given the financial clout of PSG and Monaco, the top two positions seem all but out of reach for the
remaining mere mortals in Ligue 1. Bordeaux is a club that is used to success and winning things; for
the last thirty years they have racked up an impressive amount of trophies, and as such their fans
are accustomed to winning. Given the mooted change in philosophy, potential teething problems
could lie ahead. To that end, Bordeaux may just end up finding themselves in a similar position to
last season. Rome wasn’t build in a day, but the project may be more enjoyable this time around.
Progress may come on a more stylistic and aesthetic level. Watching Bordeaux at times these last
few seasons has often been quite forgettable with the play being somewhat attritional and
lacklustre. Sagnol has set his stall out to bring that missing “spectacle” back to Bordeaux. We shall
wait and see.
Predicted Finish: 8th
By Steve Wyss (@meatmansoccer)
Caen finished third in Ligue 2 last season, although arguably played the best football of anyone in
there. They were easily the nicest looking team on the eye and at times produced some wonderful
attacking football. They were the highest scoring team in the division with 65 goals to their name,
and this rather sums up their style. The Normans only rated ninth on the defence side, which isn't
perhaps what you’d expect from a team that eventually went up. Promotion was the minimum
expectation last term and the team delivered the goods, but now comes a tougher step up to Ligue 1
level.
Transfers
In charge is Patrice Garande, someone who’s been associated with the club for nearly a decade. He
was Franck Dumas’ assistant for a long time before taking the helm himself a couple of years ago.
Garande is a very attack-minded manager and likes his team to pass the ball on the deck. He’s lost
one of his key men from last season, however - Faycal Fajr. The attacking midfielder weighed in with
eight goals and a whopping 15 assists so he’ll be missed, now that he has moved to Elche. Another
important player from last season, Molla Wague, has also departed to Spain (Granada). It’s a shame
for Caen because the young centre back is a very fine prospect. They’ve also lost wingers Jonathan
Kodjia and Mathias Autret, who return to their parent clubs after loan spells. Both did well for them
last season, although they couldn't really be classed as ‘key’ players.
Caen’s most high profile signing this summer is probably Julien Feret from Rennes. Things petered
out for Feret at his previous club, but at only 31 he should still have a number of good years left in
him. In signing Jordan Adeoti from Ligue 2 side Laval, they have acquired a very promising defensive
midfielder, who is full of energy. Caen have also reinforced from Ligue 2 level by adding the
Clermont defensive duo Emmanuel Imorou and Damien da Silva, although it’s debatable whether
either are good enough to make the step up to Ligue 1. Coming in from Lyon is Remy Vercoutre and
he’ll battle it out with Damien Perquis for the number one goalkeeper spot. Also coming in are Sloan
Privat and Florian Raspentino, both of whom have Ligue 1 experience and could turn out to be canny
acquisitions.
Expectations
The aim for this season is simply to survive. Caen have been a yo-yo team for many years and what
they need is to establish themselves as a Ligue 1 side. Finishing 17th this year would be absolutely
fine, although that’s easier said than done. A lot rests on the shoulders of key striker Mathieu
Duhamel. He was a complete stud at Ligue 2 level, netting a massive 57 goals in his 128 appearances
for various clubs. The big question is whether or not he can repeat that goal-scoring form at Ligue 1
level.
It is highly likely that Caen will be one of the teams involved in the relegation battle this season. The
amount of quality in their squad has stayed roughly the same, when ideally it could have done with
being improved. The biggest concern with them is style of play. Unless Garande changes his
philosophy, they’ll keep trying to operate in an attacking way, aiming to outscore teams. This just
won’t work at Ligue 1 level; just ask Troyes who finished second bottom a couple of years ago. Caen
will probably attract plenty of praise for certain performances this season, and for many it will be
refreshing to see a promoted side actually ‘have a go’ in a number of fixtures. They’ll have to tighten
up, however, or they may go straight back down. Either way it will be touch-and-go whether they
can avoid la zone rouge.
Predicted Finish: 18th
By Jeremy Smith (@jeremysmith98)
After an impressive 2012-13 season, in which Evian Thonon-Gaillard recovered from a poor start to
secure their Ligue 1 place and appear in the Coupe de France final, 2013-14 was expected by many
to be a season too far for the Annecy-based club. Talismanic striker Saber Khalifa had moved on to
Marseille, with fellow striker Yannick Sagbo moving on to Hull, and it was hard to see where the
goals would come from to keep Evian in the top flight.
However, rumours of les Roses’ demise proved far too premature. Coach Pascal Dupraz oversaw a
tight-knit and combative unit built in his image. It wasn’t always great to watch, and the team went
through some tough periods, including a winless streak away from home that lasted over half the
season. But Kevin Bérigaud stepped up to fill the gap left by Khalifa, scoring 10 in a great first half of
the season, and when his form dipped, Daniel Wass took over, continuing to excel in every position
that he was asked to play.
Dupraz and Evian’s fans ensured that the Parc des Sports was a tough, intimidating place to visit and
the Annecy ground was the scene of PSG’s first defeat of the season, while Lyon and Monaco also
came away pointless. So it was the home form that kept Evian up but ironically it was an epic away
win that secured their safety: few gave them a chance in a winner-takes-all final match at in-form
Sochaux, but Dupraz gee-d up his troops perfectly, that man Wass scored a brace, and Evian
guaranteed Ligue 1 football for another season.
Transfers
After Khalifa last year, Evian have lost their top scorer again, as Kevin Bérigaud has moved on to
Montpellier. And talented loanee Modou Sougou has returned to Marseille. However, Dupraz has
otherwise managed to keep much of last season’s team intact. Full back Youssouf Sabaly has been
retained for a second season on loan from PSG and, most importantly, Daniel Wass remains. It is one
of the biggest surprises of the transfer window that there have been no rumours about a departure,
let alone any solid bids - Dupraz: “we’ve received lots of phone calls but no offers”. The immensely
talented Dane, who is supposedly a full back but is equally talented playing in midfield, who
specialises in spectacular free kicks and pops up with invaluable goals, is crucial to Evian’s chances of
another successful season.
Evian have also added some promising looking acquisitions. The club’s Danish tradition continues as
left back Jesper Juelsgaard comes in from Midtjylland, and Wass’s cousin Nicki Bille Nielsen arrives,
having scored 24 in 50 matches for Rosenborg. Another striker to arrive is Belgian youngster Gianni
Bruno, signed from Lille after a successful season on loan at Bastia, and who has the potential to
prove one of the signings of the season.
And FFW’s headline writers’ wishes have been granted, as Fabien Camus returns to France on loan
from Genk, after an excellent season with Troyes two years ago. So he will be no… Stranger (we’re
starting early!! - ed.) to Ligue 1!
Expectations
Evian will go into their fourth straight season in Ligue 1 with the same ambition of the past three
years – Ligue 1 survival. Although President Joël Lopez (who won Ligue 1 as a player with Bordeaux
in 1985) is ambitious and says that the aim is for the club “to become established in Ligue 1 and to
continue moving to the next level”, he remains realistic: “it would be unreasonable to set any
objective other than the realistic and challenging one of staying up. The players must retain the
values that they showed at the end of last season”.
One of those players, Cedric Cambon, has said “I’d be lying if I said that [a relegation fight] is not
tiring. You have to stay strong mentally, and that’s not always easy.”
It may not be, but Evian have proved in the past two seasons, securing their survival on the last day
in both cases, that they have the mental strength required. It is difficult to imagine anything other
than another relegation dogfight for les Roses and it could well be third time unlucky this time
around. However, write Dupraz and his team off at your peril. And if it does come down to the last
match (away at Ligue 1 newcomers Caen), then the experience of the last two seasons may make
the difference.
