Standard Liege started the season with high hopes and ambitions under new boss Philip Montanier and the team got off to a pretty decent start, with wins at Beerschot and Charleroi on the road in the first half a dozen games suggesting that there is real potential in this squad.
However, the form of the team started to desert them after the promising start as the autumn months came in and the fixtures started to pile up. Injuries started to beset the squad too and the lack of continuity in the starting 11 became a real worry as Standard went on a run of eight league games without a win.
The lack of a potent and reliable striker was the main problem while the loss of quality defender Zinho Vanheusden to a serious knee injury despite the back line of their best player.
Suddenly, Montanier was struggling to get the team on board and a miserable couple of home losses to Mouscron and Sint Truiden before New Year meant that he was axed.
Former player and assistant coach Mbaye Leye took over for the rest of the season and he quickly managed to refresh things and improve morale in the camp, leading the Liege side to four wins in a row.
He also managed to lead them to the Cup final after difficult wins on the road against Kortrijk and Eupen on the road, and a hard-earned success at home against Club Brugge, but the hopes of silverware and a place in Europe were dashed by a loss to Genk in the final.
The league form remained rather unstable but a strong run in the final few weeks ensured a place in the top eight and six more play-off games. Yet, these proved a total disaster as Standard lost five out of them and by the end the squad resembled a disheveled rabble that played without purpose.
It was thus a hugely demoralising campaign and Leye faces a massive rebuilding job in the summer.
