AS Monaco conceded their seventh defeat in eight Ligue 1 matches at the hands of promoted Lorient (1-3) as the Principality club were further distanced in the race for Europe.
Friday night’s game at a sparsely populated Stade Louis II officially marked the second half of the Ligue 1 season. “The first half of the season leaves us a big margin to do better in the second,” said Sébastien Pocognoli pre-match. There remains a big margin, one insurmountable to make up for lost time and secure European competition? On Friday’s evidence, certainly.
Olivier Pantaloni said that he smelled blood, sensed “fear” in the Monaco side that was already wounded going into this match, on a historically bad streak in the league, despite progression in the Coupe de France and good performances in the Champions League.
With Monaco’s ultras boycotting the first 45 minutes, it was a tepid atmosphere and it was the players who had to summon their own energy and drive. Despite Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth sharing a couple of early half-chances between them, Pocognoli’s side failed to do that. Uninspired, lethargic, disinterested, there are plenty of adjectives to describe Les Monégasques’ first-half – none of them positive, much to the frustration of the home crowd who became increasingly vocal in expressing their discontent as the game progressed.
Dier at the scene of the crime for Lorient’s goals
The Principality club were lucky not to go in behind, as Bamba Dieng saw his finish ruled out, with Pablo Pagis adjudged to have impeded the view of goalkeeper Philipp Kohn from an offside position.
But Dieng would get his goal in the second half, profiting from a moment of absent-mindedness that summarised Monaco’s night. It was Eric Dier at fault as he was caught unawares by Dieng, who came around his blindside to intercept the ball, hone in on goal and beat Kohn.
Finally, a reaction was summoned. Ansu Fati’s entrance off the bench after an injury-related absence was a reaction to the opener, and he brought a momentary spark, latching onto a Balogun ball and finishing past Yvon Mvogo on the second attempt.
But that spark was quickly extinguished as the rain began to fall in the Principality. Les Merlus would have expected a backs-to-the-wall last 15 minutes, but it was the visitors who asked the questions and then broke the deadlock.
Monaco ‘lacked bravery’, says Pocognoli
Jean-Victor Makengo’s shot was fortuitously deflected past Kohn by Dier, who was then at the scene of the crime again just minutes later. This time, it was Dermane Karim who cut inside the Englishman and slotted a sublime curled effort into the top corner.
‘Olés’ rang around the Stade Louis II in the final stages as Lorient kept the ball out of Monaco’s reach, not from the 32 travelling fans, but from those who came to support the players playing in red and white. With the fans calling for the resignation of CEO Thiago Scuro, Pocognoli and his players are trying to foster unity, but it is not through performances like this that they will do it.
Pocognoli accused his players of a “lack of bravery on the ball”, of a “lack of impact” without it. In every phase of play, there are shortcomings. Not the ideal way to prepare for Tuesday’s mammoth UCL clash against Real Madrid, Pocognoli admitted, but Monaco arguably have bigger and more pressing concerns.
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Photo source: AS Monaco
