I have previewed three Ligue 2 matches for subscribers today in what will be the first of eight newsletters scheduled for this weekend. Here are a few snippets from today's notes (some names have been changed/hidden ,but are based on real characters and events !).....

Their budget which was already skinny by Ligue 2 standards was clipped by about 11% heading into last season and with meagre crowds and limited backing, it is hard to see how things will be much better this time round. They have lost a number of key players including favourite son .......

On loan winger Ludovic Genest (29-3-2) who had three goals and an assist in those sole four wins in the last 24 games, has also left. As you might expect, new signings have been firmly low key and within those tight budgetary restraints, but they did show a little original thinking with the addition of two ......

......but he came out of retirement to play for xxxxx this season and had not started a game previously since October 2011. The fact that he has played every minute and has suddenly become "key" gives you some idea of the shortage of quality options for coach.............

We spoke about the visitors last week..... Troyes impressed me at the end of last season in their ultimately fruitless attempt to avoid relegation, when they played with great spirit and attacking intent. Coach Jean Marc Furlan doesn't have a defensive bone in his body and will always be setting up his team to play on the front foot . He is without left back Stephen Drouin (26-0-1 last season), left winger Georges Gope Fenepej, fringe strikers Sébastien Gra and Sega Keita, key central defenders Rincon ( conceded three after he left the pitch at Nimes last week) and Matthieu Saunier, plus defensive midfielder Thiago. That is a lot of missing numbers wise, but many are fringe players, however, they look short in central defence and Caen have the firepower to exploit that and if Caen do take the lead, Furlan will gamble and when Troyes concede, a second or third (or more) goal is always likely to follow.

It was more of the same from them, no sitting on their lead and they took part in a wide open encounter with Caen, which they .......

No new injuries for  Lens who remain without Pierrick Valdivia (31-11-3 .... but have won both starts, scoring six without him this season).

Nimes are fun to watch, they play an open style and they have scored in all six starts, conceding 11 goals in the process. They rely very heavily on Vincent Gragnic (33-17-3 last season and 4-2-2 this), he left the last match with 30 minutes to play and did not feature in the midweek cup game, but is in the squad tonight......

There is a sample long term preview on the GOWI blog and you can also read nine full days of sample newsletters there ( 14 emails in total) from earlier this month, just scroll down to the August 1st copy LINK, to view them in sequence.

Good Luck.