Adi Hütter: “Repeat this kind of performance against Strasbourg”
They remain masters of their play outside the Principality. Second behind Paris Saint-Germain in the away table (22 points), after a big win in Lens (2-3), our Rouge et Blanc want to keep this momentum going. It is therefore to discuss the challenge of the team’s trip to Strasbourg this Sunday (kick-off 3 p.m.), that Adi Hütter spoke to the media before the match. 🎙️
Looking back on the match against PSG
It’s not always easy to find the right words immediately after the match to analyze it. Then, when you see the images and with hindsight, you form a clearer opinion. We had a very good match against PSG, with notably a very good performance in the first half, with many good chances.
In the second half we struggled more. But in the end it’s a very good point, especially after a few difficult matches at home — we might even have deserved better.
On keeping a clean sheet
We had a great performance defensively, and we must continue on this path. It’s strange sometimes in football, because it’s really not easy not to concede a goal against the best team in the league. I think few people would have bet on a 0-0 before the match. But we must salute the work done by our defense and by Radeck Majecki (7 saves) to earn this clean sheet.
Un arrêt décisif pour un premier clean sheet en @Ligue1UberEats 🔥⛔️ pic.twitter.com/g18KrxNQiq
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 4, 2024
About the team’s defensive setup
First of all I must say that it is very comfortable for us to be able to play with three or four at the back. In any case, we worked really well with a four-man defense against Paris Saint-Germain. But as I already explained, the option chosen really depends on the opponent. So I am very satisfied to be able to choose between these two tactical systems.
Attacking balance
I agree that our four attacking players had a very good match against Paris. But sometimes you are forced to play with three at the back or with two number 6s and potentially two number 10s. It depends on the situation of the match and our opponent once again. Wissam and Balo’ are two very different but very complementary attackers. Their connection is really good, and it gets better from match to match.
On the versatility of his players
I like having versatile players at my disposal, who can play in several positions. This is the case for our four playmakers, Takumi, Maghnes, Eliesse and Aleksandr. Moreover, we saw that Golo’ was capable of playing in midfield, as he did against Marseille and Paris. It’s the same thing in the heart of midfield, where we have a lot of options like Denis, Youssouf, Edan, Mo’ and Soungoutou.
Matches against teams lower down the table
We must continue to perform well on the pitch and obtain results. There now remains 10 matches in the season, and we are in the heart of the final sprint, it’s like a 100 meter dash!
We must negotiate the last two matches well, before the international break in March and repeat the last good performances. Strasbourg will be a difficult opponent, especially since they had a good draw in Montpellier. We will therefore have to play our football to hope to win there.
On Strasbourg
I played once at La Meinau with Frankfurt, and there is a great atmosphere there. Players like to play in in this kind of atmosphere. We will have to find solutions on the pitch, play with a lot of energy and intensity, as was the case in the last two matches.
Especially since they will certainly play in a 5-4-1, in a low block, so we expect to keep the ball, and to have few spaces between the lines. We will have to press very high to recover the ball.
On the Golovin–Minamino duo
Are they at their top level? Taki’ is not the same player as last season, that’s for sure. Golo’ is also in great form, but we must not forget Maghnes who has made good progress this season. And then there is Eliesse too, who is back with us. So we have a lot of talented players who can turn a match around in our ranks, I’m delighted.
𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 ✨🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Zmq0A8ucGA
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 4, 2024
On Kassoum Ouattara
In recent weeks, Kassoum has played a lot and put in some fantastic performances. Against Paris in particular, he played in a four-man defense for the first time and did very well. He has proven that he has talent, even if he obviously still has a lot of room for improvement, because he is still very young.
