Football Season Guide

Clermont were finally comfortable in their battle against relegation last season, but they spent much of the campaign embroiled in a major fight. Indeed, winning their last 2 made their status look much more comfortable than the table looked. Have made a coaching change in the summer, with the experienced David Guion stepping up into the role after 2 years out of the game. Previously disappointing in his roles at Troyes and Bordeaux, so not a particularly inspiring appointment. Squad size has been cut, with experienced high earners Kader Bamba, Famara Diedhiou, Henri Saivet and Max Caufriez among those to leave. So far, the signs are not positive. The shortcomings that Clermont faced last season remain evident in pre-season, with their lack of firepower notable during their friendly matches. Clermont’s defence is the strongest area of their squad, despite not being reinforced in the summer. It is the one sector in which there is reasonable depth. Scoring goals promises to be a huge headache for ASSE. They have allowed their top 3 scorers from last season (combining for 21 of their 38 goals) to leave and have replaced them only with Arthur Saintorens, a 21-year-old from the 4th tier. It looks wholly insufficient.