Football Season Guide

Troyes suffered a humiliating relegation from Ligue 1 a little over 12 months ago as they finished the season with a feeble 18 points, having won just three matches all season. They bounced back at the first time of asking, sneaking into 3rd place in Ligue 2 before battling narrowly through a playoff against Lorient. Benjamin Nivet was the hero of the closing weeks of the previous campaign for Jean-Louis Garcia's side, with the veteran carrying his team impressively amidst the absence of top scorer Adama Niane and fellow forward Jonathan Tinhan, who struggled to make an impression after arriving from Amiens for relatively big money in January. Garcia has not been given much to spend this summer in terms of transfer fees but where he has been able to invest is in terms of increasing the size and depth of his squad. Several fringe players have been cut loose including injury-prone defenders Rincon and Mahamadou N’Diaye. Indeed, the whole policy of maintaining the whole of the promotion-winning starting XI is probably driven by their struggles last time around, when many changes were made. Several new faces have arrived at Stade de l’Aube, with the defence being the area to receive most of these. Oswaldo Vizcarrondo will add experience to the heart of the defence while Gabriel arrives on loan from Lille to provide youth. Meanwhile, Mathieu Deplagne is a well-established Ligue 1 right-back. Slightly further forward, Francois Bellugou is a player of similar standing in a holding midfield role while the attacking midfield sector is boosted by the arrival of both Bryan Pele from Brest and Said-Eddine Khaoui from Marseille, a player who struggled last term. Troyes must hope that Niane can maintain his fine scoring form from last season while their impressive midfield can adapt to the rigours of the game a level up. They failed two years ago when they had an apparently stronger squad – a more credible fight this time is a necessity.