Angers were very pleased with their three points and four goals at Istres and now get their home season underway with a League Cup match with Lens. Ahead of the Friday night victory I wrote ...."Angers have been top seven in four of the last five years and were top three last season with six rounds to play and are targeting another push at a promotion spot.  They have lost Claudiu Keserü ( 30-17-2) which is obviously a huge loss and Férébory Doré (34-3-6) has also left, they had already signed Khaled Ayari (14-4-0 ) in the January transfer window to play in that secondary striker role and were pleased with him, so the loss of Doré should have less impact. Experienced striker Jérémy Blayac ( 21-6-1 for Tours lasts season in an injury hit campaign, he scored nine the previous season) has joined and with playmaker Alharbi El Jadeyaoui (34-4-10) who had the most Ligue 2 assists last season still at the club, he will get a lot of chances to add to that tally this season. They also signed left winger Ludovic Gamboa (29-9-5) from Laval and I am very keen on him, to contribute to 14 goals in a team who only missed relegation by two points, from just 29 starts, is an incredible return. Despite the loss of Keserü, I like this Angers team, especially if they keep El Jadeyaoui, who I understand is being courted by a couple of clubs. However, that need not worry us today, as he is in the squad, if they did keep him and Blayac had an injury free, or largely injury free campaign, the 30 yo striker could have a huge year. Three of last year's top 4 Ligue 2 strikers were with promoted clubs and something similar to Keserü's tally could win the top goalscorer award this time round."

To score four on the road without Keserü and El Jadeyaoui (who remained on the bench) was a huge boost, incredibly ,the Moroccan midfielder is in London, on a two week trial with Arsenal, so is not in the squad and unlikely to play again for Angers, with a couple of Ligue 1 teams waiting in the wings if the Gunners do not take up the option. He would be a long term loss of course, but they would have money to play with in the transfer market and it should not make too much difference this evening. Only 19 yo midfielder Sofiane Boufal is missing from the starting eleven against Istres, he was replaced after an hour by Charles Diers, who looks likely to start this evening. Angers have gone with the following squad (players in bold type started the last fixture)...

Angers: Alexandre Letellier, Grégory Malicki ,Arnold Bouka Moutou, Jérémy Henin, Djibril Konate, Vincent Manceau, Romain Thomas ,  Charles Diers, Rayan Frikeche, Ludovic Gamboa, Diego Gomez, Ismaël Keita, Pape Macou Sarr, Jonas Pessalli,  Khaled Ayari, Jérémy Blayac

Lens also won their opener 1-0 at home to newly promoted CA Bastia on Sunday, which means two days less recovery time and they start their season, where promotion hopes are high, with three matches inside six days, they face a tough looking trip to Dijon at the weekend, which should be their priority and are clearly looking to make more rotation than the hosts....

Lens: Alphonse Areola, Rudy Riou ; Ludovic Baal, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Ahmed Kantari, Loïck Landre, Nicolas Saint-Ruf ; Wylan Cyprien, Pierre Ducasse, Lalaina Nomenjanahary, Edgar Salli, Pierrick Valdivia ; Jérémie Bela, Pablo Chavarria, Adamo Coulibaly, Dème Ndiaye, Yoann Touzghar.

Patrick Fradj is injured and new coach Antoine Kombouaré has chosen to leave Jérôme Le Moigne, Danjiel Ljuboja and Alaeddine Yahia behind in Lens, that trio are three of the only four outfield players aged 30 +, which I do not think is a coincidence, it is probably wise, but robs them of a lot of experience. The visitors are a very big club by Ligue 2 standards, 27,377 watched their first game of the season ( under 1,000 were at Istres !) and they have to put in a strong promotion push this time round, the cup will surely be low priority, which looks the case judging by the squad they have named and I have to take a little on the hosts. 1.25 units Angers -0.5 ball 2.20-2.25 general quote.

Good Luck.