Football Season Guide

Le Havre battled to survive in Ligue 1 last season despite significant concerns that they would fail prior to the start of the campaign. Went to the last day of the season, when they overcame Lorient for what was just a 7th win of the season. Defensively solid but lacked attacking quality. Overwhelmingly reliable on Issa Soumare. Soumare has departed the club along with other important starters Arouna Sangante and Yassine Kechta. Replacing these players has been tricky as Le Havre are financially stretched and have had little ability to sign with money. HAC have found some promising free agents, including former Bordeaux striker Josh Maja and physical midfielder Amir Richardson, but they have also added to their Japanese contingent with Kaito Mizuta and Sota Nakamura. There’s a good deal of uncertainty coming into the season due to poor performances and results in the summer. Le Havre have lost 3 of their 5 matches and there are few guaranteed starters in the squad as a result. This is a squad still in a state of flux. Key to Le Havre’s survival hopes will be their defence. Sangante’s departure certainly weakens them in this regard, but there is still a potentially solid spine, with Aymumu Seko vital in this role. Similarly, the newly signed Junior Mwanga and Rassoul Ndiaye will be critical in providing both solidarity and energy down the middle of the park. Last season, HAC struggled to score goals, and with Soumare having left, similar problems may well arise this season. Maja has been a streaky striker and much is pinned on him offensively. They had precious little menace last season, with Ally Samatta hard working but not prolific. On the wings, they are lacking quality.