Analysis: Adingra masterclass propels AS Monaco to victory over Nantes

Simon Adingra delivered a statement performance as AS Monaco secured an emphatic 3-1 victory over FC Nantes, in what was an exceptional Man of the Match display by the Ivorian.

From the first whistle, Adingra was lively from his left wing post, on a night where he grasped his opportunity to start on his home debut in fine style. Consistently causing problems for his direct opponent, Fabien Centonze, and the Nantes defence in general, Adingra’s dribbling wizardry, clinical finishing and clever movement were a constant menace.

To begin with his finishing, and his goals were superbly taken, with his first owing to his sharp anticipation and reading of the play to react smartly to the rebound to slot home, while his second was all about his intelligent run in behind and sublime strike that parlayed power and finesse, which saw him expertly open up his body before finding the back of the net with aplomb.

Firmly seizing control of the contest for Monaco with his quickfire brace, his impact was unmistakable and emphatically repaid the faith of his manager to hand him a start.

While his double drew the headlines, his work in possession was just as influential, for he was especially electric on the dribble. He mixed brilliant stepovers and feints with sudden bursts of acceleration, with him wickedly changing pace and direction to enjoy an edge. Cutting infield was a serious weapon of his as always, with his quick shifts onto his stronger side allowing him to gain separation in a flash.

Direct and fearless under pressure, he was a real nightmare to contain in 1v1s particularly.

Then, in terms of his movement, his usual high and wide position stretched the Nantes backline both horizontally and vertically and pinned his full-back, which notably opened lanes for runners inside.

His link-up with Caio Henrique and Aleksandr Golovin was excellent too, with him dovetailing astutely with his colleagues to manipulate the Nantes rearguard and create space for one another.

Inside the area, his positioning was crafty and instinctive. He repeatedly attacked the blindside of defenders, timing his runs well and showing strong judgement in his decision-making when to move.

On the ball, his passing was clean, crisp and tidy, for he kept possession moving quickly to ensure attacks flowed, which gave extra value to his overall contribution.

By the numbers, his eight touches inside the box, four shots and four successful dribbles aptly underlined his offensive nuisance.

Striking a delighted figure afterwards, the Sunderland loanee, who joined the Premier League outfit for £18 million last summer from Brighton & Hove Albion, was rightfully happy with his body of work.

“It’s very satisfying. It was a crucial match for us, especially to boost our confidence going into the next game against Paris Saint-Germain, because tonight, by showing great solidarity, we managed to hold onto the victory. It’s a complete performance that comes at the perfect time, before a big European clash against the defending champions,” he explained.

“The players helped me a lot to settle in quickly. It’s a great group, they guided me and that made things easier. Also, I knew Ansu Fati a little because I’d already played with him at Brighton and he was a great support to me throughout this process.”

He then added this on his dribbling: “That’s definitely one of my strengths. If I’m here at AS Monaco, it’s also to contribute my expertise. Technical skills and taking initiative are part of that! I feel good, and it was very important to get back into the rhythm by playing a series of matches. I’m grateful that the coach, Sébastien Pocognoli, is giving me this opportunity.”

His coach was full of praise for him and also made a point of saying what an asset he is to the squad. “It’s not surprising, because I know him very well, and I really pushed for his signing because his versatility was a major asset given the number of absences in the squad. That was the number one argument, and when Simon appeared on the list of available players, I said he was very interesting because he can play on the right, on the left, in support of the striker or as a wing-back. Today, in a match where we dominated, we were able to see all his attacking qualities, so I’m very happy with his performance, also defensively,” insisted the Belgian.

“Against Nice, he was much more involved in covering play, acting as a wing-back because we had less of the ball. Defensively, he had already given a lot for the team, so I’m satisfied once again. I’m pleased with his daily commitment; he was immediately integrated by his teammates because he radiates a lot of positive energy. I think Wout (Faes) also contributed in this match. So it’s very good for the competition and for team cohesion.”

Having produced a shift packed with promise and upside, the 24-year-old will now be fully focused on carrying that level into the colossal upcoming UEFA Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, where his unique attributes and game-changing capacity could prove vital to Monaco’s hopes of overcoming the reigning champions.