Crisscross Interview: Ribéry - Meriem The two midfielders kindly agreed to take part in the Crisscross Interview and answer questions about Sunday’s match between Marseille and Monaco and the two sides start to the season… OM’s start of the season FR: We had a rough start to the season because we spent so much energy on the Intertoto Cup. But we were also able to fight back and climb back up the standings. Don’t forget that in the Intertoto we went all the way and eliminated some big teams like Lazio and Deportivo La Coruna. We qualified for the UEFA Cup and after Thursday’s win we’re already qualified for the round-of-32, so I think we can say it was worth it. On a personal level, I’m very happy to be at Marseille, we’ve got a good squad and great supporters. To play in front of 60,000 at the Stade Vélodrome is just unbelievable. They push us to our very limits to win. CM: Marseille had a difficult beginning due to the Intertoto Cup which they ended up winning. They played some big games in this competition, such as the game against La Coruna which proved they were a very good team. Recently they’ve shown great solidarity, even if they have lost a few games against Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne and Le Mans. Despite those results, they’ve also shown with their win over Paris-SG that they can beat any team at the Stade Vélodrome. Against Monaco it’s going to be a big game, where they will want to play well. Marseille v Monaco is always an important match, it a clash between two of France’s best known teams. It’s the type of match where both sides are desperate to win and everyone wants to play well. I hope it makes for an entertaining game. Marseille-Monaco FR: The fact that we didn’t win against Lille and Le Mans meant we had to get a result against Nantes. Then we had to play Heerenveen and now three days later we’ve got to get up again against Monaco. We got through the first two and we couldn’t be better prepared to host Monaco on Sunday. Monaco are going through a good spell and they’ve had some good results recently. Since we’re playing at home we know it’s going to be tough. Monaco will be coming to try and beat us and we’ll be doing everything we can to win on hoe soil. Monaco are only three points ahead of us in the standings and they’re a team fighting for the top spots so we can consider them a direct rival. It’s very important to recover physically before the match. We’re playing every three or four days until the winter break and it’s hard on the body. But Monaco played a European match in mid-week same as us. CM: We coming to the Vélodrome in good form and it’s important to play OM when you’re full of confidence and with a positive mentality to have a good match. We got a great result against Saint-Etienne, but Marseille are only three points further back and we know they’re desperate to beat us to pull level with us on the table. It’s up to us to start well and get the result. It’s a real six-pointer where we have the possibility to install ourselves in the top half. We have to put the pressure to one side and take the game out of its context. The atmosphere at the Vélodrome will be hostile and we’ll have to focus on the task at hand. Monaco’s start of the season FR: They had a rough period, a lot like us at the start of the season. They’ve been through a change of coach with the departure of Didier Deschamps. We know that’s not easy to go through, but finally they’ve lifted their heads and they’re going better. CM: It’s true we’re playing better and bette rand getting the results to match. After a tough start we starting to win at home. We’ve gone four games without a loss at home including three wins without conceding a goal. We’re getting back on tack. I think everyone was conscious that we had to improve after our terrible start to the season. As well as all his coaching, the new manager has also instilled a new spirit in the team and it shows on the pitch. But we’re stil not dominating matches from start to finish and we’ve still got a long way to go. For now, we’re heading in the right direction. On a personal level I wasn’t playing well at the start and things weren’t going the way I wanted. I was having trouble playing to my potential. Then things changed like the arrival of a new coach. For a certain time now things are going better and better. I’ve been moved back into the middle where I’m no stranger. It’s the position where I feel most comfortable and can express myself best. I really enjoy playing more centrally. Just like the whole team, I’m getting stronger.
This match will be so difficult. Monaco is ahead of us having 24 points. If we won we will be in the same level. We cannot take steps up to the top of the table if we did not beat the those teams ahead of l'om.
