Sébastien Pocognoli: "Rediscover this sense of unity and cooperation"

Getting back on track to finish the final season strong. Disappointed by their last three league performances, the Rouge et Blanc are eager to get back to winning ways this Saturday evening when they travel to Metz (kick-off 7pm) for Matchday 32 of Ligue 1 McDonald's. It was with this desire for revenge that Sébastien Pocognoli spoke to the media in a pre-match press conference. 🎙️

Regarding the disappointment after the draw in Toulouse

We're already preparing for the next match, so we're trying to put this last game behind us as the days go by. However, the draw in Toulouse hasn't been forgotten because we need to analyze it, and we've been using it all week to improve certain aspects. We played 30 minutes at a very high level, and then there was a sense of freezing up for the rest of the match. There's definitely work to be done in terms of consistency over 90 minutes. So we've tried to approach this situation as best we can these past few days.

Two faces in a match

In football, you can't always explain every phase and every dynamic. Nevertheless, we simply have to approach matches the way we did against Toulouse. But after 30 minutes, having a 15-minute lull before halftime can happen because there might be a physical step back or simply the opponent pushing forward. In any case, we need to work on the second halves of our matches, and I think leadership can also explain this lack of consistency in a match where you have to try to remain neutral during the more difficult moments. That's what we managed to do in previous weeks, but a little less so recently.

The Importance of Leadership

I think our greatest strength before these last three matches has been our formidable ability to maintain that unity. We've already demonstrated this for a full 90 minutes, and even if, for example before the international break, we had a slight lapse or a problem with accuracy, we had a teammate who could correct a mistake that ultimately went unnoticed at the end of the match because it had been covered up. Currently, we're experiencing a bit less of that, and that's precisely why we have periods of imbalance during the match. We therefore need to rediscover that unity and cooperation throughout the game. I'm focused on working on this and trying to raise awareness among the players, especially the senior players, to bring that balance to the more challenging moments, but also to maintain control of their emotions and remain calm.

A surge of pride in training

For weeks now, we've been conducting a self-assessment after every match, whether it's a win or a loss. I have a receptive group that's open enough to learn, even if, over the last two or three weeks, we've sometimes repeated the same mistakes. We can still finish the season on a high note, with the potential for a very positive second half of the season if we approach these three matches well. I hope we'll secure a European spot, but that's entirely up to us.

On FC Metz

This weekend, Metz will be determined to give their all to keep their Ligue 1 hopes alive. We mustn't forget that Metz have put in some good performances against top six teams. So, we absolutely mustn't go there thinking it's going to be an easy match; we can't afford to be complacent. We'll need to be like we were in the first 30 minutes in Toulouse, but for the full 90 minutes, if we want to turn things around. I'm expecting a very tough match, and we'll need to be at 100%.

The run-in

We may have regrets, and we'll talk about them at the end of the year. We'll all take stock together of what was regrettable or positive, but for the moment, there's still something to play for. We must maintain the momentum from this second half of the season, which can help us prepare for the next one. We're far from the Champions League qualifying spots, but we can only rely on ourselves to finish in Europe. It's important for the club, the players, and the fans to continue to have our name on the European stage next year, so we must do everything we can to achieve that.

Lamine Camara on a "homecoming"

I think Lamine Camara is looking forward to playing against his former club, just as Christian Mawissa was looking forward to playing against Toulouse. It also means they have fond memories of those clubs. I think he has a great deal of respect for his former club, since we know Metz collaborates with an academy in Senegal, where Lamine himself trained (Génération Foot, editor's note). He can be a great ambassador for this whole generation still at Metz. I think he's keen to set an example. However, playing there isn't an extra motivation for him, but simply a great moment and an opportunity to show why he's at this level today.

Wout Faes' Contributions

He brought many elements that we were lacking at a crucial point in the season, such as stability, a strong defensive presence, experience, and composure through his personality. Tactically and technically, he has excellent game reading skills both with and without the ball, and is the foundation of many good build-up play as well as attacking moves thanks to his pressing. I'm also very pleased with his arrival in the dressing room and his professionalism. I can say that he has been an important piece of the puzzle we've put together for this second half of the season.

World Cup in Sight

I have enough experience to realize when a player is overconfident, regardless of any management, whether it's for a World Cup or any other competition. In my opinion, it's the worst possible approach to prepare for something by holding back. That's precisely when negative things can happen.

So, if I had one piece of advice to give, it would be to simply focus on the Club's ambitions, to use these three matches and the upcoming two weeks of training to put in the best possible preparation for the World Cup. Some players have had a very long season, such as Folarin Balogun, Maghnes Akliouche, and Lamine Camara, among others, so it's possible that there might sometimes be some management to do regarding playing time and training. However, I haven't sensed any kind of management of effort from anyone in recent weeks.