Football Season Guide

Not for the first time in recent history, Nantes have endured a complicated pre-season, with head coach Claudio Ranieri departing at the end of last term. The Italian simply proved too dull for the Breton outfit. While his methods were accepted in the first part of the season, as results faded in the second half and his relationship with the board grew more fraught, a change was inevitable. Miguel Cardoso has arrived after a successful spell with Rio Ave. It is hoped that he will play in a more expansive manner than Ranieri, although the took that he has at his disposal are broadly the same and, in fact, perhaps even weaker going into the opening weekend of the season. Captain Leo Dubois has gone to Lyon on a Bosman deal, while unsung players Adrien Thomasson and Yacine Bammou, both functional if unspectacular in the case of the latter, have departed. Coming into the side are former Manchester United full-back Fabio and central midfielder Lucas Evangelista. Nantes’ goalscoring problems do not appear to have been solved. Aside from Emiliano Sala, an ungainly forward who is just as prone to missing easy chances as he is to scoring them, there is little threat in this side. Indeed, the now-departed Bammou, Thomasson and Dubois ranked next in the scoring charts along with Prejuce Nakoulma, netting two or three times each in the league. Certainly, Nantes did not express their offensive potential, but Ranieri’s performance was not so bad to negate it entirely. Kalifa Coulibaly will have more responsibility on his shoulders after an injury-hit campaign while the same is true of Joris Kayembe. Even if these players can hit their straps, though, Nantes will be left leaning heavily on their defensive line, which will go untouched, anchored by goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, who had en excellent campaign last time around.