Having secured his first victory as Monaco manager last weekend, Philippe Clement set out his more long-term ambitions in a pre-match conference before Sunday’s match against Montpellier.
On Friday, the Belgian manager told Monaco Life that he expects a tough challenge on Sunday, especially given his side’s difficulties on the road this season. “Montpellier have proved their quality over the past months. You see in the table that there isn’t much of a big points gap between us, so it’s a big match.” Clement added, “I’ve seen over the past months that Monaco hasn’t taken many points away from home, so it’s a challenge for the group to take the three points from there.”
Clement was also unequivocal in his ambition to climb the table, telling the assembled press that, “We can’t be happy being sixth (in the Ligue 1 table). We must be ambitious, but we mustn’t become nervous about the gap with other teams.”
The teams come into the fixture separated by only two points, but the conditions in which the respective camps come into the match could hardly be more disparate. Whilst Monaco have blossomed since Clement’s arrival, Montpellier are yet to win in Ligue 1 in 2022.
Last week’s defeat at home to relegation candidates Troyes was particularly damaging, with the red card picked up by Montpellier playmaker Teji Savanier leaving him suspended for Monaco’s visit.
Monaco, however, also come into the fixture with a depleted roster. Cesc Fabregas’ positive Covid test last week is a set-back in his return to the fore. Monaco Life attended group training in La Turbie on Friday and can confirm the ongoing absences of Benoit Badiashile, Myron Boadu and Djibril Sidibe, all of whom continue to recover from the muscular injuries picked up against Nantes. The latter did engage in some light personal training, but was not involved with the group. They are joined by Eliot Matazo, who was also absent from training on Friday.
Although Aleksandr Golovin is back in group training, Clement isn’t confident that the midfielder will be ready for Montpellier. Monaco will hope that his absence won’t be pivotal, and that they can build upon last week’s emphatic victory, and close the gap on the Champions League places.
Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
ASM tactical analysis: Flexibility, pigeons and the no.10 role
Philippe Clement’s reign as Monaco manager is only two games old, but the Belgian is wasting no time in implementing his style. However, he told Monaco Life that there are still issues to resolve.
AS Monaco’s emphatic 4-0 victory put paid to any notion that Clement wouldn’t be able to produce the same kind of attacking football that won him three consecutive league titles in his home country.
In the post-match press conference on Sunday, Clement once again set out the style in which he wants his team to perform. “We want to play a type of football that is very offensive, with a lot of plays within the opposition half, with a lot of players making forward runs.”
Despite a positive showing, it is clear that Clement is – understandably – still experimenting in order to find his best system.
Formational flexibility
The interchangeability, especially in the forward positions, made it difficult to discern Monaco’s formation for large periods, especially during the first-half. In the opening stages, Monaco were seemingly deploying a 3-1-4-2, but the emphasis under Clement has been more defined by player roles rather than positions, and the team’s set-up is more easily understood through this lens.
Aurelien Tchouameni played throughout as the deepest lying no.6 midfielder, Ismail Jakobs and Gelson Martins provided the width on the flanks, with the former slotting into a more conventional back four out of possession. Jean Lucas had the most fluid role, sometimes dropping deep to form a pivot with Tchouameni, filling in for Martins on the right flank and forming a dual no.10 role with Caio Henrique, who was once again deployed further up the pitch, at least in the first-half.
Within this there was a lot of interchangeability with Jakobs often switching with Henrique on the left, Jean Lucas switching with Martins on the right and Sofiane Diop often dropping deeper into the half-spaces between the two wide players.
On numerous occasions, this created scenarios where six Monaco players were playing on the Clermont back-line providing plenty of opportunities for overloads, especially on the flanks.
Jakobs departure for Wissam Ben Yedder at half-time triggered a change in shape, with Henrique retreating to his more familiar left-back berth and the team setting up in a more conventional 4-2-3-1. Kevin Volland dropped back into a no.10 role, Diop reverted back to his wide-left position, Martins played more as a conventional winger and Jean Lucas joined Tchouameni in defensive midfield.
