Preview: Pocognoli’s AS Monaco eager to maintain momentum vs Paris FC

Chasing a third straight Ligue 1 win, AS Monaco manager Sébastien Pocognoli addressed the media ahead of Saturday’s clash with Paris FC at the Stade Louis-II.

Paris FC test

Pocognoli was quick to acknowledge the challenge posed by Paris FC’s evolving project but insisted Monaco must dictate proceedings at home and stamp their authority.

“I think this is a team with big ambitions for the medium term, one that will certainly grow little by little and is currently laying the foundations. It’s a team with certain individual and collective qualities that wants to play a style of football specific to Red Bull. They’re trying to develop week by week, and we know what kind of opponent we’ll be facing. My message remains the same: we must focus primarily on ourselves, on our key players, and try to impose our style of play tomorrow,” he shared.

Tactically flexible Teze

Following Jordan Teze’s impressive displays in various positions, Pocognoli highlighted why his versatility has made the 26-year-old such a valuable asset.

“I think Jordan is our most versatile player on the team, and this system allows us to showcase that quality in several players. He fills a lot of boxes; it’s an incredible asset he has in modern football. So we’ll try to manage him well too, because as I said, he’s multi-positional. His best position is certainly as a defensive midfielder, but against Tottenham, he managed to reposition himself on the wing, and in Nantes, he made a good appearance as a left-sided centre-back, so hats off to him in any case,” acknowledged the 39-year-old.

Finding the right balance

Next on the agenda was Pocognoli’s words on finding the right balance between attack and defence following Monaco’s contrasting recent performances, as he spoke insightfully on the topic.

“Every match is different; sometimes the opponent forces us to be more defensive or more offensive. We’ve approached all our matches the same way so far, which is to try and score goals. I think Nantes had some really good individual players, especially Matthis Abline, who had a very high-level game. We depend on that too, and on what we give the opponent,” explained the Belgian.

“Against Nantes, what can explain this scoreline is the fact that we played positively and offensively against a good team, to whom we gave some gifts. Against Toulouse (1-0), we were much more solid defensively. We need to try and find the right balance. In football, however, there are factors that can lead to a scoreline that leans more towards a high-scoring match or a clean sheet.”

Expectations

When asked about his man-management style, he revealed the detailed planning behind each player’s development at Monaco.

“As I told you during my first press conference, I try to have a plan for each player, and this plan includes the tactical and technical aspects, but also the mental and leadership aspects. Everyone knows their plan, and it may evolve as the months go by, but for the moment, I think everyone knows exactly what I expect from them. In any case, we’ll try our best to follow this approach,” commented the shrewd strategist.

“I try to push them to the limits of what’s possible, because otherwise, there can be a feeling of frustration. My role is to analyse what’s logical and feasible, and I try not to make mistakes in that regard. It’s also motivating because it shows them that the staff is attentive not only to the collective aspect but also to the individual, which is dependent on the collective.”

Ouattara’s rise

With Kassoum Ouattara delivering consistently excellent showings across multiple competitions and proving his value, Pocognoli reflected on the 22-year-old’s progression, stating: “I think the confidence factor is also a factor. As I said in the last press conference, we had needs in that position, and Kassoum stepped up. He had an encouraging game in Angers, where he could have also provided an assist, a good game against Tottenham and he could have been decisive against Toulouse, where he almost scored. I think he’s aware of his qualities, of what he can and can’t do, which is also a great quality of his, and he uses his left foot very well.”

Differences between Belgium and France

Upon being quizzed on his experience in Belgian football and the key differences with Ligue 1, his answer made for interesting reading, with him outlining the major factors that separate the two leagues.

“Here, there are no playoffs. In Belgium, you play on weekends for one and a half points because there’s a second league at the end of the year, where teams can start slowly before pushing hard towards the end. In France, that’s not the case; every match is worth three points, and the fact that everyone is so competitive is very positive,” said Pocognoli.

“I expect that around December, we’ll start to see the teams pull away. So it’s up to us to be on the right track, to stick together until the November break, and hopefully, to start this final stretch with the most points.”

Pogba update

Last on the docket was a Paul Pogba update, with Pocognoli discussing the 2018 World Cup winner’s situation in an astute and coherent manner, mentioning: “I’m trying to put things in perspective and focus on the positives, because he’s been waiting so long for this return. Of course he wants to play again, he was ready, but perhaps we’re facing a slightly delayed deadline. The goal was for him to be available in even better shape after the international break, and I hope we can maintain that momentum. Unfortunately, we’re all disappointed, but we have a match to play tomorrow.

“To sum it up, he’s at a good club, with good facilities, with people who believe in him and work every day to get him back on the pitch. He has a support network that’s on the same page, and I think he has a lot of love in France. So there’s no need to look any further; we need to be patient. And as I said, we have to wait for the verdict, which I think and hope won’t be too serious.”

Gunning for three straight

Arriving at this fixture in promising form, having secured consecutive wins for the first time in nearly two months, Monaco will look to maintain that upward trajectory vs a Paris FC side that is not to be underestimated.