Predicted Finish: 19th
By Bastien Leclair (@Puchkin_B)
Last season was nothing short of perfect for the En Avant Guingamp. Following two consecutive
promotions since the arrival of Jocelyn Gourvennec, Guingamp returned to the top-flight for the first
time since 2004 with only one ambition: survival in Ligue 1. And, while they started the season in
positive style, reaching a very encouraging 7th place after fifteen matches, it was only a matter of
time before things started becoming difficult for Gourvennec’s men.
Relying on a strong defence but often unable to score on their counter-attacks, Guingamp struggled
to pick up valuable points, especially on the road, and the Bretons would have to wait until May to
secure their survival and a 16th position in Ligue 1.
So what is so perfect, I hear you ask? Well, Guingamp managed to stay in Ligue 1, to the delight of
their supporters, but the Bretons also picked up another Coupe de France final victory, repeating
their exploit of five years previously, against neighbour and big brother Stade Rennais. At the end of
a final they dominated and won easily, Guingamp are now a double Coupe de France winner, and
directly qualified for the group stage of this year’s Europa League.
Transfers
Jocelyn Gourvennec is very aware of the fact that playing the Europa League, while a great
experience for its squad, could also become a danger for his side’s status as a Ligue 1 team. Jonathan
Martins Pereira, Fatih Atik, Steven Langil and Guy Ndy Assembe have left the club and, to replace
them, Gourvennec chose to invest in three Danish players (Schwartz, Lössl and Jacobsen), three
established Ligue 1 players (Baca, Cardy, Angoua) and Newcastle flop Sylvain Marveaux, who joins
the club on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
Except for Mustapha Yatabaré, who will be allowed to leave if Guingamp receive a good offer and
who would need to be replaced immediately by a top Ligue 1 centre-forward, no more movement is
expected at the Stade de Roudourou, and Gourvennec’s men are ready to take on the long domestic
and European season.
Expectations
Once again, Guingamp only have one clear goal: they want to remain in Ligue 1 for a third
consecutive season. In order to achieve this, and despite the arrival of several experienced recruits,
Gourvennec may have to choose between domestic safety and European adventures. Although
many in Guingamp would like to see the French minnow shine at a continental level, the memory of
2009/2010 remains vivid in all memories. In Ligue 2 at the time, Guingamp crashed (8-2 on
aggregate) to German giants HSV Hamburg in a season that would eventually see the Bretons
relegated to the National.
So, even though all Guingamp eyes will be on the Europa League group stage draw in a few weeks,
with hope of welcoming a European giant to the Roudourou this autumn, one would also expect that
Gourvennec will keep a cautious eye on the domestic calendar. Therefore, in the six European games
to be played before Christmas, Gourvennec is widely expected to rotate his squad on a regular basis,
in order to keep his team’s chances intact in the Ligue 1 survival battle.
If everything goes well as spring comes, however, don’t forget that Guingamp is a team that was
born from the cup, grew up by the cup and reached national glory with the cup. So, as the titleholders enter the Coupe de France in January 2015, do not write off their chances of lifting the
trophy for a third time. It’s a long shot, but stranger things have happened!
Predicted Finish: 17th
By Andrew Gibney (@Gibney_A)
After recruiting Antoine Kombouare as head coach and bringing in a whole host of talented players,
the expectation around the Stade Bollaert-Delelis was that promotion was the only option. Backed
by the funds of Azerbaijani businessman Hafiz Mammadov, Les Sang et or were finally in a position
to challenge at the top of Ligue 2.
In the end, the goal was reached and Lens won promotion, finishing second behind FC Metz, but
they only secured the promotion on the very last match day. It should have been much more
comfortable. However, some bad performances twinned with a relaxed attitude at times led to
results not always going in their favour.
With an average attendance of over 31,000, more than double of any other team in Ligue 2, they
only lost twice at home. What let them down were the matches they couldn’t quite win. Eight draws
during the season meant they only won nine home games, the seventh-best record in the league.
Only Metz won as many games on the road as Lens, and it was that record that saw them advance
back to the top table. The other reason was French striker Yoann Touzghar. He was expected to be
replaced by either Adamo Coulibaly or Pablo Chavarria, but with the Argentine forward playing on
the wing and Coulibaly only managing six goals, it was the 12 strikes from Touzghar that guided Lens
back to where French football needs them most.
Transfers
This could be a very small section because as it stands Lens are yet to make a signing this summer,
but it’s not quite as simple as just a lack of doing business.
Up until last week, it wasn’t guaranteed that Lens would be allowed to play in Ligue 1 this season. To
try to summarise the situation, Lens were denied promotion to Ligue 1 by the DNCG due to
payments not made by Mammadov. At first it was meant to be a misunderstanding and a problem
with an Azerbaijani Bank Holiday, then it turned out he just wasn’t going to put in the €10 million
that Lens President Gervais Martel had included in the new season’s budget….and breathe.
Lens then appealed to the CNOSF - France's Olympic Committee and top sports arbitration body.
This time they submitted a revised budget, and the CNOSF agreed that they should play in Ligue 1;
the DNCG confirmed the decision on the 29th of July, giving Lens around 12 days to prepare for the
new season.
While all this was going on, Lens couldn’t secure any signatures which has led to goalkeeper
Alphonse Areola returning to PSG but going back out on loan to Bastia. Marcel Tisserand has also
moved on to Toulouse and Edgar Salli went back to Monaco as part of their loan deal.
Not ideal preparation, but even coach Kombouare wouldn’t agree to take control until the place in
Ligue 1 was confirmed.
Expectations
Once they got the green light to play in Ligue 1, Lens had to decide where to play their home games
– construction work to the Bollaert-Delelis for Euro 2016 has begun. Three of their home games will
be played at the Stade de France (Paris, Lille, Marseille), with the others played at Amiens’ 12,000seater ground. Martel will hope that the 80 kilometre journey won’t stop the dedicated home fans
selling out every game, because it looks like they are going to need all the help they can get.
Lens still have a month to strengthen the squad, but restrictions from the DNCG will cap their
spending and salary budget, so it will be interesting to see who they are able to bring in. Loans deals
could be the way forward, and could be the best short-term option for Kombouare, Martel and
Mammadov.
All of the circumstances surrounding this summer seem to spell a definite relegation battle on the
cards. Right now they will struggle to stay out of the bottom three; reinforcements are needed, and
needed quickly.
Predicted Finish: 20th
By Andrew Gibney (@Gibney_A)
Defence was the key word around the Stade Pierre Mauroy last season. The return of Vincent
Enyeama in goal, and the addition of Simon Kjaer beside Marko Basa, turned Lille into one of
Europe’s best defensive sides. Rene Girard enjoyed a wonderful debut season in the north.
After overcoming the unpleasant welcome from the fans, he went about winning them over by
creating a defence that recorded 21 clean sheets.
Going forward Lille weren’t as big a success. Scoring goals was an issue for the whole campaign. All
the forwards had their moments but it seemed they couldn’t all play well at the same time. Salomon
Kalou finished with 16 goals, but everyone expected more all-round play from the Ivorian.
Lille managed to fight off pressure from Saint-Etienne, Lyon and Marseille to finish in third. Early in
the season they looked like they could catch Monaco, but the performances were so good it was
impossible to maintain that level throughout.
Third place was well-deserved for the defensive performances. It wasn’t brilliant to watch from a
spectator’s point of view, but it was very effective.
Transfers
It’s been a quiet summer in the north. The biggest signing was the deal that was supposed to have
been completed back in January, as FC Sochaux’s Sebastien Corchia finally made the move to Lille at
the second time of asking. The former France under-21 captain adds strength down the right flank,
be it as a full-back or in an attacking role.
The highly-rated Marcos Lopes comes in from Manchester City on loan. The Portuguese attacking
midfielder is very highly-regarded and will come to France looking to add creativity and imagination
to the Lille attack.
