Preview: Pocognoli’s AS Monaco set for stern Lens examination

Wanting his team to draw on the confidence gained from their superb collective effort to triumph over Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League, Sébastien Pocognoli attended the pre-match press conference to share his thoughts on this and a range of other topics ahead of their huge upcoming clash with RC Lens.

Injury updates

On the injury front and the physical condition of his players, there was mixed news from the Monaco coach, who gave a rundown of the current state of the squad, stating: “Krépin Diatta is still injured and will therefore be absent. Ansu tested himself yesterday and will test himself again today, but the signs are quite positive. As for Eric, Denis and Vandi, they have resumed training. We’ll have to see how this afternoon’s session goes to determine if they’ll be available. Little by little, some players are returning. Regarding Paul, he won’t be present; we’re hoping for his return for the Rennes match, and that’s still the target date. We’ll see how training goes.

“We play a lot of matches, we don’t have a very large squad, but we have a lot of quality. Some players therefore need to play regularly, and that’s a factor I take into account. Against Paris FC, the players gave their all in that regard. There was another huge amount of effort in Bodø, and it will be the same tomorrow against Lens. There’s that factor I take into account when analysing their successes and failures. Thanks to the run of matches, Kassoum, who hadn’t played much, will become increasingly physically strong, just like Golo and Krépin. We need to find the right balance to avoid overexertion and make wise choices while remaining ambitious.”

Competition for the goalkeeper position

Asked about his goalkeeping options with Lukáš Hradecký on the verge of returning, Pocognoli praised Philipp Köhn and the competition within his squad while confirming his plans for the Lens fixture.

“As I said after Bodø, Philipp played a good match. At the start of the season, he wasn’t the number one goalkeeper, but he had to adapt to this new status quickly because of Lukáš’ injury. During that time, he did well. Meanwhile, Lukáš is gradually returning to form; he’ll rejoin the national team, where I hope he’ll get some playing time to regain his rhythm,” he explained.

“Once everything is clearer, we’ll analyse the situation again, but I don’t want to talk about it right now because we have a match tomorrow against Lens where Philipp will be No. 1 and Yann No. 2. For the moment, it’s working well. We also have two very talented young players, who I think will bring good things to the club’s future. We’re fortunate to have four good goalkeepers who push each other in training, which is a positive thing.”

System

Quizzed about his preference for a back three system, it was interesting to hear the Belgian boss outline the reasoning behind his approach.

“When I use a formation, it depends on the strengths of the current team but also on whether everyone is available. I think it’s important for a coach to have his ideas, but he has to adapt to the available players. As I’ve already said, I’m fortunate now, and certainly in the future, to have a squad at my disposal that can play both in this system and with a back four,” he told the media.

“Within the chosen system, there are multiple ways to implement it, and we’re focused on that because I believe it’s what suits the team best. We can always adapt over time depending on injuries and player profiles, but I’m fortunate to have a fairly hybrid squad, which gives me a lot of options.”

Fighting spirit

Reflecting on Monaco’s recent victory in Norway, Pocognoli highlighted the mental fortitude his side displayed in challenging circumstances, asserting: “There was the expected reaction after the Paris FC match in a difficult away game. Bodø had indeed lost few European matches until then. This match had all the makings of a major test due to the distance, the travel, the artificial pitch, the quality of the opposition and the strengths of our squad. If you don’t have a strong mentality going there, you know you’re in for a tough match. Obviously, we struggled because the opposing team had very good qualities, but nothing happens by chance.

“If we were able to secure these three points, it’s thanks to the team spirit shown both on and off the pitch with the staff and our supporters. This is a match we can rely on to show the group they can do it. The goal is to repeat this performance, regardless of the opponent and whether we’re playing at home or away. We need to try to maintain this spirit in every match. If we managed it in Bodø, we must strive to establish the same foundation consistently.”

Solidarity

Team unity has been a recurring theme under Pocognoli, and he spoke on the progress made while acknowledging there’s still work to be done.

“There’s already a great sense of solidarity, but I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement. We’re just at the beginning, I hope, even though it depends on the players. I have a philosophy where I’ve made it clear that the team comes before the individual and that we shouldn’t rely on one or two players. Everyone has been getting playing time since I arrived, which reinforces this mindset where everyone has a chance,” commented the 39-year-old.

“It’s not just that; there are also the meetings and the energy I put into it with my staff. It’s an important process. I arrived mid-season, so I had little time to work on that and on tactics. We’re currently focused more on preparation and recovery training. We’re trying to find the right balance and make an impact with images and videos, while being clear about what we’re asking for and maintaining a certain level of rigour.”

Lens

Turning his attention to Saturday’s opponents, the astute tactician showed respect for third-placed Lens while making clear Monaco must deliver a complete performance to claim the points.

“Lens is a great club with a fantastic atmosphere. They’re a physically strong team with a system we know well. They have good players and a quality coach, so I expect a tough match tomorrow. We’ll need to find some consistency in the positive aspects we’ve shown. We haven’t always been able to do that because of our fitness. We used up one of our chances against Paris, so we’ll have to give it our all against Lens to try and make up for those lost points,” shared Pocognoli.

Fati’s form

The conversation then turned to Ansu Fati’s form, as he discussed the individual attention he gives to help not just Fati but all the players reach their peak.

“There’s no real drought, strictly speaking. I just want him to have a great season. We’re going to work on that to get him back to his best. Whether it’s for him or any other player, the plan is the same: we try to get the most out of everyone. I try to have a meeting with each player. Sometimes it can be impromptu meetings on the field, after practice, for five or ten minutes, to talk and explain,” he said.

“I think everything is pretty clear at the moment; they understand where we want to go. I prioritise this aspect of communication in my daily life. I was a player, and I think it’s important to have a certain connection to know where we’re going and how we can manage things.”

Time for action

With the international break looming, Monaco will be fully determined to secure a statement win vs Lens in their desire to push up the Ligue 1 table.