Football Season Guide

Valenciennes dug themselves out of major relegation difficulties late in the season. A miserable run of form had their backs against the wall, but they won three of their last three of their last seven, including two against promotion hopefuls, to survive. A change of management was the catalyst, but Ahmed Kantari has found himself displaced by Jorge Maciel, a former assistant at Lille who is stepping into his first big job. Maciel has a big task on his hands. Valenciennes are cash-strapped and have made little impact in the transfer window. Indeed, their first-team squad has been flushed out, with nine signed first-team players departing pls three more that were on loan. Adrian Grbic was instrumental in the second half of last season and will be acutely missed in attack. Maciel’s two signings have both been defensive. Jean Louchet arrives from relegated Niort to compete with surprise hero of last season 19-year-old Lassan Diabate, who kept four cleansheets in eight appearances. Taylor Moore has joined up from Bristol City, having grown up in the area. Valenciennes were not strong defensively last season and continue to lack in that area ahead of the new campaign, with a notable lack of depth, especially in the full-back areas. There is no natural left-back currently on their books. The midfield, meanwhile, also looks thin, with Mohamed Kaba still linked with a move away that the team can scarcely afford but the club can scarcely turn down. Lose him and they will look thin here, too. They do retain talent in attack but must get more from centre-forward Ugo Bonnet in particular. Aymen Boutoutaou promises to be their main threat from wide while the experienced Jason Berthomier, who fell out with the club last season and was cast to the bench, simply has to play a more important role as things stand. There are talented youngsters in this area, including Sofiane Boudraa and Yassine Haouari, but these players must prove themselves on a long-term basis. Valenciennes have finished in the bottom half of Ligue 2 in eight of the last nine seasons since their relegation from Ligue 1. That trend looks set to continue with this squad.