A whole host of players including Thibault Peyre, Julian Jeanvier, Nicolas Perez and Abdoulaye Diaby
have gone on loan to Belgian side Mouscron, part of the link between the two clubs.
Lille’s biggest outgoing player is Belgian wonderkid Divock Origi, but luckily for Les Dogues he is
staying in France for another season, this time on loan from Liverpool. The English side have paid
around £10 million for the forward and Reds fans will be keen to see how he gets on this campaign.
Expectations
At this early stage it is hard to predict what the Lille staff will want from the new season. The 2-0 win
away in Zurich gives Lille a great chance of making it through to the play-off round of the Champions
League qualifiers.
That would mean Lille would either play in the Champions League or that defeat would put them in
the Europa League. Either way, they should be playing in Europe for the first four months of the
season.
Lille’s current squad is going to struggle to compete in all four tournaments, the cups will likely get
the lowest priority, but it’s how Lille cope with playing tough games after the European ties that will
define their season.
What Girard has to aim for is to play the same tight, defensive style that made them a success last
season, but he has to add an attacking element to the side. He needs to throw a little caution to the
wind and let the attack and midfield open up a little more.
Origi will get more time on the pitch, he could be asked to partner Kalou if Girard sticks to 4-3-1-2,
but Corchia gives him the option to go 4-3-3 and the Belgian could play out wide.
The most important thing is that Lille are still in league contention come the start of 2015. From
there they can push forward and try to earn another third place finish. Anything less than fifth would
be a disaster.
Predicted Finish: 4th
By Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip)
Last season’s second consecutive eighth-place finish was an excellent achievement for FC Lorient all
things considered. Only their seventh-place finish in the 2009-10 campaign has been better in their
entire 10-season history in Ligue 1.
However, it came at a cost and there has been a big change at the club over the summer. Christian
Gourcuff is no longer coach after his 11-year spell, leaving Les Merlus after 25 years in total as a
coach, over three separate spells.
The wily 59-year-old’s relationship with ambitious president Loic Fery soured after it was put under
pressure by the club’s constant selling of the best young talent – notably Mario Lemina to
Olympique de Marseille at the end of last summer’s transfer window – and eventually it has brought
a sad end to an illustrious era in Brittany.
Transfers
Following Gourcuff’s exit, Lorient have made a number of changes for the new season. Not least on
the bench, where Gourcuff’s assistant Sylvain Ripoll has now stepped up to take over from his
mentor.
In terms of the playing staff, 2012-13 hero Jeremie Aliadiere has left for Umm Salal in Qatar, while
Kevin Monnet-Paquet has joined AS Saint-Etienne, Gregory Bourillon has left for Stade de Reims,
Cheick Doukoure has joined FC Metz, and Maxime Baca has also departed for EA Guingamp.
Benjamin Jeannot from AS Nancy-Lorraine, Walid Mesloub from Le Havre and Vincent Le Goff from
FC Istres have come in to strengthen the squad. However, the really impressive transfer move this
summer came with the smart acquisition of Ghanaian international Jordan Ayew from Marseille. The
22-year-old’s arrival, coupled with the fact that Les Merlus have so far managed to keep Le 50 star
Vincent Aboubakar, have been a massive boost this summer.
Expectations
Although Lorient’s previous league positions suggest otherwise, the team will once again be focusing
on survival to start with. Canny president Fery’s project depends on the club securing their Ligue 1
status each season and this campaign will be no different, especially with a new man in charge.
After safety is secured, the Bretons can start looking higher up the table and possibly target a
domestic cup run too. However, so much depends on how Ripoll adapts to being the main man for
the first time in his career. After replacing Gourcuff, something of a footballing institution in France,
the 42-year-old has some big shoes to fill. How he performs could reveal just how much of Les
Merlus' recent success was down to Gourcuff's ability to get the best out of a limited group of
players.
It is difficult to see Lorient repeating last season’s impressive eighth-place finish. Instead, a strong
mid-table position of 10th is more likely and they could even finish lower if the transition between
Gourcuff and Ripoll is an awkward one. If the club’s big guns such as Aboubakar, Ayew and Alain
Traore hit form, then Les Merlus could finish higher. That will depend on no further sales being
made between now and the end of the transfer window though, which is not certain.
Predicted Finish: 11th
By Nicholas McGee (@nicholasmcgee24)
Once again the 2013-14 season proved to be something of a test of strength for Olympique Lyonnais'
impressive youth system. Injuries and a lack of depth forced Remi Garde to throw the likes of Jordan
Ferri, Nabil Fekir and Corentin Tolisso into the fray last campaign. Ferri in particular excelled and in
truth it was not a bad performance from Lyon, who finished fifth and were unfortunate to lose the
Coupe de la Ligue final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Lyon are back in the Europa League this season and would do well to replicate their very respectable
run to the quarter-finals in last year's competition, which was ended with a valiant 3-1 aggregate
defeat to Serie A champions Juventus.
Transfers
Despite a decent campaign, Garde decided to take a break from football, leaving Lyon with a vacancy
in the dugout. That position has been filled by Hubert Fournier, who heads to the Stade de Gerland
after guiding Reims back to Ligue 1 and successfully stabilising them as a top- flight club. Fournier
has not seen too many new players follow him to Lyon, although promising former Valenciennes
centre-back Lindsay Rose and experienced right-back Christophe Jallet, who arrived from PSG,
should improve the defence.
What is most impressive about Lyon's transfer window, though, is that they have so far been able to
keep hold of key players such as captain Maxime Gonalons, midfielder Clement Grenier (for now ed.) and striker Alexandre Lacazette, scorer of 22 goals in all competitions last term.
Bafetimbi Gomis has departed for Swansea City, but - although Lyon are likely to miss his physical
presence up top - it could be argued that this is a Lyon team that is actually stronger than in the
previous campaign.
Expectations
It is obvious to everyone that Lyon's glory days of the 2000s are long gone. For all their strength in
the academy ranks, the fact remains that Lyon do not have the financial muscle to compete with PSG
and Monaco at the top of the table. Still, Lyon's refusal to part with their star assets points to a team
unwilling to purely accept becoming an also-ran in Ligue 1.
Their youth set-up is still one of the best in French football and the conveyor belt of talent they
possess has helped Lyon to stay in the higher echelons of the table even though they now look
unable to reach its summit. With few new arrivals joining Fournier at Lyon, the expectation is likely
to be on the new man in charge to make the most of a youthful group of players to deliver another
European finish again this campaign.
But how capable are Lyon of achieving that feat? Much will depend on Fournier's ability to make the
step up from one of France's former powers to a club that, while unlikely to challenge for major
honours, is still considered to be one of the top clubs in the country. There is little reason why he
should not be able to make that jump, especially when you take into account the depth of talent he
will have at his disposal.
Providing they all stay at the club in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, then Lyon will have
an exciting engine room including the likes of Grenier, Gonalons and Ferri supplying the service for a
forward who finally looks set to be realising his potential in Lacazette. Furthermore, Jallet and Rose who is gradually working his way through the ranks of the national team set-up - strengthen a
backline that already features the considerable talents of Samuel Umtiti and Henri Bedimo.
Simply put, if everyone stays fit, this is a side more than capable of challenging for the third
Champions League spot behind PSG and Monaco, but - given Lyon's recent injury history - that is a
big if.
Predicted Finish: 5th
By Mohammed Ali (@mohammedali_93)
The 2014-15 season promises much for Marseille, but it is a campaign that the club can ill afford to
screw up following a tumultuous 2013-14.
The past season saw the club spend €40million+ on French or France-based players, nearly all of
whom had little continental experience, the result of which was Marseille becoming the first former
champions to exit the Champions League on zero points. Embarrassment was in clear abundance
throughout the winter with Elie Baup losing his job, PSG flying ever so highly, and even Nice’s B team
winning 5-4 in a hectic Coupe de France game.
