Football Season Guide

They had some good moments last season, Lausanne-Sport, especially in Europe. It was just after that where they lacked purpose, and it ended up costing their manager his job. They didn't really improve after that either. Luka Elsner is their new manager; it's difficult to know what to expect from him. It's also worth pointing out that there's not much he can realistically change. For a supposedly progressive club, they've been remarkably regressive pre-season, refusing to sign anyone to date. Their only arrivals are loanees returning, none of which shone elsewhere. They lost big players pre-season though, including arguably the best goalkeeper in Switzerland, Letica. They knew he was leaving months in advance yet still didn't opt to sign a replacement, which was strange. Losing Sigua and Diakite in attack will limit their creativity substantially. Losing LB Fofana was a blow but Poaty is a good alternative. The big problem is that the player sales are not expected to end there. They're expected to lose at least some of the following four players - star midfielder Roche, star attacker Janneh, reliable CB Sow, and live wire Butler. If they lost two of those players, then a battle against relegation looks likelier than it has in years. A slow start has to be likely, given their change of manager. Diakite's departure, Bair likely to be banned, Butler potentially moving on - it's not clear where their goals will come from. They seem intent on relying on younger players, and that might not be a bad move, given how superb Ibrahim Bah Mendes & Jérémie Barererwa shone pre-season. They're taking a lot of risks here though, Lausanne-Sport. They've not addressed their lack of depth at CB, and with Sow likely to move on sooner or later, that's going to be an issue. They should be ok in central midfield - they've got a good blend of youth and experience there, as well as consistency, and enough depth to handle injuries. Attack is a huge cause for concern though. Bair only showed his best form when Diakite was there, and he's gone. Ajdini was frozen out for significant portions last season ahead of a likely departure - now he might be staying. Traore cannot stay fit, and isn't all that good anyway, based on what's been seen. Butler is likely to leave. If Janneh goes, then there are zero good finishers in this squad. It's hard to be optimistic about their chances of accomplishing anything this season because they've prepared for this campaign very poorly. They're likely to have a tough campaign unless they make a flurry of late (good) signings.