Football Season Guide

Lorient were one of the major disappointments of Ligue 2 last season as they missed out on the playoffs as well as promotion and there has been a drive over the summer to ensure that does not happen again. Firstly, head coach Mickael Landreau was sacked in the wake of their disappointment, with head coach Christophe Pelissier the man anointed to replace him. Pelissier has a remarkable coaching record and it is incredible that Lorient were able to secure a man of such calibre given he has achieved the impossible by winning promotion to the second flight for Luzenac (who were kept down on financial grounds) then getting Amiens promoted to Ligue 1 and keeping them there. As such, hopes are high for Lorient, who have also invested in their squad over the course of the summer months, keeping hold of all of their key players and losing only peripheral members of the squad. The attack has been bolstered by the addition of Umut Bozok from Nimes, a player who was the league’s top scorer a couple of years ago. He should prove an excellent supplement or partner to Pierre-Yves Hamel, whose exploits last season were impressive in a side that gave him a limited supply despite their focus on possession football. Certainly, Lorient can expect to be far more direct this season, which should suit last season’s No.9. Another player who may prove to be like a new signing is Sylvain Marveaux, who was frozen out of the squad last year by Landreau but proved himself to be one of the best players in the league on a loan deal at Nancy. At 33, there is still plenty left in his legs and he could prove a vital player if utilised wisely. At the other end of the park, Lorient were prone to gifting away silly goals. Pelissier has traditionally had organised teams that keep mistakes to a minimum, and to that end he has swooped for Clermont centre-back Julien Laporte. Young goalkeeper Illan Meslier, meanwhile, will be under some pressure, too. Although he performed well at times last season and is highly rated, he was prone to making costly errors.