What was worse was that with Baup’s sacking and Jose Anigo’s introduction back onto the touchline,
the hierarchy at OM had effectively written off the season……in December.
So, eight months later, we arrive at this point.
For all of Vincent Labrune’s perceived deficiencies and incompetence as president of the club, the
former media mogul has actually pulled something out of the bag with the appointment of
legendary Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa as manager. Suddenly, (nearly) all seems forgotten. The
past is the past. “Make us dream” was the rallying call from the OM fans towards their new hero
towards the end of last season. With news of Bielsa’s imminent signature, the club had already
immediately begun playing better. Once confirmed, it commenced one of the most anticipated preseason campaigns at Marseille in a long time.
Transfers
Indeed, the progress of the club since May has been substantial. With the introduction of two new
signings in the form of Romain Alessandrini (from Rennes) and Belgian star Michy Batshuayi (from
Standard Liege), the club has reinforced its attacking sector with two players who can provide fine
speed and precision. Batshuayi was nabbed ahead of Premier League sides - the Bielsa effect is well
and truly alive.
What is better is that the perceived exodus of players has failed to materialise. At the time of
writing, only three players have departed: Mathieu Valbuena has secured a transfer away from the
club, joining Dynamo Moscow, Jordan Ayew has moved on to Lorient and Saber Khalifa has left on
loan to Club Africain. The likes of Andre Ayew, Mandanda, Gignac and N’Koulou are here for now,
and none appear to be leaving in the next month, having appeared considerably in pre-season.
The unrelenting Bielsa has meticulously planned a rigorous pre-season campaign for OM, and it is
already paying dividends. Gone are the days of players who are not tested, who arrive uninterested
and nonchalant. Preparation has been arduous, but the result of this is a group of players who are
hardened, emboldened and raring to go against Bastia on August 9.
The results too have been emphatic. Bielsa’s first game was a 4-1 success against Bayer Leverkusen,
followed by a 2-1 success against Benfica – results that wouldn’t look out of place in a European
fixture. A 1-1 draw against Bari was the only blemish in a pre-season in which OM have also
demolished Willem II (5-0) and beaten Serie A side Chievo (3-1). All appears rosy on the field.
Off it, however, things have proved equally turbulent. The issue of where the club would be playing
in 2014-15 was only cleared up on August 1, two weeks before the first home fixture against
Montpellier. The City of Marseille had imposed a rent of €8m a season on the club for usage of the
newly renovated 67,000-seat arena. After much deliberation and threats from the club to move their
base away from the famous stadium, OM will be there for the next three seasons at least.
Expectations
What can be expected of les Phoceens over the next nine months, in a campaign that will only
include domestic action for the first time in 10 years?
Bielsa’s high-pressing game was evident throughout the five pre-season matches, and it is highly
conceivable that the Argentine will begin competitive action with the 3-3-3-1 formation that he has
used in the warm-ups. Midfielders Alaixys Romao and Mario Lemina looked pretty impressive being
deployed as centre-backs, with Benjamin Mendy showing promise in an unusually advanced role on
the left. In any case, you can expect an unfamiliar tactical line-up from ‘El Loco’ against Bastia.
The onus is on Labrune to get this right, first time. Bielsa’s history has suggested that his teams fare
well during, and after his reign. If the right parameters are set, and foundations for the future are
built, the club should be set for the next couple of years - although on the south coast, ‘patience’,
and ‘potential’ are words that scarcely mean anything. At Marseille, it is the here and now that
counts. Failure to reach the Champions League again – especially without the distraction of
European football – would be considered a disappointment.
The time is now for Bielsa to hit the ground running in Ligue 1. Haznas Sonar El Loco!
Predicted Finish: 3rd
By Jeremy Smith (@jeremysmith98)
Metz are back! After a period of six seasons outside the top flight, and only two years after
relegation to the National which could have proved terminal for the Lorraine club, FC Metz have
finally returned the top flight. After bouncing back up to Ligue 2 at the first time of asking in 201213, Metz last season secured back-to-back promotions in style, becoming Ligue 2 champions.
Winning 22 of their 38 league matches and losing only once at their Saint-Symphorien home (to
perpetual bête noire Lens), Metz ran away with the title, finishing 11 points clear of second-placed
Lens and 15 ahead of the first non-promoted side – deliciously Metz’s biggest rival, Nancy.
Metz’s success of the last two seasons has been reward for showing faith in their youth products,
finding a blend between those youngsters (including 2010 Coupe Gambardella winners Yeni
Ngbakoto, Gaëtan Bussmann and Bouna Sarr) and more experienced heads such as prodigal sons
Romain Rocchi and Sylvain Marchal, and Marchal’s former Bastia teammate Jeremy Choplin.
Transfers
Metz are never going to be big players on the transfer market and will be one of those clubs
counting down the days until 1 September and hoping that no one leaves between now and then,
rather than seeing it as a chance to raid other clubs.
At time of writing, les Grenats have managed to keep all those who earned promotion last year.
Although strongly linked with Saint-Etienne, right back Romain Métanire remains, as does top scorer
Diafra Sakho (20 goals last season), despite publicly saying that he was ready to move on. Borussia
Dortmund were linked at one point but no one has yet put in a solid offer.
Meanwhile, some canny-looking acquisitions have been made. Defender Jonathan Rivierez has
arrived from Le Havre as cover for Métanire, promising young midfielder Cheick Doukouré was a
surprise purchase from Lorient, and well-travelled Ligue 1 veteran Guirane N’Daw has arrived from
Greece. Also, a couple of intriguing transfers have come in from Latin America: Jose Luis Palomino
from Argentinos Juniors to provide more defensive solidity; and, most interestingly, Venezuelan Juan
Manuel Falcon – top scorer in his domestic league for the past two seasons.
The big target man has started well, scoring three in pre-season, and he may have to shoulder a lot
of responsibility, as the forward line is the squad’s least experienced unit, and uncertainty surrounds
Sakho’s future (although the club hopes to sign another striker before the window closes).
Expectations
After a dramatic fall followed by a quick rise, it is time for the club to consolidate and re-establish
itself as a regular in Ligue 1 where it belongs, having spent 35 straight seasons there from 19672002. So the club isn’t going overboard on ambition for its first year back in the top flight. Club
President Bernard Serin has set the objective as simply “to stay up in comfortable fashion, not in
extremis”. And a long overdue decent cup run wouldn’t go amiss either.
Albert Cartier, coach, former player and club legend finds it hard to hide his emotions and passion as
he talks about the season ahead: “This is a region where people have had to work the soil to survive.
We will have to work the ball from our opponents, to stop them going forward, to stop them
scoring. Before making others suffer, we must suffer. People are saying it will be hell for us? Then
we’ll go through hell. We will be ready. Don’t think it was a cakewalk for Metz, during their previous
57 years in Ligue 1… We’re no longer in National or Ligue 2. Good values alone won’t be enough. We
need to show creativity and be strong defensively. If not, we’ll explode.”
Cartier’s words, his penchant for a 4-4-2 formation, and the fact that Metz’s success last year was
built mainly on a very stingy defence, suggest that it will not necessarily be pretty at times. The
Grenats’ fans seem undeterred, however, with record applications for season tickets at the newly
refurbished Saint-Symphorien.
Les Lorrains will probably end the season in one of the positions straddling the relegation line. Much
will depend on keeping a small, inexperienced squad fit, and avoiding the poor discipline that at
times threatened to derail last year’s campaign. The club’s youngsters have real talent, and Metz
belong in Ligue 1, but survival may be just a step too far.
