Football Season Guide

Dunkerque were one of the big disappointments of Ligue 2 last season. They started the season poorly, went on an outstanding run in the middle of the season, but faded drastically, ending the campaign with more defeats than wins. For a team that was expected to challenge for promotion, that was failure. The chaos that hit USD last summer has not been evident this time around, with Albert Sanchez retaining his job in charge. Several important players have left, with Enzo Bardeli the most important player to move on. Dunkerque have recruited young, technical players, none of whom had significant Ligue 2 minutes last season. This is a team built on potential. Pre-season results have been positive, with Dunkerque winning their last 3 matches at the time of writing. These have been against a good level of opposition. Notably, the goals have been flowing, with 7 scored against Westerlo, Samsunspor and Standard Liege, fuelling optimism ahead of the campaign. Dunkerque are a technically strong team, as one would expect given they are coached by a former Barcelona B team boss. They hold these principles central to their play and like to play in an open and attacking manner. Boasting an attacking mindset, they can be flimsy at the back, where more than ever they will be lacking experience this season. With a passing philosophy, errors from centre-backs and goalkeepers can often lead to goals conceded, turning games against them they were previously in control of.