AS Monaco thread [R]

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

It makes sense, but I have to say the source, Lyon Capitale, isn't reliable much at all since they've been wrong on so many transfers dealing with OL. I don't think we should buy Baros if we have to spend money since the attack is the last part of the team where we need help, but I'm open to selling Piquionne while getting Baros in part-exchange since he's played with Koller and he is a finisher.

[SportBoy333]

It makes sense, but I have to say the source, Lyon Capitale, isn't reliable much at all since they've been wrong on so many transfers dealing with OL. I don't think we should buy Baros if we have to spend money since the attack is the last part of the team where we need help, but I'm open to selling Piquionne while getting Baros in part-exchange since he's played with Koller and he is a finisher.

Yes I agree get Baros only if Piquionne is sold and I would imagine thats what they would intend to do.

[SportBoy333]

Berthod may depart

http://www.mercato365.com/depeches/filinfo_203541_2514_Monaco-Berthod-sur-le-depart.shtml

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

I have to be one of the last guys to defend Berthod, though he does have a point. He really hasn't had an opportunity to show what he can do, but on the minimal opportunities that he has been given, he hasn't shown anything.

I don't think we have to get anybody to take his place, as he doesn't have one at the moment. Then again, I don't want us to get ripped off either, as if we have to sell him for 10% of what we paid, then better to keep him as a backup.

In other headlines, Jérémy Ménez has been training by himself, but it looks as if he'll be ready to go against Strasbourg. Both Cufré and Sambou are also back.

[SportBoy333]

I think he should stay and play more. I thought he was promised a starting role by the manager.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

He was, which is why he is disillusioned now.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Well, the Espoirs selection is out, and no fewer than 3 ASM players are included. There would have been 4 if Ménez wasn't coming back from an injury. However, it's likely that only Gakpé will make an appearance out of these 3. The other 2 are Muratori and Ruffier.

[SportBoy333]

I dont really want Baros in Jan. I believe OL will keep him until June. They will need him if Benzema or Fred go down and the big teams always have good depth. He's only slightly better than Piquionne anyway. In the summer I'd take him but not this winter.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

In the summer, though, we wouldn't have the benefit of pairing him with Koller, which I think is a big reason why there are rumors about him at all.

I'm really on the fence on this one, though one thing I do want to see are defensive upgrades this winter. If we want to be a contender, opponents can't hit us on the counterattack as successfully as they've been.

[SportBoy333]

I dont care about him pairing with Koller. This team isnt going anywhere this year.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Come now, with a win today and one against Nice, we would likely be in the top 5 again, while Rennes, who are 3rd as of now, have a pretty bad list of injuries.

This is L1 we're talking about. There's no MU, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool.

[SportBoy333]

6 straight points is a tall order for average teams. I only want defensive players signed in Jan. I guess is what Im trying to say.

[SportBoy333]

Im watching Le Mans vs St. Etienne and I noticed Gigliotti is playing. Of course Im not 100% focused on it so I dont know how well he's doing. lol

[SportBoy333]

Oh he just scored on a penalty.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Apparently that was a terrific game. Both of those teams actually play attacking football, which can't be seen much these days in L1. Speaking about lack of attacking, here's our starting 11. It's the exact same lineup as it was against Rennes. It's hard to argue after the losing streak that a winning lineup should be messed around with, but we are playing at home against an opponent that is likely looking for a draw.

AS Monaco FC:

18 Piquionne
11 Nenê - - - - - 17 Gakpé
7 Bernardi - 5 Pérez - 23 Leko
13 Muratori - 2 Monsoreau - 4 Modesto - 12 Adriano
30 Roma


RC Strasbourg:

11 Mouloungui - 21 Renteria
10 Abdessadki - - - - - 17 Fanchone
6 Rodrigo - 8 Cohade
3 Dos Santos - 22 Paisley - 5 Bellaïd - 15 Szélesi
16 Cassard


Given how I've been doing with picking matches, I'm going to opt not to do so, but needless to say, I expect a decent win.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

I thought we'd win this one 2-0, though what impressed me more were the way we dominated this match. It wasn't that Strasbourg were that bad, it was more that we played better than them in every department. So I won't criticize anyone, as it was truly a team effort. Well, except Muratori who didn't do anything (but that means he didn't do anything bad either), and Leko who's having a bad year by his standards, I would say. Everyone else did well, including the substitutes, Ménez and Meriem, who combined well on the 3rd goal, which was the icing on the cake on a convincing Monaco outing.

I may do more analysis on the match after, though for now, celebrate, folks! A good win, all around.

[SportBoy333]

http://homepage.eircom.net/~twoms/celebrate.gif

[SportBoy333]

The friendly match vs Juventus on Friday has been cancelled.

http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2007/20071114_193312Dev.html

[SportBoy333]

El Kaddouri approached

http://news.maxifoot.com/info-070543_71122/football.php

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

It's derby day (even if I care about the matches against Marseille more than those against Nice), and I can't wait to see the hordes of l'OGCN supporters in Louis II. :rolleyes:

In other headlines, it looks as if :eek: Ricardo has decided to go with a different formula today, as we are starting out with 2 strikers (Koller-Piq), with 2 defensive midfielders instead of 3 (Bernardi-Leko would be the defensive ones, Nenê and Meriem are expected to help out in attack I'd assume, except if Meriem is aligned as a defensive midfielder). I have only 1 thing to say. If this doesn't work out, I think Ricardo has some explaining to do, and if it turns out it's the same except with different personnel, that requires explaining too as why mess with what's working? We may have been outplayed at Toulouse, but the important thing was the result. I don't see why we are going with a different formula today, but irregardless I think we'll be able to get a win.

AS Monaco FC:

9 Koller - 18 Piquionne
11 Nenê - 21 Meriem - 23 Leko (if attacking, if not he'll be alongside Bernardi)
7 Bernardi
13 Muratori - 2 Monsoreau - 4 Modesto - 12 Adriano
30 Roma


If Ricardo sticks with the previous formula, the lineup will look like:

11 Nenê - 9 Koller - 18 Piquionne
21 Meriem
7 Bernardi - 23 Leko
13 Muratori - 2 Monsoreau - 4 Modesto - 12 Adriano
30 Roma


OGC Nice:

9 Laslandes - 12 Koné
10 Éderson
8 Hellebuyck
6 Echouafni - 14 Balmont
26 Rool - 25 Apam - 4 Hognon - 5 Kanté (interestingly this is how it appears on my screen, though in previous matches, Apam is the right back with Kanté being in central defense)
1 Lloris