Predicted Finish: 15th
By Pete Sharland (@PSharland55)
What more did you expect? That was the summary of Monaco’s 2013-14 Ligue 1 season and to be
honest it sums it up perfectly. Going into the campaign, Monaco’s ambitious transfer activity had
made them the only challengers to reigning champions PSG. The signings of James Rodriguez, Joao
Moutinho and Falcao signalled a new era on the south coast but what followed had an air of
predictability.
Monaco’s signings started well but found it hard to remain consistent and, just when they needed
him most, the main man, Falcao, suffered a horrible injury. Claudio Ranieri began by tinkering
between 4-2-3-1 and a 4-1-2-1-2 before realising that the best way to maximise the talents of James
was to play a 4-4-2 with a diamond. However the downside of this was that it limited the potential
impact of two other young starlets, namely Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco and Lucas Ocampos, and also
checked Moutinho, after he had started his Monaco career promisingly. Their end of season form
was strong but ultimately too many poor results against smaller sides cost them.
Transfers
The huge transfer for Monaco, and the whole of Ligue 1, was the sale of James Rodriguez to Real
Madrid for a fee of around €80 million. It was a transfer completely out of the blue, based entirely
on the Colombian’s brilliant World Cup. It was not something talked about before the tournament
and it certainly wasn’t something that Monaco were expecting.
Incredibly they managed to make a fairly handsome profit on the playmaker and they have already
looked to reinvest some of the money into the squad but at the moment the “ins” list makes for
worrying reading. Ranieri was let go at the end of the season and former Sporting Lisbon boss
Leonardo Jardim was brought in as his replacement. At time of writing the two transfers of note are
Aymen Abdennour's signing from Toulouse following his loan spell with the club and the surprise
purchase of Stade Rennais youngster Tiemoue Bakayoko. The club also moved quickly to extend the
loan of talented full-back Fabinho from Portuguese side Rio Ave.
Other than that, though, it has been very quiet. The deal to sign Victor Valdes was called off due to
concerns over the keeper’s injury, while it has been reported that Diego Lopez has said he will not be
joining. Petr Cech of Chelsea remains an option, albeit an unlikely one, if he loses his place to
Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge. Antoine Griezmann chose to join Atletico Madrid instead and
now Monaco’s principal targets seem to be Shakhtar Donetsk duo Alex Teixeira and Douglas Costa,
both of whom are keen to leave the troubled Ukrainian city.
Expectations
Going forward into the new season, Monaco are in a very strange place indeed. The lack of a big
name coming in and the departure of Rodriguez has given this window a sour taste, but they still
have one of the best squads in the division. The problem for them is that they are still some way
behind PSG and the gap has widened with the champions making some astute signings (and David
Luiz - Ed).
The other problem is that there is no money coming in from any other areas. The club is suffering
from a lack of a shirt sponsor and although a new kit deal with Nike will bring in around €8 million a
year, it is still not a lot. They had the second worst average attendance in Ligue 1 last season and,
like all clubs in France, they don’t bring in a lot from TV revenue money. Perhaps worst of all though
is the news that their owner, the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, has found himself on the
wrong end of the biggest divorce settlement in history. Rumours are growing that the Russian could
be thinking about pulling the plug on this project before he loses more money than he might have
envisaged.
The best Monaco can hope for this season is second and that is exactly where I think they will end
up. They should have enough to see off the challenges of Lille and Lyon while it is hard to predict
how Marseille will fare under new manager Marcelo Biesla. Monaco still have an excellent squad
and if Falcao can get back to full fitness and back to his best they do have one of the most deadly
strikers in the world. There is still plenty of time left in this transfer window for Monaco to resurrect
their title bid. But as things stand, Monaco title hopes appear non-existent.
Predicted Finish: 2nd
By Philippa Booth (@Philby1976)
Last season was a nervy and disjointed affair featuring a dangerously unsuccessful start, a period
hovering just above the relegation zone, a managerial change, and 14 red cards. Montpellier ended
up in fifteenth, extremely grateful that neither Guingamp nor Nice could score much. Rolland
Courbis managed to get them into shape enough to survive, but needs a solid start to avoid getting
into difficulties this time. He will have to do this without last season’s star player Remy Cabella, and
probably also the runner-up Benjamin Stambouli, so the outcome of the first five matches will be
crucial to setting the theme for the season. Starting at home to Bordeaux, and then playing
Marseille, Metz, Nantes and Lorient, ten points would be lovely; five or six seems more likely.
Transfers
As is traditional, Montpellier have sold their best player (Cabella to Newcastle) and also have their
second-best up for sale (Stambouli); M’Baye Niang’s loan is over, and several other players have left
on frees, including the misfiring Emmanuel Herrera, and slightly more puzzlingly, Jonathan Tinhan to
Istres and Teddy Mezague to Mouscron - neither was a regular starter so probably left in search of
minutes, but both impressed when seen, and looked useful to keep in a small squad. Thus, the start
of the season will be spent adjusting to both personnel and, it seems likely, a system change.
Three players have come in: Kevin Berigaud from Evian to try to add some focus up-front, Paul Lasne
from Ajaccio in midfield, and fairly unknown quantity Dylan Gissi from Olimpo in Argentina in central
defence; also Jean Deza’s option to buy has been exercised. Unless any more business is done, this
would seem to leave La Paillade without a number ten, as of the listed AMs Morgan Sanson has
flourished in a deeper role, Jonas Martin perhaps the same, and while Gianni Seraf fits the profile, he
has only just turned pro. This would suggest a move away from the usual 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3, as there
are a decent amount of wingers kicking around the dressing room as well as those very capable
central and defensive midfielders (including also Jamel Saihi).
The squad is therefore 28 at present, including another three untested youngsters (Nicolas Saint-Ruf
in defence, Quentin Cornette and Steve Mounie in attack), slightly down on last year’s 31 (of whom
26 were used), and while things look OK in terms of cover at the moment, if Montpellier’s woeful
disciplinary record continues this term there could be issues. Also, January could be a testing time
depending on CAN qualification with Abdelhamid El-Kaoutari (Morocco) and Saihi (Tunisia) regular
selections, and several other players in with a shot of a call-up.
Expectations
Well, there’s expectations and expectations. After the unsuccessful Jean Fernandez-led first half to
last season, the fans were relieved rather than overjoyed by the change wrought by Courbis’ arrival,
and will definitely be expecting more this time around. The two major problems last season were
chopping and changing in the centre forward position, where Berigaud will be expected to clear
things up a bit, and pretty much every defender getting sent off at some point, which one would
hope would not happen again. The big question at the start of the season will be whether Courbis
attempts to maintain the previous 4-2-3-1, which will be a big ask of Martin or Seraf, or more likely
playing Sanson in a more advanced role, or balances a change in style to a 4-3-3 with the benefit of
playing everyone in their strongest positions. The experience of last season suggests that he should
make his choice early and then stick with it, hoping also that he can play a consistent defence. The
worry is that Montpellier have, strangely, only played two matches pre-season, draws against
Toulouse and Arles-Avignon, Anthony Mounier scoring all three goals, so there has been little
opportunity to try new things before points become involved.
The expectation may be for top half, but a safe berth in tenth-twelfth and perhaps a cup run,
repeating the exploit of beating PSG at home, rather than then losing to Cannes, in last year’s Coupe
de France, would more realistically be welcomed with open arms.
Predicted Finish: 10th
By Simon Scutt (@simonscutt)
FC Nantes’ 2013-2014 campaign resembled something of a soap opera at times. The sort of
campaign more usually experienced by the likes of Hardchester United or whatever the team in ITV’s
‘Footballers Wives’ were called (Earl’s Park FC – UK TV Trivia Ed).
In brief, there was a points deduction saga that dragged over six months which led the star player to
slam the club publicly at the time. Then followed the upholding of a 12 month transfer embargo that
dates back to a transfer in February 2012. On the pitch, there were fantastic wins away in the
derbies at Rennes and Bordeaux before defeating Marseille at the Velodrome, as well as a Coupe de
la Ligue semi-final appearance. Then the wins dried up during the winter months, as did the goals.