By the end of the match, Monaco’s set-up had changed once again into a 4-4-2, or a 4-2-2-2, with Henrique and Ruben Aguilar providing the majority of the width, which was duly exploited by the former who netted his first goal for the club.
The reason for this is two-fold, as Clement explained to Monaco Life, “For the moment we are missing quite a few important players, so it’s getting to know the players and experimenting and reacting to situations.” The former Club Brugge manager added, “I always want to create wherever I am, not a team that can play one system because that’s too easy for the opponent to stop, but a versatile group of players that can play in different systems, in different ways.”
The formational tinkering for Clement therefore serves a purpose both in the short-term and in the long-term as he seeks to mould a team in his image.
The search for a No.10 continues
Volland, Diop, Henrique and Jean Lucas have all undertaken the task of being Monaco’s no.10 under Clement. However, none have yet fulfilled the manager’s criteria for the playmaker role. Following the victory against Clermont, he told Monaco Life, “You have Caio, Kevin, Sofiane and Jean Lucas who can play there in different ways. Maybe there will be other players who also show themselves because it’s a nice role to play.”
All of the aforementioned players had the opportunity to play in the role on Sunday, either on their own or in a dual 10 partnership. Questioned by Monaco Life on Diop’s suitability to the role in particular, Clement said, “Sofiane has qualities to play in this position, but he’s not a typical playmaker… he’s not someone who distributes a lot of balls.”
The new manager therefore demands a lot from his playmaker, and he outlined the three specific characteristics that he is looking for in his ideal conceptualisation of the role. “You can be decisive with a pass, a run or a finish. I hope to find someone who can do all of these. That would be very nice”
Aleksandr Golovin, a more conventional no.10 has yet to play since Clement’s arrival due to injury, and could well be the solution to the issue. “We’ll see over the next couple of weeks and months.” In that time, Clement is hoping that someone internally can posit themselves as a genuine candidate for the role. However, Clement’s citation of a two-week time frame, coincidentally the amount of time remaining in the transfer window, at least hints at the possibility that an external candidate could be on the cards.
Pigeons and action zones
The large flock of pigeons that guarded the space behind the Monaco defence in sweeper like fashion for large parts of the match caught the attention of many in attendance, including the cameraman. Their presence and ignorance to the ongoing match was a reflection of how dominant Monaco were, how little of the game was played in their own third.
A meagre 23% of the game was played in Monaco’s third, compared to the 32% played in the Clermont third. Even more starkly, Monaco had 168 touches in the opposition third and 33 touches in Clermont’s penalty area. Their opponents could only muster 108 touches in Monaco’s third and only eight touches in their area.
The pigeons’ presence was merely a visual representation of this dominance, illustrating almost comically how little threat was posed by the away side. Key to Monaco’s success at repelling Clermont’s threat was Clement’s insistence on occupying en-masse the opposition half. This condensed the space and subsequently blocked passing lanes that were essential to Clermont’s ball progression.
Tchouameni was also integral to Monaco’s success. The Frenchman, far from having plateaued under Niko Kovac’s stewardship, has kicked on even further since Clement’s arrival. Having provided an exhibition in intercepting and progressing the ball against Nantes the week before, his tackling came to the fore on Sunday. His eight tackles in the match are more than he has registered in any other game in the 2021-2022 season.
Clement is clearly still trying to get all the pieces of the puzzle to fit, but it’s always a good sign if the team can collect some confidence-boosting, emphatic victories in the process.
Photo of Philippe Clement by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Monaco hammer Clermont 4-0 in Clement’s first home game
A dominant AS Monaco beat Clermont Foot 4-0 in Philippe Clement’s first game in the home dugout on Sunday, as Wissam Ben Yedder registered a brace on his return.
Prince Albert was also in attendance as he watched the Principality side secure their first league win of 2022 in the first game of the year played at the Stade Louis II.
