AS Monaco: Hutter’s team ready for Montpellier challenge
AS Monaco coach Adi Hutter shared his thoughts and discussed many interesting topics ahead of his team’s Ligue 1 clash with Montpellier, in a match that notably marks the club’s Centenary.
Defensive improvement
To kick things off when talking about this upcoming fixture that Les Monegasques will be looking to triumph in to celebrate the occasion, the Austrian tactician insightfully spoke on the defensive progress.
Advertising
“Before the start of the season, I had already answered this question by saying that we are focusing more on our defensive work. The team is doing very well at the moment and we are defending better than last year, regardless of whether we change some players in defence. It is a progression on that side, I am happy with that,” he insisted.
“We spent time on it during the pre-season, including analysis work. Now, I have the feeling that everyone is defending better and working in the same direction. It’s not just the defenders’ job because if you look at offensive players like Eliesse or Maghnes, they are very involved in this task.”
He then added this on the brilliant Wilfried Singo: “Everyone has an important place in this group. Honestly, I think he was our best defender last season, but there is competition today. Mohammed for example is very strong, as is Thilo, who is a key player. Christian is also very talented. We have four players in this central defender position and everyone is capable of having a positive impact and Wilfried showed it last weekend. For the next three games, we will not have the same defence.”
Squad rotation
The next topic on the agenda was dealing with needing to rotate the squad to manage the busy schedule and ensure the players don’t suffer burnout.
“This is the challenge of the start of the season. We knew that we were going to have a lot of matches and that there would be significant rotation. This was particularly the case on Sunday against Le Havre because we had played three days earlier. The recovery and preparation period was therefore very short. We had to fight a little after the equaliser and we could not find the keys to take the lead, but the substitutes were able to make the difference,” stated Hutter.
“I am very happy that George, against Barcelona, and Eliesse, against Le Havre, scored to take the lead. As I told my players, ‘It doesn’t matter if you only play five or fifteen minutes because you can still be decisive’. Everyone understood that because they know the club’s objectives this season. It is true that everyone has the capacity to play every three days, but the question is mainly how. That’s why I think it’s a good idea to rotate.”
Goalkeeping situation
The form of Philipp Kohn and the return to fitness of Radoslaw Majecki was then covered by Hutter, with the ASM boss set to face a tough decision on whether to bring back the Pole or stick with the Swiss international in the goalkeeper position. “I think since Philipp has been back in goal he has done a very good job and there has been improvement in some areas. We are happy with him and we know he is there when we need him to make a save. He is developing very well,” he commented.
“He (Majecki) is back with the team and is fully training with Frederic De Boever. I am also watching him to know his fitness and when he will be at 100%. We have three games coming up this week and I am fully focused on that.”
Montpellier’s threats
With Montpellier eager to build on their first victory of the season last time out, the conversation turned to the key threats they pose that Monaco will need to be wary of. “They will be dangerous, especially with Teji Savanier, who is for me one of the best set-piece players in the championship. He knows how to be decisive, as he was last week against Auxerre. Akor Adams is also a good striker. We will have to be careful with the transitions. We are fully focused on Montpellier because they are a good team, but if we play at our level, we should win this match,” he said.
Centenary awaits
The Centenary celebrations will certainly be a crucial element of the encounter too, as all associated with the club will be looking for a win to mark this milestone.
“We are happy to have the Centenary match against Montpellier. As you can imagine, celebrating the 100th anniversary of this magnificent club is a great event. Several former players and coaches will be present for the occasion. We can be proud to be part of it. We will have to be careful to be fully focused on this match. Le Havre were a good example on Sunday because we had to fight in the first half before playing better in the second. We will have to be ready on Saturday from kick-off in order to win for these celebrations,” Hutter explained.
Undefeated and joint-top of the league standings, expect Hutter’s team to come out swinging to keep up their momentum and secure the victory they crave on what will be a special night at the Stade Louis II.