Analysis: Masterful Mika Biereth propels AS Monaco to smashing win vs. Auxerre
Having scored his first goal for AS Monaco last weekend vs. Rennes, Mika Biereth backed up that brilliantly by bagging a scintillating hat-trick against Auxerre, in what was an outstanding man of the match performance by the 21-year-old.
Given the nod over Breel Embolo due to him being ineligible for their Champions League clash with Inter Milan, the Danish youth international came up big when his team needed him to propel ASM to a crucial triumph.
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Indeed, his electric quickfire triple, which came within eight second-half minutes, ensured Monaco regained the lead and then granted them a valuable buffer to see out the game.
Putting his clinical finishing skills to great use on his way to scoring his treble from a total XG of just 0.67, his goals underlined emphatically why ASM were so keen to bring him in, for he parlayed finesse, placement, athleticism and instincts marvelously.
To start with his first goal, and the way he began his run on the blindside of his marker before then diagonally surging in behind saw him gain the separation he needed to latch onto Embolo’s through ball to finish with aplomb.
His second was just as impressive, as he again showcased his astute movement while attentively reading the ball’s flight to redirect Caio Henrique’s sublime cross into the back of the net. How he remained balanced and had the concentration and coordination to use the power from the delivery to guide his shot home deserved special mention.
Then, for his third, he coolly slotted home after capitalising on some smart approach play by Embolo.
“I’m very happy. My teammates put me in an ideal position every time, and I almost only had to push the ball into the back of the net. Everything worked out well,” Biereth reflected.
“I’m really happy, because I’m a striker and that’s what I like to do, score. I’m already looking ahead to our next matches. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my qualities. And then when you join a team like AS Monaco with great players, who give you such good balls in good positions, you just have to concentrate on putting the ball in the back of the net.”
His display was about far more than just his goals, however, for his intelligent positional sense, slick dovetailing with his teammates, tidy work in possession and determined defensive exertions really elevated his menace.
So clever with his movement and awake to gaps to exploit, Biereth was a constant thorn in the side of Auxerre with his shrewd drops deep, expertly timed depth runs and dynamic surges into the area.
Moreover, how he smoothly rotated with his fellow attackers, which was made easier due to ASM’s front four typically being within close proximity to one another, compounded issues for the AJA backline.
The way he occupied more right-of-centre areas after Embolo came on was important to note, as he coalesced especially nicely with the Swiss international striker and livewire Maghnes Akliouche, with his harmonising with the former notably being key towards two of his goals.
He added this on operating alongside Embolo up front: “I have already played in this system with two strikers when I played at Sturm Graz. And then I admit that it is necessarily easier when you have a player like Breel next to you. He showed all his qualities by coming in, in particular by bringing the ball up and systematically watching my runs, he is really a great player!
“On the fourth goal, he was even super team-oriented by letting me have the ball, given that I was well positioned. So I have to thank him for that! Everyone saw that he was not unrelated to me scoring a hat-trick. He really made a great entrance, a very good job, and I am very grateful that he gave me two assists.”
Also doing a nifty job of pinning and drawing markers to generate space for others and performing opposite movements with colleagues, this increased his menace.
Providing a terrific target and a fine reference point, Biereth’s strength and size saw him offer himself as an ideal outlet for long balls or to hold the ball up with his back to goal when checking towards the ball.
Being near to his offensive partners in crime was also vital towards him being able to engage in some crisp combination play in close quarters to speed up attacks and cause extra dilemmas for Auxerre.
His passing qualities also rose to the fore in the form of some incisive through balls and crosses to amplify his impact in the final third.
Active and involved in all phases, there was no doubting his influence was keenly felt on the defensive end too, where he pressed aggressively, supported teammates and was fierce in the challenge.
By the numbers, his seven touches inside the box, four shots, two shot assists and five successful defensive actions aptly depicted what a wonderful night at the office he had.
“He came from an Austrian club, Sturm Graz, so I have a good connection with him (smiles) and he is also a fantastic lad in the dressing room! He showed us today that he is a real finisher and he didn’t only score easy goals, it’s in his nature,” explained Adi Hutter.
“He likes to run and fight for the ball, he’s making a real impact at the moment with his four goals in three games. He’s not selfish, he combines with his teammates. He’s really special and he’s adapting well, but now there are several games coming up – he has to stay focused.”
Hitting the ground running superbly since joining in January from Sturm Graz, it’s been hugely encouraging how quickly he’s settled in at AS Monaco.
Already on four goals and one assist from just 315 minutes of action in all competitions, he’s been a major boost for Monaco going forward.
Both he and all associated with the club will now be hoping he can keep up his momentum in what will be a hectic second half of the season. With a massive Ligue 1 match against Paris Saint-Germain on Friday and the colossal play-off tie vs. Benfica in the Champions League on the horizon, Biereth’s set to be a tremendous asset for Hutter’s men in these crunch fixtures.
Excitingly expect more to come from the gifted marksman, who should only keep improving as he further assimilates into life at Monaco and develops his relationships with his new teammates.
While it’s still early days, all the signs are extremely positive that the man who became the first ASM player to score a hat-trick in Ligue 1 since Wissam Ben Yedder in January 2023 can go on to enjoy a long and successful spell in the Principality.