Reaction: Pocognoli and Camara understandably frustrated with forgettable loss to Brest

Defeated 1–0 at Brest, AS Monaco coach Sébastien Pocognoli voiced his frustration after a clash where the Red and Whites created chances but couldn’t break through. Caught out early and stifled by a solid Brest side who were shorthanded for the final 30 minutes, his disappointment was evident in the post-match press conference.

Pocognoli’s analysis

Cutting a dejected figure when speaking afterwards, the Belgian tactician described proceedings in a measured manner.

“I think the players fought hard and gave their all from the first minute to the last. We lacked technical precision and quality in front of goal. The first half was evenly matched; we created some good opportunities against a deep-lying Brest defence, even though they pressed us high up the pitch. We managed to break through their lines as we intended to do to create chances. With a one-man advantage, we hoped to create more opportunities, but that wasn’t the case. So, it’s inevitably disappointing,” he said.

“It wasn’t the wind’s fault because we played mostly on the ground. The performance was below our expectations, but I take away some positives from the collective attitude; the players didn’t give up and weren’t resigned. We then rushed things to get the ball in the right place at the end and lost our structure. I don’t have much to say about their effort; they tried to implement what we wanted to do, but we lacked the finishing touch. The way we conceded the goal is also disappointing because we’ve been focused on that this week.”

Final-third struggles

Next up was his take on the team’s lack of creativity and efficiency, as they produced an expected goals reading of just 0.60 from 10 shots – only two of which were on target. This was far from ideal given they had 59% possession and played with an extra man for more than 30 minutes.

“They know how to do it; they’ve already proven it in other matches. Perhaps there were fewer balls in the area of ​​the pitch where creativity can happen. You really need to be able to find those players, and we lacked precision. We sometimes built up play with three players to stretch Brest’s lines, but we could have done it without them. The lines were shortened; you need patience and courage in those situations, and we weren’t able to do that. On the few occasions when we succeeded, perhaps we weren’t efficient enough,” he lamented.

He then added this on his attackers specifically, commenting: “It’s difficult to say because against Paris, they played a decent game in terms of creativity, especially in the second half. We’re trying to be a bit more consistent and clinical in front of goal, but our instability in attack isn’t helping. However, we have enough quality to create more chances today and score that first goal. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case today.”

Captain Akliouche

Pocognoli then praised Maghnes Akliouche’s maturity and development, explaining that the decision to hand him the captain’s armband was part of a broader strategy to empower emerging leaders within the squad.

“His performance was independent of the fact that he wore the armband. We have a group of captains, and Maghnes is one of them. It made sense because we’re trying to build responsibilities for the next generation. Lukáš (Hrádecký) wouldn’t have been a bad captain, but I think for the long-term commitment, it was the right time for Maghnes. He had a good attitude, and his footballing qualities aren’t tied to this responsibility. We naturally expect more from some players, but the team gave its all,” insisted the 38-year-old.

Camara’s debrief

Exceptionally talented midfielder Lamine Camara also offered his thoughts following the loss, with his words echoing the sentiments of his manager.

“I’d say we started the match well today. Brest’s defence was solid against us, and we weren’t able to create any clear-cut chances. We need to focus more because after playing so well against Paris, not being able to replicate that performance is disappointing. We need to correct things,” asserted Camara.

“We train hard together every day. We know we still need to improve and get the team back to where it belongs. Right now, it’s difficult, and we’re going to talk amongst ourselves and with the coach to quickly correct what we’re lacking. We’re dropping points that could cost us at the end of the season, so we need to bounce back quickly, even though there are still many matches left. We need to have confidence in ourselves, and a podium finish remains the objective, so we’re going to do everything we can to turn things around, because that’s where AS Monaco belongs.”

The Senegalese star expressed his opinion on the impact of Pocognoli since he arrived too, stating: “We’re all professionals, of course there’s been a positive impact, and we see it every day alongside him. The team adapted quickly to his principles, and the problem is us, the players. We need to correct these mistakes, and we’re going to do it quickly. Everyone needs to be more demanding of themselves, and we’ll move forward together.”

Response needed

In light of this underwhelming and unconvincing night at the office, attention now turns to the hugely challenging upcoming tests vs Galatasaray and Marseille, where Pocognoli and his staff will be fully focused on ensuring Monaco prevail in both encounters.