25/26 Season Preview #1: Angers SCO
With few notable arrivals, Angers SCO are likely facing another tough battle to stay in Ligue 1 McDonald's -- learn more about the Breton side in the first of our series of team-by-team previews.
Last season:
Back in Ligue 1 McDonald's following a second place finish in Ligue 2 BKT, little was expected of Le Sco under Alexandre Dujeux, and that looked to be borne out as the team needed nine matchdays to record their first win, and languished near the bottom three for much of the season. They eventually avoided relegation comfortably and also notably made a run to the quarterfinals of the Coupe de France.
The coach:
Alexandre Dujeux will surely be viewed as something of a dinosaur, having been a defender in the lower leagues for most of his career, but the results he pulled off last season mean that just may be a shortsighted view. Despite a squad that was hardly strengthened, he recovered from a poor start to help the team avoid relegation by playing a prosaic style of football with just enough attacking flair.
Key arrivals:
It's been another typically parsimonious offseason for Angers and their only arrivals of note have been Louis Mouton (AS Saint-Étienne) and Hervé Koffi (RC Lens) -- the latter on loan. With Yahia Fofana still expected to depart, Koffi will add a much-needed level of experience in goal, while Mouton's combative style will add a bit of backbone to the team's midfield.
Key departures:
While Angers haven't see the departure on the likes of a Karl Toko Ekambi or a Mohamed Ali-Cho this season, they'll surely miss the creative flair of Farid El-Melali, and the midfield presence of the veteran Jean-Eudes Aholou. Beyond those two, Ibrahima Niane flattered to deceive and Zinedine Ferhat failed to recapture his strong play from his time at Nîmes.
Likely MVP:
Esteban Lepaul was impressive at every turn for Angers last season, scoring nine goals in just eighteen league starts. With a fresh contract extension signed in June, there's no doubting his primacy in the club's outlook, despite his having struggled with fitness last season. Having signed from Epinal for just €150k last January, he is worth many times that amount at present, and will be looked upon as the team's focal point this season.
Young player to watch:
The departure of Aholou is somewhat of a surprise, but it also underscores the club's confidence in Marius Courcoul. Still just 18, he made eight appearance in Ligue 1 McDonald's last season, including three starts. displaying his intelligence with the ball at his feet at every turn. While the arrival of Mouton is surely competition, Courcoul is undoubtedly the most promising player in this team.
Remember when...
Angers are probably best-known for two impressive feats, given their means and history. The first is the 2015/16 season, when the promoted side stunned the league with one of the division's best defences. Occupying third place as late as Matchday 23, they would eventually finish eighth, but notable results included a scoreless home draw with PSG and an away win against Marseille. The following season saw them reach the final of the Coupe de France, where they cruelly lost to the capital side on an own goal in added time.
Cult hero: cheikh n'doye
Despite not receiving his first international cap until the age of 28, N'Doye managed to appear 30 times for Senegal, just reward for a long (and still going) career. Joining Angers from Créteil after the former's promotion in the 2014/15 season, he was a stalwart for two seasons, scoring more than a dozen goals from midfield, a combative aerial presence at every turn. Still playing for AS Cannes at 39, N'Doye was the perfect embodiment of a team willing to go toe-to-toe with any top flight opponent.
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