MHSC: bad starts, bad attack, bad series… Montpellier is not coping

“On sait que ce sera difficile jusqu’au bout”, affirmait Wahbi Khazri, samedi, à l’issue de la défaite sur le terrain de Rennes (2-1). MAXPPP – Vincent MICHEL

Battu et toujours à l’arrêt, le MHSC a alterné raisons d’espérer et motifs d’inquiétude à Rennes (2-1), samedi.

Where is Montpellier going ? The question is nagging. But still not decided. Because the MHSC alternates between hope and despair. Like in Rennes, Saturday, or like against Lille (0-0), a week earlier. Nuances in the gray that will have to be carefully decided. Should we believe it or not ? Elements of response.

Starts that last

Le Havre, Reims, Lille, Paris SG, Clermont, Monaco : the list of teams to have opened the scoring in the first ten minutes against Montpellier was already long from August to November. The Héraultais fell back on Saturday in Rennes, conceding goals in the 3rd and 48th minutes. "It’s complicated when you start the halves like this. For any team", regretted Benjamin Lecomte to Prime.

The repetition is enough to raise questions. Or disillusion, like Michel Der Zakarian. "I don't understand either. The matches, we have to start them […] There, we give confidence to the opponent", regretted the coach.

An attack and an irregularity that weighs down

This trend joins another: that of never, or very rarely, displaying the same face from one half or match to the next. As against Lille (0-0), the MHSC became intermittent in Rennes. Plugged into an alternating current that takes it from nothingness to light, sometimes with a snap of the fingers, like Saturday.

"We knew how to shake them up, that shows that we have the capabilities. But you have to start on the hour, not half an hour", railed Der Zak who finds himself facing another major problem: an attack that is floundering, in the wake of his spearhead Akor Adams (0 goals in L1 for ten matches), and fewer and fewer clear situations.

A bad series that worries…

The numbers are there: a success in the last eleven L1 matches, five losses in the last six trips for a barrage pace (16th) since its victory against TFC on October 29 (10th day , 3-0).

An observation supported offensively since, over this period (excluding the replayed match against Clermont, 1-1), Montpellier caps at 4 goals scored in ten matches. For the worst record of the elite, with Nantes.

"We know it will be difficult until the end", Khazri declared Saturday to the broadcaster, promising that the group is aware of the situation. Even if Lecomte noted a lack of "angryness, combativeness."

… But deadlines to react

Brest, Lille, Rennes: after the start of the year facing ambitious players, the MHSC is attacking another phase, that of competitors. Lyon, Metz and Strasbourg, interspersed with a trip to Marseille, will present themselves at La Mosson. For three crucial meetings with a view to maintaining Montpellier.

On condition of becoming master at home again, where he has only won one match this season, against TFC. Can the 8th final of the Coupe de France against Nice, from Wednesday at La Paillade, trigger the reaction?

A team that can handle shocks

With the exception of Brest at the Francis-Le Blé stadium (2-0), and the first half hour in Rennes, the MHSC has recently never been overtaken and has conceded few chances. At home, with draws against Rennes, Nice, Lens, OM and Lille, and even in Monaco (2-0) or Saturday in Brittany despite the defeats, he held up to the shocks.

And his reaction the day before yesterday once again proved his possibilities. "If we play Lille's first half, today's half and the last 35 minutes, we can beat anyone" , Khazri wants to believe.

Savanier leads the revolt

The executives have been sufficiently pointed out to note when they are on time. This is the case of Téji Savanier. Having passed through Brest, the captain has been exemplary in the last two matches. On Saturday, he sounded the revolt, with his goal but also his attitude.

But it was when he found himself higher up, in a leadership position, that he brought danger. Enough to reopen the file of its positioning, after having returned it to recovery in December?

Returning internationals and recruits to review

Injured, suspensions… This season, the MHSC is accumulating them. Whether the series will end up stopping ? From Adams (back) and especially from Nordin (thigh), who has a series of problems, depends partly on the answer.

The elimination of Guinea and Mali from the CAN, Friday and Saturday, will in any case mean the imminent returns of Sylla, Kouyaté and Sacko. Montpellier awaits Bertaud and especially Tamari, whose Jordan is playing in the Asian Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

At the same time, he incorporated defender Sagnan and winger Karamoh, his last two recruits. In Rennes, their baptism proved promising. New weapons for Michel Der Zakarian and a mass of choices in perspective, once the squad is complete. But this problem is better than those of today.