Philippe Clement: "I want a team that won't give up"
There’s another trip on the horizon for AS Monaco in the Coupe de France. After wins away to Red Star (2-0) and Quevilly-Rouen (3-1), the Club travel to Lens this Sunday (9 p.m., Eurosport 2) for the Round of 16. It’s a big match, and one that Philippe Clement is approaching with the firm intent of securing a place in the quarterfinals, as he expressed in a press conference.
Bouncing back after Montpellier
Right after the match, it was not easy to have perspective because we always want to win every match and that’s the mentality that I want to see in my players. Then, when we looked and analyzed the positives and negatives, and we saw good things and others upon which we can improve. This match in Montpellier was a bit special because when we analyze the data, it was our best game of the season in the final third, but we were lacking in our ability to be decisive. These are small details, but they are very important.
The importance of the Coupe de France
I want a team that doesn’t give up, regardless of the competition, even in training. I want my players to be winners. This mentality is essential for a footballer, so the Coupe de France is also very important to us.
On Lens
We will do everything to win, against a very strong team, especially at home. Lens are a team with a lot of qualities, with very attacking fullbacks, in particular Jonathan Clauss. They are a team that plays to score goals, like us, so it will be a great game for the fans.
Assimilating new ways of playing
We have to create new ways of playing when we can, but physically the players are improving with their efforts, especially with regard to developing explosiveness. This should allow us to increase our level play, while maintaining the same technical efficiency, because big teams do things more quickly than others.
The progress of Aurélien Tchouameni
He is someone who is still young, who has just turned 22, but he is very intelligent and is quick to understand the small details. For a coach, it’s very important to have players like that. I expect him to take on even more individual responsibility but also to become a leader for the collective. He has the qualities to do so, even if he still needs to gain experience.
🏆 | SOFA AWARDS 2021#SofaAward no. 6 – The Bulldozer!
🦵 139 interceptions (🥇)
🧲 185 tackles (🥇)
♻️ 450 ball recoveries (🥉)
🤺 323 ground duels won (10th)Aurélien Tchouaméni was a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the pitch for Monaco and France in 2021. 💪 pic.twitter.com/S8iigL8yt5
— SofaScore (@SofaScoreINT) December 22, 2021