Monaco began at a high tempo and were unlucky not to be rewarded in the opening minutes of the match. Sofiane Diop was felled in the box and the penalty was given, but following a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, perplexing Clement who, after the game, said, “I was not happy not getting the penalty, it seemed to me a clear penalty… and Sofiane told me after the game that it was a clear penalty.”
Despite the setback, Monaco continued to dominate. Gelson Martins should have got on the scoresheet, but his close-range shot was well blocked by the outstretched arm of the keeper, whilst Kevin Volland should have done better with his two headed chances, none of which he could direct on target.
Monaco did finally get their reward on the stroke of half-time, Diop latching onto an acrobatic flick from the ubiquitous Jean Lucas to open the scoring.
Clermont posed little to no threat throughout the encounter, the wildlife in attendance at the stadium highlighting the one-sided nature of this contest. A large group of pigeons occupied the space behind the untested Monaco defence for large swathes of the match. They even changed halves as the players did at half-time, confident in the knowledge that their feeding wouldn’t be threatened by a Clermont offensive, meaning they could continue to peck away at the rich Stade Louis II turf unperturbed by the ongoing match.
The continued presence of pigeons on pitch highlighted the one-sided nature of this contest
Ismail Jakobs gave way for the returning Ben Yedder at half-time. He showed no lingering effects from his recent Covid infection as he quickly got on the scoresheet, converting an irresistible Caio Henrique cross.
The French international striker doubled up soon after. Having been played in on goal by Diop, he was wiped out by the keeper. He quickly picked himself up and converted from the spot, registering his 12th goal of the Ligue 1 season, making him joint top scorer in the division.
Henrique’s late fourth was the cherry on the cake, as the Brazilian netted his first goal for the club. Clermont finally showed some fight late-on, but couldn’t convert a flurry of chances for a consolation goal.
In the post-match press conference, Clement told the assembled media that he was particularly pleased with his side’s second half performance. “Second-half you see after scoring the second goal, that freed a lot of players, and we scored two more, but it could have been even more than four goals today.”
The win allows Monaco to close in on the podium, with rivals Marseille dropping points. If other results go their way, a win against Montpellier next Sunday could see them within a point of the top three.
In an exclusive interview with Monaco Life, AS Monaco Sporting Director Paul Mitchell reveals that the club is currently reluctant to delve back into the market following the signing of Vanderson.
According to Mitchell, new manager Philippe Clement’s appraisal of the current group of players is dictating their strategy this month. “I think with the technical team change, and Philippe’s assessment, he is very excited about this current group,” Mitchell tells Monaco Life. “We’re also excited about the potential of this group, so I think we’re going to be patient, and remain in constant dialogue over the coming weeks.”
Given the unpredictability of the market, however, the Englishman didn’t rule anything out, adding, “As you know, we’re always proactive on the market, as making our signing on the first day of the window shows. We’re always open to strengthening. I like competition, I like dynamic groups, so we’ll look at that.”
Mitchell says that the club’s strategy is going to be linked to the market itself, and therefore departures will play a key role. “We always have to be ready and fluent because while the market is active, anything can happen.”
Despite the signing of right-back Vanderson, Mitchell is not looking to offload either Ruben Aguilar or Djibril Sidibe, although he does say that he would be happy if both stayed or just one. He is keen to highlight once again how delighted he is with the signing of Vanderson, especially given the competition for his signature, telling us, “We’re really happy to be able to fend off some stiff competition from the Premier League and Italy in particular.”
The current thinking around the club is that the arrival of Clement and his technical staff will bring “added value” to the squad, which should mitigate the need to be quite so active. However, as Mitchell points out, the fluidity of the market, or perhaps an unforeseen opportunity, could throw those plans up in the air and force Monaco back to the negotiating table.
Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Analysis: Tactical takeaways from Clement’s ASM debut
Despite limited preparation and a depleted roster, Philippe Clement’s Monaco debut on Sunday provided an interesting tactical insight into how he sees his side developing over the course of his management.
