Sébastien Pocognoli: "Continue working to assimilate the principles"

Despite an opening goal by Folarin Balogun, AS Monaco conceded a draw in the final moments against SCO Angers (1-1). It is therefore with mixed feelings, while remaining positive, that Sébastien Pocognoli spoke in a post-match press conference.🎙️

Hello, coach. What’s your assessment of this first Ligue 1 match?

Mathematically, we’re disappointed. We wanted to win tonight; that was the idea we came into the game with. Angers played a good match; they were disciplined, and played with great heart and structure. Both teams created quite a few chances, so a draw, unfortunately for us, is a logical result. It could have gone either way in the end.

From a footballing perspective, given the short time we had together with the players, there were a lot of very positive things, especially in terms of attitude. I saw a group of lads who fought. They tried to implement the principles we’ve been working on over the last few days, and our chances and the goal stem from that. Unfortunately, we were lacking in variation at times; we could have looked for a little more depth. Not everything was perfect, but there were some positives in the execution of the game plan.

What was missing in the first hour of play?

It’s a new system, I saw a good sense of application against a low block, and this is the most difficult type of match in which to execute this style of play. At times, we could have made that forward pass, which is what we need to continue working on, and the goal represents exactly what we want to achieve. The pressing was good, the second and third balls less so, but it would have been too good if everything had been perfect, and we shouldn’t underestimate a trip here against a team that needs points and that put up a good fight today.

What are the principles you want to apply?

It’s simple: with the ball, we want to give the ball carrier as many passing opportunities as possible, so we need a certain tactical discipline on the pitch. It takes patience, courage, and individual skill to combine in these tight spaces. Maghnes (Akliouche) did it well, as did Ansu (Fati) and Takumi (Minamino) at times. With the players present at the end of the match, we could have played deeper and forced Angers to play deeper.

What would you like to bring back in terms of our style of play?

Today was a first step; there were some good things. Now, I’ll first focus on the individual aspect. But given the quality of the squad, once everything is in place and the players are accustomed to the intensity of training, initiative, confidence, and mental strength will allow us to take a step forward.

A word about Caio Henrique, who played in a different position?

I thought Caio (Henrique) had a good game, defensively he was more than adequate. He’s very comfortable on the ball, but that’s no surprise. In the second half, he played a little more wide, but it’s proof that this system can be adapted thanks to the players’ play. He had a good game.

In the second half, we were more likely to play with four defenders at the back. It depends on the players’ profiles, the pace, and the opposition. We asked Caio to play more wide to position himself between the lines, which worked well. We’ll also have the return of injured players, but in any formation, it’s up to me to find the best profiles and the complementarity between the players to develop in the way I want.

Can we say that conceding this goal is frustrating?

I’m frustrated, yes, because defensively we were disciplined. Even though Angers created a few chances, it was often on the counterattack. It could have also been a reward for Philipp Köhn’s good performance. But what I remember most is that there was a great desire to defend well and protect our goal.

How do you see managing the flow of a match from now on?

It’s a challenge, but I think we should already take the positives from today. We don’t have much time, and video analysis will be as important as training. Now we have to think about Tottenham, against whom we’ll play with our strengths and do our best to get a good result.

Is it satisfying to have two of your substitutes be decisive after coming on?

It’s satisfying, but not surprising. If we’re doing it, it’s because I think they can have an impact. We know Taki’s ability for play between the lines and Balo’s ability to cut through the gap. I’m very happy, and that’s why I’m counting on the full depth of my bench.

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🇯🇵 Minamino 𝙭 Balogun 🇺🇸#SCOASM pic.twitter.com/RQ27f8CdJl

— L1+ (@ligue1plus) October 18, 2025