Montpellier has had a makeover, La Paillade is swimming in happiness

The work, we know when it starts … but for once, we also know when it ends. AT Montpellier, the shell seems indeed completed. And yet it was far from being won. Last summer, the page was not entirely blank, but a new chapter had to be written.

New coach, renewal of the central hinge, amputation of a doublet of star attackers, balance to find, defense to secure. The task seemed colossal. Almost too much, in the eyes of some. However, architect of change, Olivier Dall’Oglio and his staff finally managed to do better, with less, and in a short time. A feat.

Shy start

La Paillade first logically sought out, achieving the same start as that of 2016-2017, after nine days. Three small victories over this period thus confirmed that Montpellier had entered a transitional season., where patience and indulgence had to be the watchwords.

Of the first eleven meetings, the 19 goals conceded have raised concerns that the stabilization of the defense, the first announced project, will take time. An exasperated fear after the injury of Matheus Thuler at the Parc des Princes, but especially that of Mamadou Sakho against Saint-Etienne, which did not ultimately lead to too long an absence.

Best team in the last five games

The work actually paid off, faster than expected. The players joined the project and the mayonnaise of the former Dijon man ended up taking, to the point of becoming tasty. Today, the balance sheet is salivating, as much as the proposed game. The Héraultais constitute the best formation of the elite over the last five games, and the second best team in Ligue 1 since the tenth day, a period in which they have conceded only eight goals. But above all, with 31 points, La Paillade has just set its record at the break for ten years (37 units in 2011).

Leaders

Propelled captain of an abandoned ship, Téji Savanier is one of the great architects of this insolent success. The now in his thirties has taken on new responsibilities and reached a stratospheric level, pushing some colleagues to question the coach on the possibility of a place in Blue. In the meantime, it is in the hearts of the supporters that the brilliant midfielder has made himself one of choice, the result of permanent humility, a borderline grinta and a stunning technique, which has earned him comparisons. sometimes disproportionate.

At his side, the roles of Joris Chotard, judiciously repositioned as a sentinel, and Jordan ferri were also determinants. The experience of the former Lyonnais, the application of his partner and the quality of recovery of the two men allow Montpellier to apply, often wonderfully, the coach’s wish: to leave clean and from behind, with a Jonas Omlin more and more solicited by his partners and whose returned copies sent him in the best eleven of the first leg according to the CIES.

Finally, presented as the replacement for Vitorino Hilton, the former French international Mamadou Sakho, absent from the field for more than seven months before treading the lawn of the Stade Delaune, won in the eleven in a snap and has swept aside doubts about his physical condition in record time. His inimitable way of chasing and harassing opposing attackers, but also his rigor, his good humor and his culture of winning are unanimous, in a rejuvenated locker room and constantly listening.

Revelations and good surprises

Hazard or not, all those who play alongside him are also raising their level of play and attention. Maxime Estève, revelation of the start of the season, thus displayed very high level performances, until his injury, while in the axis, Nicolas cozza became the one who promised so much, before being seriously injured, in the winter of 2019.

If they took more time to reassure the spans of the Mosson, and if this still requires confirmation, even the corridors now seem to be better controlled, notably with Arnaud Souquet and Mihailo Ristic, who have gained momentum, and authors of solid performances recently, at a time when Junior Sambia marked time, before relaunching himself in another register, a notch higher, and being decisive on last two days, with a goal in Brest and an involvement in that of Ristic against Angers.

Before, Valère Germain has not yet found his cruising speed, but retains the confidence of the coach and the locker room on his ability to achieve it, during the return phase. For the time being, a resounding debut, with three goals in three games, then a natural slack for a boy deprived of summer preparation, which allowed Elye Wahi to get out of the game, while the young scorer will blow out his 19 candles on the day of the reception of Strasbourg, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France.

For his part, Stephy Mavdidi grabbed the top scorer title of the club at mid-term (6), also delivering three assists, he who had not offered any last season. New dimension for him, and new role for Florent Mollet. If its repositioning on the right of the Hérault attack may have left some of the fans skeptical, it is clear that the coach was right to insist and the person concerned to be tempted (4 goals). On arrival, a cSurprising onstat: more goals scored (33) than in the previous year (31) after 19 days.

No euphoria

However, despite this record, don’t rely on the coach to jump to the ceiling. Olivier Dall’Oglio has so far made the right choices and built a more complete team than the previous one, but knows all too well how fast his sport is and how quickly the dynamics can be reversed. All the more so in a stable where all positions are not doubled or even tripled at an equivalent level, and where certain absences (injuries, covid) can create gaping holes.

The MHSC is therefore aware of its potential, but also of its limits.. This winter, an offensive player could be added, it is in any case the targeted sector, but the club will not go crazy. The staff will continue to function with the majority of the elements available, especially since they recover two: Ambrose Oyongo and Pedro mendes.

To see, therefore, if this Paillade will know keep the same rhythm and preserve its efficiency, while competition should, in part, greatly increase. See also how the young people, to whom the technician opens their arms wide, will continue to integrate and progress.

One of ODO’s wishes, expressed before the holidays: deal better with Europeans (Paris, Rennes, Monaco, Marseille, Lille, Lyon). Six teams against which the MHSC has not taken any point out of eighteen possible since August.