Football Season Guide

Laval were the surprise package of last season as they spent much of the campaign looking likely to achieve a promotion playoff spot before slumping late in the term. The goal will be to arrest that form as rapidly as possible and rediscover their strengths. Lorient were highly efficient last season when at their best. They thrived from set pieces, in which they used their aerial qualities to worry opponents. In particular, Malik Tchokounte shone. Similarly, they were a dangerous side in transition, with Junior Kadile and Jordan Tell key in these situations. At the back, meanwhile, they were largely solid and organised, with Thibaut Vargas providing a strong thrust down the right of the field in an attacking sense while Amin Cherni was similarly threatening on the left. Laval have lost a couple of their key components from last season. Antonin Bobichon was their key set piece taker while loan player Remy Labeau Lascary was excellent on the break. Meanwhile, Pablo Pagis was one of their key creative forces after joining from Lorient. Malik Sellouki has arrived from Den Haag as a creative force in the centre of the field, but there is no doubt that Laval go into this season weaker in numbers (at least) in this regard. Sellouki registered five goals in the Dutch second tier last term and will need to improve on that figure for Laval. Sochaux attacker Kevin Zohi, meanwhile, should fit in with what Laval tried to do last term quite nicely, though eight goals in the third tier last season is not exactly a glowing endorsement of a striker who has never hit double figures. The defence, meanwhile, has been made more robust by the arrival of William Bianda from Belgian football and Williams Kokolo from Swindon, though the latter is liable to be a backup.