The MHSC is attacking its second season under the orders of Olivier Dall’Oglio. Marked by a freewheeling end of the year, the Hérault club remains in a very average thirteenth place. With a reduced workforce and a recomposed attack, Montpellier hopes to show more consistency.
Overview of the Montpellier forces, before the first match of the season against Troyes, Sunday August 7 at 3 p.m.
The challenge: the Dall’Oglio method revealing duration
Fifth at the break but thirteenth on arrival, Montpellier had a frustrating last season. The same scenario had, strangely, already been seen in the previous exercise in Brest… then trained by Olivier Dall’Oglio. Therefore, the technician’s method with promising game principles raises questions about the duration.
“We need to regain confidence.”replied the technician to Free lunch. The four defeats in as many friendly outings are not reassuring. The defence, still just as porous, constitutes “the project for this start of the season”. It will be necessary to quickly heal the wounds: even very little threatened in recent years, Montpellier can see its comfort disturbed by the four relegations.
The player to watch: Joris Chotard, discreet at the service of the collective
It is rare that a player sticks so much to the image that we have of his club. Needy, often in the shadows, Joris Chotard (20) went through last season in the shoes of an irremovable holder. “A major element”said in a press conference Olivier Dall’Oglio about the international hopes, holder 34 times.
Joris Chotard
MHSC-Groupe Ilios Trophy️ https://t.co/ywzk0FvsWO pic.twitter.com/phNG9zxaKw
— MHSC (@MontpellierHSC) May 25, 2022
Less offensive than the jewel Téji Savanier, less experienced than the rogue Jordan Ferri, Chotard remains indispensable. “His role allows us to balance the eleven, to recover the balls and to feed the other circles or our side “, deciphered his coach. A confidence that pays off, because the one who should reach one hundred Ligue 1 games this winter extended in June with his training club.
The transfer window: three Stéphanois are in a boat…
Sometimes fond of exotic bets, Montpellier was not original this time around. The club has bet on three players relegated to Ligue 2 with Saint-Etienne, including the experienced Wahbi Khazri. The Tunisian reinforces the point of the attack and will offer an alternative to the young Elyes Wahi. Younger but author of three full seasons in Forez, Arnaud Nordin strengthens the right wing. Finally, Falaye Sacko (Vitoria Guimaraes), loaned to the Greens last winter, showed great promise there before getting injured. He will start on the right of the defense.
On the other side of the rearguard, Faitout Maouassa (ex-Rennes) was loaned by Bruges. Finally, the young central defender Théo Sainte-Luce arrived from Nîmes. These arrivals at lower cost – two loans, three end of contract – make up for the loss of a dozen players. Among them, Mihailo Ristic (Benfica), Florent Mollet (Schalke 04) or Junior Sambia (Salernitana) left Hérault.
The typical XI:
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