MHSC: “He must be decisive with the goal or the pass”, Wahbi Khazri must adapt to his new role in attack

Wahbi Khazri n’a inscrit qu’un but, à Strasbourg, en septembre. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

L’attaquant expérimenté Wahbi Khazri s’est imposé comme une alternative à la pointe de l’attaque de Montpellier et pourrait débuter, dimanche à 15 h, à la Mosson, contre Lorient.

He grew so quickly that his greatness was neglected. In two and a half years, Elye Wahi has made Montpellier's number nine his own. With his goalscoring instinct, the young striker (21 years old) put an end to the question of the legacy of the two playing brothers: Andy Delort and Gaëtan Laborde.

He left so quickly that his departure was neglected. The international Espoir, with the resounding transfer to Lens (30 million euros), marked his passage with a discreet nature but with rare efficiency (19 goals, 6 passes in 2022-23). And left behind this scoring position like a hot potato, which clutters the feet of the designated successor: Akor Adams, down since October in Ligue 1, and Wahbi Khazri, new alternative in false nine.

Default center forward

The former Saint-Étienne striker, who arrived in Hérault in the summer of 2022, is a center forward by default. « Wahbi Khazri took advantage of Akor Adams' poor form. What I expect from him is that he is even more in the box, that he is in a position to score. It must be decisive by the goal or the pass » repeats and demands coach Michel Der Zakarian. If Adams has capped at seven goals since that cursed month of October, Khazri has only scored one goal in Strasbourg (2-2) in September.

Khazri navigates the front of the Montpellier attack, one foot on the left side, another in the role of false center forward, failing to position himself perhaps in his true place. « He can play under a striker or on the left side » estimates Der Zak.

🇹🇳 Wahbi Khazri : "Ça a été une période compliquée."#OGCNMHSC pic.twitter.com/tXR3KCOmfR

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However, his team relies on a playmaker like no other: Téji Savanier. Captain, attack leader, icon of La Paillade. Player and man at the center of everything.

Since several meetings and his remarkable entry in front of Strasbourg in place of Adams, the former Tunisian international (74 caps) has adapted to this new role. Where he creates false leads, where he stalls, where he pleases. « I appreciate having this freedom. I participate in the team game and I can free up space for my partners. If we can have this complementarity, we can do good things » he explained into the Prime Video microphone, failing to agree to an interview.

With his ease on the ball, he maintains a technical complicity with Savanier. « He is comfortable combining well. And, his partners stay close to him » notes Der Zak who did not hesitate to sanction him.

He belongs to the narrow circle of executives

Left out of the group during the meetings in front of Metz (3-0) and Marseille (4-1), Khazri, with his pride battered, came back in force « after a complicated passage ». And, he made his voice heard to help Montpellier save its place in Ligue 1.

Even though he has only been playing for a year and a half in Montpellier, this experienced player, who played in Bastia, Bordeaux, Rennes or Saint-Étienne, belongs to the narrow circle of frames. Those who influence the locker room, those who carry the destiny of the club of president Laurent Nicollin, who alone made the decision to recruit him.

At 33, Wahbi Khazri, under contract for one season, is moving a little further towards the twilight of his career. The technician, who does not run on ordinary gasoline, wants to take care of his last moments as he ensured his international release. On a final goal against the French team (1-0) during the World Cup.

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