ASM, 17 goals in 13 matches, and Losc, 16 goals, can no longer score.
Their coaches admit to working with ardor football
r to fix it.
"Not to score in our last three matches (two in L1, one in the Europa League, editor's note) does not satisfy us," blows Monegasque coach Niko Kovac.
"Even without Wissam (Ben Yedder) and Kevin (Volland, selected for selection), we spent ten days working on the offensive movements, he assures. In football, you have to click, fight against the situation, stay positive to force the opponent to make mistakes. "
His counterpart Jocelyn Gourvennec holds an identical point of view and points to "a problem of regularity in efficiency".
"We show things but this concern lasts, he analyzes. We have insisted a lot for two weeks to get used to scoring on the slightest ball."
The observation is identical.
But the reasons for this offensive apathy differ: Monaco tries too little, Lille misses too much.
Monaco suffered the fewest shots in L1 (117, or 9 per game).
It is also one of the teams which strike the least (17th, 130 attempts attempted, 10 per game).
"Be more united and compact"
This is insufficient for Monaco, which is aiming for the podium but is struggling to reinvent itself collectively.
"The opponents know that we are dangerous and close the game more", explains Volland.
"We have to play as a team, more united and compact. It was our strength last season. If we do it, it will come back. If we play too individually, like sometimes, we will not succeed."
Beyond the drop in performance of the duo formed by Ben Yedder (six goals, two assists in L1) and Volland (three goals, two assists), Myron Boadu, alternative N.1, disappoints.
Bought 17 million euros and considered a very great talent, the 20-year-old Dutchman failed to score in 377 minutes played in L1.
The duettists Wissam Ben Yedder (d) and Kevin Volland, in sight against Saint-Etienne to Louis II, on September 22, 2021, is experiencing a drop in attack Valery HACHE AFP / Archives
"He is talented, we have to give him time, insists Kovac. An attacker must play and score. However, the competition is tough. That's the problem. But for ten days, he worked a lot. His qualities will allow him to succeed in Monaco. "
According to Kovac, the Monegasques also digest "the learning of weeks to three matches, with Europe, unlike last season".
He therefore rotates to preserve everyone.
Ben Yedder and Volland are thus less often aligned together.
"There's no point in over-playing tired players," Kovac says. "I watch and see the fatigue."
Yilmaz in trouble
Lille, including eleven players (like Monaco) come back from selection, also follow this infernal pace.
However, the co-top scorer of L1 Jonathan David (8 goals) repeats the trips to Canada with his selection.
On his returns, he is systematically replacing, as in Lorient (2-1 defeat) and Clermont (1-0 defeat), the worst matches in Lille this season, with the defeat against Nice (4-0) ... where David was also on the bench.
Hit in one eye against Mexico (2-1) on Tuesday and left injured, he could play very little time in Monaco.
This is a bad omen for Lille, which, according to statistician Opta, is the L1 team that scores the least compared to the number of goals expected (16 for 21.6 expected).
His Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz has scored just two goals, far from his performance last season.
Lille's Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz challenges Montpellier's Mattheus Thuler in the league in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, August 29, 2021 DENIS CHARLET AFP / Archives
Gourvennec points to this lack of realism for a long time, but does not want "to add more so as not to upset the players".
The solution lies in the ability to "be more relaxed and determined in the final gesture".
This applies in particular to the Turkish Yusuf Yazici, who, like Boadu at ASM, is transparent.
"He is vengeful, has the right frame of mind and, when he is like that, is more efficient", however convinced Gourvennec.
Because he and Kovac know how important Friday opposition is, how urgent it is to score to win.
© 2021 AFP