“What is your analysis of this first defeat of the season against Strasbourg (0-1)?
It’s very simple, we lost too many duels, we lost 80% of these duels. Around the surface, they always arrived before us, they were more aggressive. I have a group of good boys, who want to do well, but they have lost too many duels once again, aerial duels, and in the end the defeat is deserved.
Is this the worst performance of your team so far?
The worst? I don’t know but there is this result. I have confidence in my players. If I can quote a coach that the Marseillais know well, Marcelo Bielsa, he said “you always learn in defeat”.
What exactly can you learn?
That we have to do something more when we face such teams, that we have to be more aggressive, let our physicality speak a little more, especially when we have the qualities to do so.
“Adrien Rabiot is not yet 100%, not yet ready to start a match”
Why did you align Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg in defense and put Geoffrey Kondogbia in the middle?
Because he is left-handed, because Cornelius is left-handed and Brassier is left-handed too. Putting three left-handers behind would have been too much and we were also missing Méité and Rongier, injured, and Balerdi who was suspended. Höjbjerg had already played in this position against Nice, so it was the most logical choice. Even with Höjbjerg in defense, we should have done much better tonight (yesterday).
What did you think of Adrien Rabiot coming into play?
He was supposed to play less than thirty minutes but Koné’s injury, which took a hit, accelerated things. He’s an important player, he made a good start but he’s not yet 100%, not yet ready to start a match. »