They were thrashed at the Parc des Princes, humiliated at home by Rennes before a late season
flourish saw them ease to 13th in the table (it would have been eighth but for the points deduction).
Not before the abovementioned star player refused to play in the final two matches of the season.
Phew…
Transfers
The upshot of all this is that Nantes carried out a certain amount of recruiting in the January window
and will simply have to make do with the players at their disposal. The only new face will be
defender Kian Hansen, who joins the growing ranks of Danes in Ligue 1, who was loaned back to
Denmark for the second half of last season.
Nantes have also lost aforementioned star player Filip Djordjevic, who left on a free transfer to Lazio.
He found the net nine league times last season, and leaves behind Ismael Bangoura, Fernando
Aristeguieta, Itay Shechter and Johan Audel as strikers, all of whom contributed the princely amount
of four league goals between them. This is one area where Nantes simply must improve.
One player who finished the season in excellent form was Serge Gakpé, a Togolese international
whose goal record has improved season on season, and who at 27 may just be ready to take on
some of the responsibility left by the Serbian’s departure.
While the Nantes attack might not have been the most prolific throughout the season, the defence
certainly did impress. The seventh-best defence last season looks set to remain made up of the same
personnel who were so effective last campaign.
Expectations
While Nantes’ trophy cabinet stacks up with anyone in French football (lest we forget they have
twice as many French titles as PSG), ambitions this season must remain modest and attainable.
Many of the same players were knocking about in Ligue 2 some fifteen months ago; they are a tight
unit who will play for each other, their manager and their fans.
The players received fantastically fervent support from their fans and were backed with an average
of around 28,000 fans each home game, the sixth highest in the division. In spite of this, the
Beaujoire was not the fortress one might expect; if anything the away form was more impressive.
What FC Nantes managed to achieve last season was bringing the good times back to the club, and
the fans returned bringing the atmosphere with them. The football club is beginning to reintegrate
itself into the city and, more importantly, into the hearts and minds of the city’s residents. A new
club shop has just opened in the city centre, giving the club a much higher visibility whereas
previously during the club’s purgatorial period in Ligue 2 the club found itself cloistered away on the
outskirts of the city, seldom spoken of away from the stadium.
On the face of it, the ambition is simple: survival. And of course that is the case but it will not stop
there. The squad is a tightly-knit unit with a full season’s top-flight experience behind them, which
was reinforced ahead of the mooted embargo. They were largely written off ahead of last season so
who’s to say that they could not go on to surprise a few people once again.
Predicted Finish: 16th
By Martha Fischer (@NiceAllez)
After their thrilling, nearly unbelievable fourth place finish in 2013, Nice returned to form last
season, limping through a dismal, injury-riddled second half and finishing in 17th place, just two
points clear of the drop. Since May, Les Aiglons have said goodbye to vice-captain and defensive
midfielder Fabrice Abriel (out of contract, now with Valenciennes), first choice central defender and
another vice-captain Nemanja Pejčinović (Lokomotiv Moscow), midfielder Christian Brüls, whose
loan was up and who has now moved permanently to Rennes, and goalkeeper David Ospina, who
followed a strong World Cup with a richly deserved move to Arsenal.
Starting left-back Timothée Kolodziejczak has been the subject of strong interest from West Ham
and, according to Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivère, is also likely to leave. In addition, captain Didier
Digard, whom Rivère insists will stay, expressed frustration last spring about the club's failure to
offer him a pay rise and is yet to feature in any pre-season matches due to "personal problems". Also
not leaving, according to Rivère, are midfielders Jérémy Pied and Éric Bauthéac, although they have
both been the subject of offers from other clubs and must surely be tempted. Oh, and Ospina's
presumed successor, Joris Delle, blew out his knee 10 days ago and will be out for at least six
months.
Granted, the transfer window isn't yet closed and things could change, but at this rate it's impossible
to draw anything but a single conclusion: Nice are going down.
Transfers
Aside from a solid draw with a severely understrength Barcelona side, pre-season has been dire,
with Nice surrendering eight goals in two matches against English Championship sides, and
managing only a 0-0 draw with lowly Fréjus Saint-Raphaël. After a season in which they scored fewer
goals than any other team in Ligue 1, the club still struggle to find the back of the net and haven't
added any strikers and, despite an already shaky defence being severely weakened by long-expected
departures, no positive moves have been made there either. In fact, the only arrivals so far have
been two midfielders, the one area of the pitch in which Nice are very well stocked. Admittedly, the
club rarely makes dramatic moves during the off-season, but the apparent lack of urgency in trouble
areas and Claude Puel's sanguine attitude about this summer's often resigned performances has fans
feeling a combination of disgust and anger as they look toward the 2014-2015 season.
Forced to find reasons for hope, one might point to the pre-season performances of new arrival
Niklas Hult, a 24-year-old Swede who so far has looked a real find, exhibiting touch, creativity and
impressive awareness in the midfield. Alongside Hult, U20 French international Jordan Amavi has
been an almost constant presence in friendlies and has looked reassuringly comfortable at both left
back - a spot which could be his if/when Kolodziejczak leaves - and on the left side of the midfield,
his more natural position.
In addition to Hult and Amavi, many youngsters have played substantial minutes in friendlies and
had impressive moments, particularly 17-year-olds Albert Rafetraniaina, a midfielder who made his
first team debut last season, and striker Franck Honorat. Albert, in fact, has been so good it seems
likely he will stick around the senior squad.
Expectations
In the continued search for a silver lining, it should be noted that Nice played arguably their best half
of pre-season football against PSG, when Puel sent out a side made up largely of youth players and
put them in an unfamiliar 3-5-2 system. The young team pressed PSG relentlessly and forced them
into mistakes, showing an urgency that has been lacking from most of Les Aiglons' preseason
matches, and created perhaps more chances than in any other 45 minutes of football, ending with a
quality goal for Honorat.
That said, while the 3-5-2 with which Puel is experimenting in some ways makes sense for Nice
because of their abundance of midfielders and shortage of full backs, the fact that the club are also
short on reliable central defenders makes this new system truly frightening when facing an
enthusiastic attack, a reality made painfully clear when both Brentford and Norwich were up 2-0
before 10 minutes had elapsed. Reassuringly, Puel returned to a four-man defence against
Barcelona, a decision which paid immediate dividends.
The reality is that even the most optimistic Nice fans - if any can be found - know their team is in
trouble. Despite the impressive performance by 19-year-old Mouez Hassen against Barca, they must
find a keeper and at least one central defender, could really use a proven striker, and desperately
need to hang onto Bauthéac, who reportedly has offers from Germany, Belgium and Italy. Though
he's sometimes not as effective as one might hope, the midfielder is a ferocious competitor, one
whose simple desire was one of Nice's few bright spots last season, and it's a quality his teammates
will need to get them through the very difficult season ahead. With or without Bauthéac, though, it's
going to be a long, long 10 months on the Côte d'Azur.
Predicted Finish: 14th
By Jonathan Johnson (@Jon_LeGossip)
The 2013-14 season was Paris Saint-Germain’s best so far under Qatar Sports Investments’
ownership. Not only did les Parisiens win a second consecutive Ligue 1 title – their fourth overall –
they also won their first-ever league and domestic cup double thanks to their first Coupe de la Ligue
success since 2008. The capital club also set a new record number of wins in a single Championnat
season with 27, while also setting a new all-time points record of 89.
Laurent Blanc made a positive debut as PSG coach, bettering predecessor Carlo Ancelotti’s previous
season at the first time of asking with a dominant showing in the league and Coupe de la Ligue, not
to mention continued progress in the Champions League. Although he found himself under pressure
following the French champions’ continental exit, Le President was more than deserving of the
contract extension handed to him by PSG at the end of season.
