Before the derby against Monaco, Christophe Galtier recommends “playing tight to counter the pressing”
Coach, 2 days less recovery than Monaco, can that make a big difference?
The calendar is made like this. I note that Rennes-Monaco was a poster, it is normal that it is disputed on Friday. I moved on. Although I would have preferred one more day of recovery at least. We ignore, the players recover more easily when we win.
It’s a very important match, the two teams are fighting to be European, with the derby spirit as a bonus. Fatigue is secondary on this kind of matches. I remain in the search for the best eleven, and how to inject freshness into it.
The opposing dynamics…
Since its elimination in the European Cup, Monaco has beaten the first two, Paris and Rennes (3rd), and remains on 4 consecutive victories. It’s a team that found its bearings after the change of coach, it found its model of play and its eleven. With one of the best scorers in the championship, an extraordinary pair of midfielders very present in recovery and capable of revealing the ball under pressure. In possession, we will have to play very tight to prevent pressing and rapid transitions.
Despite a more offensive scheme, several players remain behind in their performances…
I must have a lot of responsibility if they don’t find themselves in the game plan. Calvin (Stengs) is struggling, he discovers a new championship. Justin (Kluivert) has traveled a lot but has not often started in his previous clubs, has even had hiccups sometimes.
Gouiri is also in trouble, are you thinking of putting him on the bench to sting him?
Amine, it is not a player that we prick. By his personality, he does not express himself much and he is not in the reaction. Like any young player, there can be a plateau phenomenon after a meteoric rise. It can even go down a little to regain momentum sometimes. I know that he is analyzing his performances and that he will regain his form.
You have to accompany him, make him find freshness to be more efficient on a personal level, and collectively too.
Do you feel frustration, annoyance in the face of these offensive problems?
Frustration, yes, because they all have individual quality. There is a real gap between what I see in training and what they show in matches. There is youth, the competition calls for requirement, intensity and personality. This is where they need to improve.
But they are not giving up, like Kasper’s entry against Lorient. It can inspire each other. We have to improve offensively, that’s for sure. In another animation? I don’t think now is the time to change it.
Will the winner of the derby finish on the podium?
He will take a psychological advantage. The podium, I’m not convinced because the others are there. What is certain is that if we were lucky enough to win, we would take a four-point lead. That’s not a detail.