On a night where AS Monaco led many key attacking metrics yet suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to Paris FC, it was fascinating to hear the post-match thoughts of Sébastien Pocognoli and Paul Pogba.
Pocognoli’s reflections
Upon reflecting after this disappointing loss, Pocognoli provided a measured and concise analysis of how things panned out.
“It’s not for lack of warning about the difficulty of the match against Paris FC, because I knew we were going to be tested mentally. We faced a team in good form with a very effective system of play, and we paid the price today. At the same time, our good run of form may have given us too much confidence, and starting the match by conceding three goals in 20 minutes makes me realise that we weren’t paying attention to the plan we had in place this week. We started with an intensity that was out of line with what we’ve been doing in recent weeks,” he explained.
“This had already happened against Marseille, but we didn’t pay the price. Conceding so many goals in such a short time is definitely due to a lack of mental preparation; I kept repeating it all week, but it’s clear we fell short in that area. We did pick ourselves up well in the last 25 minutes of the first half, creating several chances that could have given us more hope, but we missed the opportunity that Paris FC had managed earlier.”
With this unfortunate result snapping Les Monegasques’ streak of seven consecutive Ligue 1 victories and also ending their 10-game unbeaten series, his view on their purple patch being over made for intriguing reading.
“Everything we’ve achieved has been through hard work and dedication. We had a fantastic run and were certainly the best team in France and Europe these past few weeks. It was bound to end at some point, but I wouldn’t have wanted it to end like this. We just need to learn the reasons for this success and this sudden end and then continue working next week to be ready mentally, physically and tactically to play against Auxerre,” asserted the former Union Saint-Gilloise coach.
The next question posed to Pocognoli was if he believed his side was a bit too slow and ponderous in possession. He answered in emphatic fashion, stating: “Yes, there was plenty of space because PFC pressed us high up the pitch. This created a numerical advantage, but we failed to capitalise on it in the first 25 minutes. At the same time, our confidence dropped, but the chances we did create were by breaking through those lines, like Balo’s goal. We played according to our prepared game plan, but not at the start.”
Attention inevitably shifted to Paul Pogba, and the 38-year-old tactician outlined the reasoning behind him being granted some action.
“There’s a physical aspect to managing the group. We see what’s happening in training, and against a deep-lying defence, I think Paul has the ability to bring that technical touch and a spark. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal five minutes after he came on, which changed our plans. We’re happy to see our injured players back,” he said.
Pogba’s debrief
It was then 2018 World Cup winner Paul Pogba’s turn to give his opinion on how the contest unfolded from his perspective, and he too was full of insight, commenting: “Disappointed with the result, but we played against a team that was ready today, and that hurt us, especially at the start of the match. We tried to push forward, to score, we created chances, but we missed our opportunity today. We have to learn from our mistakes. And on a personal level, it’s always good to be back on the pitch and try to help my team.”
Receiving a warm welcome when he entered the pitch as a second-half substitute, Pogba’s reaction underlined how special this was when asked on the subject.
“It warmed my heart. Of course, I was focused on my own game, but I heard their messages clearly, and it was really nice. Right now, I’m feeling good. I was with the group, and now I’m trying to get some playing time and get back in shape for the matches; that’s the most important thing. I think it will come with time. We were on a really good run, and it’s tough to come in and play straight away when the team is doing well. I’m here to help the club as much as possible until the end of the season,” insisted the Frenchman.
Lastly, when quizzed if he’s ready to be a starter, it was interesting to hear his reply, with him clearly here for the team whenever he’s called on.
“I always have to be ready. If I’m here, I think the coach knows I’m ready to play. Now, it’ll depend on him, whether he wants to play me (laughs) and whether I’m good enough! Do I feel capable of playing 90 minutes as early as next week? That’s the goal! A football match is 90 minutes, and my objective is to be ready to play that full time. Today I played much more than last time; we’re building up our fitness, and training sessions are also taken into account to be ready for 90 minutes,” acknowledged Pogba.
Eyes on
With ASM now sitting seventh after this setback, it’s imperative they respond next week vs AJ Auxerre to get their Champions League qualification push back on track.