Transfers
So far this summer, David Luiz and Serge Aurier are PSG’s only two new arrivals. Luiz arrives from
Chelsea having cost a whopping fee in the region of 50 million pounds, a risky move that has put
them into a problematic position with regard to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Thanks to that
ill-advised splurge, Les Parisiens have been forced to pursue a number of innovative loan deals,
including the one that saw Toulouse’s talented Le 50 member Serge Aurier join the club.
Youth academy products Clement Chantome and Jean-Christophe Bahebeck have returned to the
club and both look as if they will have a role this season. However, PSG have allowed Jeremy Menez
to shrug and leave for AC Milan along with Brazilian central defender Alex. Former captain
Christophe Jallet has also departed, joining Olympique Lyonnais, while Kalifa Traore joined Ligue 2
side Angers SCO and Kingsley Coman opted to sign his first professional deal with Juventus.
Expectations
This coming season, Blanc and his PSG players will be expected to repeat their Ligue 1 title defence
for a third straight title, and they will also need to win one or both domestic cups. Of particular
importance will be to do better than last campaign’s round of 32 finish in the Coupe de France.
However, Europe remains the ultimate goal and – despite recent FFP sanctions – the capital club will
be expected to go one better this term and at least reach the semi-finals.
If PSG were to fall short and reach the quarter-finals again – or worse – then no matter what Blanc
and the team do domestically, the Frenchman could find himself out of a job. The manner of the
capital club’s exit from last season’s edition to Chelsea demonstrated that Blanc still has a number of
things to learn as a coach, but mistakes will not be tolerated this time around.
It is difficult to see PSG being anything other than Ligue 1 champions once again this coming season.
Winning Le Championnat is now expected and considered a minimum goal. The only question is how
far can they go in the three other competitions.
Predicted Finish: 1st
By Andrew Gibney (@Gibney_A)
Last season was probably as good a season as Stade de Reims could have hoped for. Just two years
ago, the club from the Champagne region were back in Ligue 1 for the first time in 33 years, and
safety was the first objective; in the second season Hubert Fournier was able to play a style that was
more expansive.
It paid off. Under the excellence of Fournier, Reims were able to pull off some amazing results. They
beat Lyon and Lille away from home, doing the double over Lille as they beat them in the second
week of the season at the Stade Auguste Delaune.
Monaco also struggled and couldn’t upset Les Rouge et Blanc away from home. Reims knocked
Monaco out of the Coupe de la Ligue and put a dent into their title pursuit with a draw in the league.
The defence was solid and consistent, both Mickael Tacalfred and Anthony Weber were superb,
backed up by Aissa Mandi, Christophe Glombard, and Kossi Agassa between the posts. Prince
Oniangue and Grzegorz Krychowiak commanded the midfield with Nicolas de Preville, Gaetan
Charbonnier and Floyd Ayite each taking their chance to shine upfront.
There was a point when Reims were challenging for the European spots, but ultimately they finished
in 11th place. It was an improvement on the previous season and it looked like they were definitely
building something.
Transfers
There have been two big departures from Reims this summer; the first was Coach Hubert Fournier
moving to Olympique Lyonnais to replace Remi Garde. Fournier had played a huge part in Reims’
success and is a big reason that they are where they are in Ligue 1.
Creteil coach Jean-Luc Vasseur comes in to replace him, and he will need to call on the experience
that helped the Parisian club from the Championnat National to Ligue 2 if he is to step in to
Fournier’s huge shoes.
On the field, Krychowiak’s transfer to Sevilla leaves a massive hole in the midfield. They still have
Oniangue and Antoine Devaux to try and plug the gap, but it is going to take a large period of
transformation.
Gregory Bourillon comes in from Lorient and his Ligue 1 experience will hopefully help Vasseur this
season. Upfront they have lost Ayite to Bastia but have brought in Cameroonian international
Benjamin Moukandjo to play on the wing.
Moukandjo was impressive in Ligue 2 with Nancy and that won him a place in Cameroon’s World
Cup squad. The Indomitable Lions had a poor tournament, but the winger was by far one of the
better players. He should be an adequate replacement for Ayite.
Expectations
After losing Fournier, Krychowiak and Ayite, Reims’ goal for the first season under Vasseur will be to
stay in Ligue 1. There should be enough teams worse than Reims to keep them in France’s top flight,
but they will need to score more goals if they want to match last season.
De Preville has shown on occasions that he has the potential to be a leading star for Reims, but he
can’t do it alone. Gaetans Courtet and Charbonnier need to show some consistency in front of goal.
The former had a quiet season: having scored nine goals during the 2012/13 season, he failed to hit
the net last campaign.
Charbonnier scored five times, two coming in a double against Ajaccio, but it took him till December
before he opened his account. Vasseur needs around 15 goals from both his forwards if Reims are to
grab a place high up the table.
Predicted Finish: 13th
By Bastien Leclair (@Puchkin_B)
2013-2014 at the Stade Rennais will be remembered as the worst season in over a decade, and a
clear reminder that the glorious mid-noughties are well and truly over at the Route de Lorient. With
the appointment of Philippe Montanier and the replacement of over half of the professional squad
during summer 2013, last season was always going to be a year of reconstruction. What wasn’t
expected, however, was that Rennes would only manage to clinch safety with three league games
remaining to play. The Coupe de France final humiliation against Breton neighbour Guingamp, for
the second time in five years, did little to cheer up Rennes’ disgruntled fans.
Montanier’s apparent inability to get his squad working together resulted in a team unable to
produce any of the positives a successful professional football club is expected to show. With several
of Frederic Antonetti’s key players being left on the fringes of the first team or simply not
performing, Montanier soon had to call upon young, inexperienced players such as Hunou,
Hountondji or Bakayoko to build his squad. The winter arrivals of Ola Toivonen, Kamil Grosicki and
Paul-Georges Ntep brought some life back into the team, but it was too little too late to rescue a
season that Rennes would like to forget as soon as possible.
Transfers
Since half the professional squad was changed last summer, one could have expected some stability
prior to Montanier’s second season. Well, this has not been the case! Recruits have arrived in
defence (Zajkov, Mexer, Andre), in midfield (Fernandes, Bruls, Prcic) and in attack (Hosiner,
Henrique) and two new goalkeepers (Sorin, Petkovic) are joining the show. With a couple more
players expected to arrive (another defensive midfielder and a secondary left-back), Philippe
Montanier will have brought a brand new XI to Rennes.
In terms of departures, the players on loan haven’t convinced the staff (Kadir, Romero, Oliveira) and
several of Antonetti’s key players have been transferred (Alessandrini, Pitroipa) or let go (Feret,
Boye), while Makoun and Kana-Biyik also seem on their way out. Tiemoue Bakayoko, one of the
club’s breakthrough players last season, also left the club in an €8 million move to AS Monaco.
In-depth changes have also been made on the administrative side of the club, with former president
Rene Ruello returning to business and the nomination of new key figures in the club’s offices.
All in all, 2014 brought another eventful summer in Brittany, prompting more questions about this
squad and its ability to blend together in Montanier’s second year in command.
Expectations
What could be expected from a team that narrowly escaped relegation and changed 50% of its
squad in the summer? Before showing any ambition, they will have to find a way to survive. Both
Montanier and Ruello made it clear that the Stade Rennais is building itself on long-term plans, and
amazing results aren’t to be expected this year.
While most supporters agree that the first target is top-flight survival, however, there is a general
feeling that this team could achieve a little bit more. This year’s recruitment has favoured the arrival
of technically gifted players, tricky dribblers and great passers. Without a doubt, Montanier wants
his players to discover the fun side of football once again, and play with the sort of enthusiasm
Rennes have lost over the last ten years.
