Metz finished the season as deserving Ligue 2 champions. The Lorraine outfit built a very strong side over the course of the summer, having been relegated from Ligue 1 a year ago.
From the outset, they were the team to beat, recording a 1-0 victory away to Brest that would grow increasingly impressive as the campaign went on. They won all of their opening seven fixtures in the league, scoring plenty of goals in the process. Although there was the occasional hiccup before Christmas, they were well clear at the top by that point.
Head coach Frederic Antonetti then went on leave for personal reasons, with Vincent Hognon taking over. Thereafter, Metz did not carry themselves with quite as much confidence and there was definitely less panache to their play. High-scoring wins became few and far between, with the number of draws increasing. However, the start they had made to the season was enough to get them over the line.
Metz were classy in every area of their squad this season, underpinned by a strong defensive line in which Stoppila Sunzu was a key addition. Thomas Delaine proved a shrewd pick up early in the campaign from Paris FC at left-back.
While the defence did not change greatly throughout the campaign, there was more flexibility in the midfield, where the experience of Renaud Cohade was the most telling factor. Alongside him, Mamadou Fofana had a solid campaign, while Habib Maiga, who spent the first half of the season injured, was a more box-to-box presence.
Perhaps the key signing was Farid Boulaya, who was back to his best after serious injury. He provided a creative spark, especially early in the campaign. While Habib Diallo excelled with 26 goals, the 10-goal contribution of youngster Ibrahima Niane meant that Metz had flexibility and depth to their attacking options. Emmanuel Riviere, meanwhile, was one of their few disappointments.
Back in Ligue 1, Metz may feel they need to supplement their squad in several areas to compete over the course of a season, and their success may hinge upon whether Antonetti returns or not; Hognon is liable to be out of his depth.
