Guingamp survived comfortably this season in Ligue 1 and achieved their pre-season target of a comfortable mid-table finish. Antoine Kobmouare’s side never looked serious contenders for a European spot, but equally they were rarely dragged into the fringes of the relegation dogfight either.
The Breton side did not overhaul their squad in the summer and started at a reasonable rate, with four wins in their first nine matches. While they typically played well at home, they struggled on their travels, which prevented them climbing significantly into the top half of the table. Indeed, their only victories on the road in the first half of the season were against Metz and Troyes.
If the first half of the season saw a real scattering of results throughout, the second part of it saw Guingamp in much more streaky form. Several wins would be followed by a fallow period, although they achieved some of their best results and performances once the pressure was off in April. Guingamp beat Monaco at home then drew with PSG.
They proved themselves an industrious side who were capable of putting their opponents under significant pressure, largely thanks to Jimmy Briand at the point of their attack. If Yanis Salibur and Yeni Ngbakoto had disappointing campaigns, which reflected in the goals scored tally, the addition of Clement Grenier as a playmaker at Christmas made a big difference, brining a touch of class they previously lacked.
This is a club that is largely stable and is unlikely to see a big overhaul during the summer, though five-goal midfielder Moustapha Diallo will depart. Kombouare, meanwhile, will try to build an improved team on foundations laid by youngster Ludovic Blas and Marcus Thuram, as well as Felix Eboa Eboa and Jordan Ikoko. How Guingamp develop will depend on the progress of such players.