OM-Monaco: A European clash OM can register a third home win in a week with victory over Monaco on Sunday. But Monaco have found form under Guidolin and promise to provide a real tactical battle at the Stade Vélodrome. OM-MONACO Ligue 1 – Round 16 Sunday 27/11 – 20:45 - Stade Vélodrome Live on Canal+ and in Live text on OM.net Live pre-match build up on OMtv from 19:40 For the hat-trick at the Vél… Three matches at the Stade Vélodrome in a week and already two victories. After Nantes (2-1) and Heerenveen (1-0) in the UEFA Cup, the Olympians return to league action this Sunday for a mouth-watering battle with fellow European adventurers AS Monaco. A hat-trick of wins will put OM in a while new light. The success against Nantes allowed OM to hold its ground, the win against the Dutch qualified the side for the last 32 and another victory against the ASM will catapult Marseille into the top half of the table. With 24 points, Fernandez’s men will also draw them level with Sunday’s opponents. “The league is very tight, with the exception of Lyon, and there are a lot of teams covered by just five points. A win would permit us to latch onto the leading pack,” claimed Samir Nasri. However, a loss at the Vélodrome would certainly put the brakes on OM’s climb up the table. “A win for Monaco will put them in a very comfortable position, but if we win, that set us up for a good run. We don’t have any choice but to take all three points against a very good team,” revealed Jean Fernandez. So will it be three in a row, or not? At any rate, nearly 88% of OM.net users believe they can do it according to the latest poll. Things have fallen into place in the principality ”It’s a real test,” admitted Jean Fernandez. ”We’ll be playing one of the league’s most solid teams who are in the process of rediscovering their best form.” After a difficult start to the season that cost Didier Deschamps his post, the principality side is currently on the way back up. The appointment of Italian coach Francesco Guidolin is working out for the best. Three wins, a draw and a loss for the former Palermo boss since he took over the reins in mid-October. “They’re enjoying a good spell and it’s going to be tough, but also a very exciting game to play,” said Nasri. A win would also shatter an unflattering record: OM haven’t beaten Monaco in a league game at the Stade Vélodrome since the 2000-01 season. A midfield battle Brought up on the Serie A, Francesco Guidolin has brought all his tactical prowess to AS Monaco. Himself a footballing connoisseur and “subscriber to La Gazzetta dello Sport” Jean Fernandez expects a high-voltage tactical battle at the Vélodrome this Sunday. “I’m familiar with his reputation and I’ve spoken with Sabri (Lamouchi) who played against him in Italy,” explained Fernandez. “He’s transformed Monaco into a very compact side with a big five-man midfield who apply an enormous pressure on the opponent while playing with just one up front, who will be Adebayor since Chevanton is injured. They’re a well organised side that don’t concede many goals. The midfield is tireless in harassing the ball-carrier, and he’ll know that we play with a big midfield as well.” . To win the midfield battle will be the key to the match. A fact that supports those that think Fernandez will abandon his five-man defence to bolster the midfield. It is still unknown whether or not Franck Ribéry will play due to a knee problem. His eventual presence would be a real plus for exploding the Red and Whites’ midfield. He trained normally on Saturday afternoon at the Vélodrome. Discipline Referee: Mr Garibian Suspended OM: - Suspended with next booking: Ribéry (until Strasbourg, rd 19) Suspended ASM: - AS Monaco Players to watch: Adebayor, Meriem, Kapo Absentees: Chevanton, Maicon, Gerard, Squillaci, Roma. Current standing: 6th with 24 points Last result: Monaco 1-0 Saint-Etienne ------------BARTHEZ-------------- ---BEYE - DEHU - CESAR - TAIWO-- DELFIM - CANA - LAMOUCHI - ORUMA ---------RIBERY - NIANG------------ Substitutes: Carrasso, Nasri, Koke (or Mendoza), Andre Luis, Gimenez Absentees: Méité, Nakata, Ferreira, Ba, L.N'Diaye, Cantareil, Deruda, Benatia
This game will be shown live on Sopcast, for shooo, and maybe on PPLive: http://www.live-foot.com/matchs I'll confirm links later on at game time, but Sopcast should be "9-3 TV": Launch Sopcast, it'll show up probably 10 mn. before the start of the game. But I'll confirm later on... Should be good!
Ok...Back to video: Right now, it's PPLive fo' shooo, "GoalTV 2", chinese commentaries. link to the game on PPLive It might be on Sopcast, which would be better because of Canal + commentaries. Still waiting for "93TV" to start "webcasting" on that "end"....
A pretty even match thus far, Marseille have had more chances but Monaco took their one decent opportunity. That penalty miss was very frustrating.
Yep, just got done watching it on FSC (15-minute delay or something like that). It was a good game, really hard on Monaco to have Abedayor sent off. The French FA should review that. That strike from Sorlin was spectacular, really lucky for l'OM that it didn't go in. Niang in particular looked very dangerous today, Ribery didn't play that well but the other attackers made up for it. All in all, not a great performance, but that's the kind of game that needs to be won if Marseille are going to claim a CL spot.
good result... but l'om still have to do alot of work to improve team's level. untill now we cannot dominate a game even at home!! our opponents always have free space to control matches.
Good win. We needed this to keep our position in the league tables secure. For anybody watching on FSC, isn't it soo annoying when the FSC commentator (not the British dude, but the american one who sums up the halftime report, I think it's Christian Miles) pronounces L'OM incorrectly (he says it as "lome") ! It drives me up the wall. For pete's sake, it's his job and he can't pronounce the team's name properly (It should be pronounced as it is spelled "Low-em") !