Flexibility and adaptability
Clement was greeted in Monaco by a swathe of Covid cases and the absences of key players. One could therefore be fooled into thinking that little can be deduced from the drab draw at a drenched Beaujoire stadium.
The way in which Clement reacted in light of these challenges, however, is revealing in itself. Rather than pigeonholing players in certain positions, Clement approaches the game in terms of the role that players fulfil, and their suitability to that role based on their attributes.
This explains the introduction of debutant Vanderson in a slightly more advanced right-midfield berth, often functioning within the half-spaces. More strikingly, however, was the deployment of resident left-back Caio Henrique in the number 10 role.
Caio as a No.10
Although the jury is still out on Henrique’s suitability to the role relative to other candidates, and it remains to be seen whether this was simply a short-term fix to Monaco’s injury crisis or a more long-term adjustment, the Brazilian gave a positive showing.
Particularly in the first-half, Henrique was an ever-present option for progressive passes. He manufactured space nicely in between the lines and often came to feet. More interestingly and encouragingly, he showed a great understanding with Kevin Volland.
As shown in this extract from the game against Nantes, Henrique was equally as adept at making runs off the shoulder of the last man and in behind the defence. Although he didn’t receive the required service to make this count, the understanding of the role was there.
What was most striking was how Volland and Henrique almost always correctly interpreted the intentions of the other. When Volland made a run in behind, Henrique would show to feet and vice versa. In the above example, Volland was the option to feet, whilst Henrique ran in behind to attempt to get on the end of Aurelien Tchouameni’s ball over the top.
Henrique is not completely unfamiliar to the role. He has played in the number 10 during his formative years and also during his time at Atletico Madrid, and this showed in his understanding. His partnership with Volland, and the way in which they worked in tandem, would certainly have encouraged Clement, and whether it is used as a long-term solution or not, he certainly shouldn’t be discouraged from deploying the duo in those roles in the future.
Asymmetrical back four
Perhaps the most distinguishable of all the tactical decisions made by Clement was his utilisation of an asymmetrical back four. Ismail Jakobs height up the pitch as well as his width provided a constant switching outlet, whilst also providing more room for the effervescent Sofiane Diop to exploit the half-spaces.
In stark contrast, Djibril Sidibe tucked in narrower and deeper. Gelson Martins was the outlet down the right who provided the width, whilst Sidibe would sometimes provide an underlapping run to provide attacking momentum.
Although there were some nice interchanges between Martins and Sidibe, the Jakobs-Diop partnership bore more fruit. Particularly in the first-half, the width provided by Jakobs afforded plentiful room for Diop in the half-spaces that he duly exploited. The performance of the France U21 international was another signal of his continued progression as he becomes a more rounded player. Niko Kovac can certainly be given a lot of credit for this, whilst the excellent attitude of the player is seeing him become a more consistent performer and a key member of AS Monaco’s attacking unit.
Tactically, little changed when Sidibe went off injured mid-way through the first-half. Ruben Aguilar continued to sit deep and narrow, and Martins was the principal source of progression down that side.
Jakobs’ unrelenting natural fitness allowed him to get back into shape as soon as the ball was lost, as he quickly joined a flatter, more conventional back-line. 41% of Nantes’ attacks were focused down Sidibe/Aguilar’s side despite the fact that, given the huge gap between Jakobs and Benoit Badiashile, most of the space should theoretically have been on the other side. This shows just how quick Jakobs was in re-joining the rest of his back-line.
A vertical midfield pivot?
Tchouameni was the standout performer on Sunday. On a visual inspection he looked dominant and metronomic in his role in the midfield pivot alongside Eliot Matazo. The statistics back this up too. The France international midfielder registered a series of season-best statistics including most progressive passes, most carries, most touches and most attempted and completed passes.