Rennes won’t rival Paris and win the league, we know that, but the Bretons could well return to a
position that used to be theirs only a few years ago, and join the fight for a European berth. And,
who knows, maybe they will play their way to another chance of Cup glory, and win over their
grumpy but loving public once again!
Predicted Finish: 7th
By Rich Allen (@Rich_Allen85)
It was another successful season for Christophe Galtier and his men from Saint-Etienne. Building on
a fifth-place finish in 2012/13, les Verts managed to claim a hugely creditable fourth place despite
having to do it without their previous season’s star man, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Galtier
succeeded in rousing his troops to finish in the last European qualifying place ahead of the more
fancied Marseille and local rivals Lyon.
Saint-Etienne excelled in their ability to perform as a group with numerous players raising their
games to great effect. Stephane Ruffier, Romain Hamouma and Max-Alain Gradel were among those
who stood out last season. However, it was Mevlut Erding, signed at the start of the season from
Rennes, and captain Loic Perrin, who were the players of the season for Saint-Etienne. Erding proved
a shrewd signing by Galtier as he provided 11 goals, many of those in crucial games towards the end
of the season. Perrin was the rock at the heart of the defence as his performances and useful six
goals were rewarded with a place in the Ligue 1 team of the season and a spot in the reserves for the
French World Cup squad.
It was also a case of what might have been, as three draws against lowly teams meant they couldn’t
capitalise on Lille’s inconsistent form at the end of the season to steal third place. The ability to
finish off teams after dominating them will be something to work on for Galtier.
Transfers
Saint-Etienne will have to cope with the full impact of losing their star youngster as Kurt Zouma,
signed by Chelsea in January but loaned back to les Verts, begins his life at Stamford Bridge.
The transfer of Brandao to Bastia has taken a few twists and turns of late. The move look to be
agreed before Bastia seemed to pull out claiming Saint-Etienne were demanding money when the
Corsicans thought the transfer was free. Saint-Etienne have declined this demand was made but for
now the move for the Franco-Brazilian seems to have stalled. For now then, there will be no party in
Bastia, although the transfer is still expected to go through in the end.
Benoit Tremoulinas and Josuha Guilavogui have returned to their parent clubs after respective
successful / semi-successful loan spells. It remains to be seen whether permanent moves will be
made for either.
In terms of incoming transfers, les Verts have been quiet, with Kevin Monnet-Paquet from Lorient
their only acquisition to date. As useful a transfer as it is, the fans may want to see more players
added to a squad which will be pushed hard to improve on 2013/14.
Rumours have linked Saint-Etienne with the likes of Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Guillaume Hoarau,
Newcastle United's Mapou Yanga Mbiwa and Norwich City's Ricky van Wolfswinkel but as yet no
other players have been brought in by Galtier.
Expectations
More of the same, will be the cry from the stands. As ever it will be tough for Saint-Etienne to
improve on a successful previous season but in what could be Galtier’s final season with les Verts,
they will be desperate to retain that fourth place and maybe push for third. With Lyon improving,
Lille remaining solid and Marseille possibly rejuvenated under Marcelo Bielsa, Galtier will need to
use all his nous to keep the confidence high, the performances intense and the spirit determined at
the Stade Geoffroy Guichard.
Although having qualified for the Europa League, Galtier may be forced to put that adventure on the
back burner as Ligue 1 remains his top priority. With the other teams improving, albeit on paper,
Galtier will either need to add to his squad or rely on his current players upping their game again if
they are to remain a top four team. The experienced members of the team including Perrin, Erding
and Ruffier to name a few will need to ensure that they are at the top of their games and hope the
likes of Hamouma, Monnet-Paquet, Gradel and Moustapha Sall can do likewise.
We may see Saint-Etienne put together another cup run, especially as it may be the best and easiest
way for them to qualify for Europe.
Saint-Etienne like to prove the doubters wrong and so one underestimates them at one’s peril.
However, it is tough to see them remaining a top four team. The changes at Marseille and the
flourishing youngsters at Lyon mean that the challenge will be tougher this year than the last. A sixth
place finish is likely, allied to a good performance in the domestic cups, possibly ending with a
second Coupe de la Ligue victory in three years. And most importantly, hopefully the return of
Galtier’s infamous coat!
Predicted Finish: 6th
By Martha Fischer (@NiceAllez)
Virtually all of the attention paid to Toulouse this summer has really been devoted to spectacular
talent Serge Aurier and the questions of his departure and eventual destination. After months of
rumors that he would move to London with Arsenal - often fuelled by the player himself on social
media - the Ivorian eventually decided to stay in Ligue 1, joining PSG in an FFP-friendly loan move
with an option to buy.
Transfers
When considering the impact of the departure of the man who was arguably Toulouse's best player,
it must be remembered that Alain Casanova is not exactly new to replacing important players and,
just as he and his club handled the loss of the talismanic André-Pierre Gignac in 2010, so Toulouse
will quietly adjust to life with a less explosive right side. Indeed, while everyone outside the club was
focusing on who was leaving, Toulouse were quietly putting together a very tidy summer transfer
season, shipping out the disappointing Eden Ben Basat and bringing in, among others, promising
striker Aleksandar Pešić, a player who was among the Serbian league's best XI last season, central
defender Dragoș Grigore from Dinamo Bucharest, and Monaco's impressive young right back Marcel
Tisserand, who arrived on loan.
Having thus shored up the area around the hole left by Aurier's departure, Toulouse also achieved
another equally important task: holding on to the magical Wissam Ben Yedder. The explosive little
striker scored 16 goals in Ligue 1 last season, and his miraculous ability to create goals out of
absolutely nothing will be crucial if Toulouse hope to thrive without Aurier. And, based on preseason performances, they show every sign of being able to do so. Ben Yedder has played more
minutes than almost anyone at the club this summer, often lining up alongside Martin Braithwaite,
and he's been Toulouse's leading scorer, as expected. Behind the strikers, playing in a free role, has
usually been Adrien Regattin, who has played even more minutes than Ben Yedder and already looks
in mid-season form: he's clearly enjoying his football and is winning penalties and creating countless
chances for his teammates.
Expectations
With all the attention quite rightly paid to both Aurier and Ben Yedder, it's easy to miss the quality
Toulouse have in other positions on the pitch, particularly in the midfield, where they clog things up
with five men and look to get forward quickly through Regattin and Ben Yedder (and, in the past,
Aurier). The evergreen Étienne Didot, now 31, is criminally underrated, tenacious in defence and
possessing a passing range and reading of the game worthy of any team in Europe (just ask Just
Fontaine). On Toulouse's good days, even with the loss of Clément Chantôme, whose services TFC
were unable to secure permanently from PSG, Didot's creativity and eye for space match up
perfectly with the toughness of new captain Abel Aguilar (just back in training after the World Cup),
the pace of young Issiaga Sylla (who, like Aurier, can also play on the outside of the midfield in a
more overtly attacking role) down the left, and the tactical flexibility of Óscar Trejo, a player who
really shone during the second half of last season.
In the defence as well, Toulouse possess large measures of both youth and quality. With the 22-yearold Zacharie Boucher now firmly entrenched as No. 1, the club have a keeper who can get them
points all on his own and will, one day, be in competition to succeed Hugo Lloris in the France nets.
Ahead of him are Serbian pair Dusan Veskovac and Uroš Spajić, the latter the author of an immense
debut season and still only 21, and Steeve Yago, also only 21. In addition, new arrival Grigore
impressed in his one preseason appearance.
On paper, then, Toulouse look surprisingly solid for a team saying goodbye to its most celebrated
player. If Regattin and Ben Yedder can find consistency and the team can stay fit and solidify their
performances at home, Les Pitchouns could well be one of the surprise packages of the 2014-2015
season.
Predicted Finish: 9th