Preview #6: Angers SCO
Our team-by-team preview of the Ligue 1 McDonald's season continues with Angers SCO.
Last season:
Despite failing to win any of their final nine matches, relegation was never a worry under Alexandre Dujeux, the former academy manager impressing as he had throughout his tenure with a cobbled-together side that took the losses of players like Sidiki Cherif, Himad Abdelli and Esteban Lepaul in stride. Despite scoring just 29 goals -- joint-worst in the division, Le SCO avoided the drop by four points,
The coach: Stéphane Gilli
Dismissed by Paris FC with the club mired in a relegation scrap, Gilli's reputation will have hardly improved given the team's subsequent dramatic upturn under Antoine Kombouaré. That said, having led the capital side to promotion with relatively limited means, his fiery character may prove a good fit at the Stade Raymond Kopa.
Key arrivals
Like many other clubs in French football -- the likes of Brest and Marseille key among them, Angers haven't had many incomings this summer, but they areas in which they have added have been canny given their means. Branco van den Boomen has signed permanently on a three-year deal, while Anthony Lopes brings experience to goal while former Guingamp striker Amine El Ouazzani will offer a burly presence in the box after joining on loan from Braga.
Key departures
While the dressing room will miss the veteran duo of Pierrick Capelle -- the last player remaining from Angers' promotion in 2015 and Abdoulaye Bamba, the pair having played more than 500 combined matches for Le SCO, the bigger absence will be in goal. There were understandably some nerves after the sale of Yahia Fofana last summer, but Hervé Koffi, in on loan from Lens, more than made up for the Ivorian's departure. Lopes is a fine veteran replacement, but Koffi's importance can't be understated.
remember when...
An impressive team upon their promotion under Stéphane Moulin in 2015, Le SCO were the hipster favorites of the division for much of the middle of the last decade. While they never finished higher than ninth in their first season after winning promotion, the following campaign saw them make a run to the final of the Coupe de France. Facing Paris Saint-Germain, they battled the capital side hard, only to be cruelly undone by a stoppage time own goal from Issa Cissokho.
cult hero: Cheikh N'Doye
Despite only playing two seasons for Le SCO, there's little doubting the impression the powerful midfielder made for the Bretons. A massive aerial threat as well as being pacy and canny with the ball at his feet, scoring 14 goals in his first two seasons with the club. A return on loan in 2018/19 was less successful, but there's little doubting the importance of his play to the team's immediate success on promotion under Moulin.
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