This was, in part, facilitated by a tweaking of the double pivot partnership. Accustomed to a more horizontal pivot, Tchouameni and Matazo played more vertically on Sunday, facilitating simple progressive passes. This was shown in their average position at the end of the match as the two players almost overlap, with Matazo on average playing just slightly higher, but no wider than his teammate.
Tchouameni was therefore more often the deeper of the two. This allowed him to fully utilise his range of passing from more unpressured areas of the pitch, whilst also providing opportunities for his teammates to easily recycle the ball through him and once more build through the phases.
It was largely thanks to this unconventional pivot that AS Monaco managed to control the match, with a dominating 69% possession throughout the game. Matazo was also impressive, and whilst Youssouf Fofana should be back in the matchday squad against Clermont Foot, he may find it difficult to displace the young Belgian.
Speed and verticality in transition
Perhaps the most exciting tactical characteristic of Clement’s debut was the dynamism in the transition. Staying true to Kovac’s philosophy, Monaco pressed high and with intent in the first-half in particular. The three injuries and perhaps just a lack of natural fitness amongst some of the returning players, meant that this wasn’t replicated in the second-half.
Some of the pressing patterns that AS Monaco fans were accustomed to seeing under Kovac were once again evident here. In particular, Monaco recognised the opposition full-backs receiving the ball as a pressing trigger, and would quickly condense the space and commit players to the press.
Once the ball was regained, Monaco would then quickly spring an attack, the verticality and the speed of which was problematic for the opposition, who had not yet had the time to reset. With more drilling and a higher level of fitness amongst the squad, this style of transition play has the chance of being a great source of attacking threat for Monaco.
The first-half of Clement’s debut offers a lot of promise going forward, and although a slightly more lethargic second-half display may linger more in the minds of fans, it is important to remember the difficulty in the preparation of the game. There are already enough positive signs to hint that Monaco are in a good position to fight for the Champions League places.
Photo of Philippe Clement by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
Vanderson: “I want to bring joy to our supporters”
AS Monaco celebrated the start of 2022 with the signing of Brazilian right-back Vanderson on New Year’s Day and on Friday he spoke to the media for the first time.
The new signing began with Vanderson thanking Oleg Petrov and Paul Mitchell for bringing him to the Principality, before he explained his reasons for choosing the side. “Monaco is a big European club, an important club. I want to involve myself in this club, and bring as much joy as possible to our supporters.”
Vanderson will wear the Number 2 shirt previously worn by fellow Brazilian and club legend Fabinho, and the new signing admitted that he had been inspired by his compatriot. “Fabinho, in his game, is a source of inspiration because he had a big impact. He had success and progressed at Monaco.”
Sporting Director Paul Mitchell, who was also in attendance on Friday, believes that Vanderson is a great asset in the medium and long-term. However, he also believes that Vanderson will have an immediate impact at the club, stating that “We need to give him a little bit of time to settle in and integrate, but I think he can have an impact this year for sure.”
Vanderson arrives off the back of an impressive breakthrough season in the Brazilian Serie A. Despite the relegation of his former side Gremio, the Brazilian shone through, registering three goals from right-back, and exciting fans with his dynamic, direct style.
His arrival endangers the future of Djibril Sidibe, and Mitchell told Monaco Life that the Frenchman’s potential departure was factored-in when weighing up the move for Vanderson. “We know that Djibril has a clear contractual situation,” the Englishman said. “We always have to be prepared and to plan for the future.”
The strength in depth in the right-back position should allow Vanderson time to settle-in and adapt to the French league, a process that is being aided by fellow Brazilian’s Caio Henrique and Jean Lucas. “They (Henrique and Lucas) have been a big help since my arrival, for my adaptation and on a daily basis with the group.”
The context of his arrival, coupled with his undoubted talent will allow the Brazilian time to assimilate without a burgeoning pressure to immediately produce match-winning performances for Monaco. Although fans will undoubtedly be treated to glimpses of his capabilities between now and the end of the season, expectations should nevertheless be tempered in the short-term. The hope around the club is that this developing young talent will help propel Monaco to longer-term success.
