OM-Lille: Press conference

The press conference on Twitch

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg: “Giving it our all in the match”

Calmness and confidence

We’re on the right track. We need to stay calm and focus on the next match, against Lille. The squad is in good spirits and working well. We need Sunday’s match to go our way.

The midfielder

The coach gives his instructions and makes tactical adjustments. The players put into practice what he asks of them. That’s more a question for the coach.

Habib Beye

The coach has a good attitude and a good personality. He’s open with the players and genuinely cares. That’s good for the dressing room. He’s brought intensity. He’s taken charge and is doing a good job. He’s naturally found his place.

The playing style

Every coach has his own way of organising the team and the game. He has his own take on football. We follow him; we put into practice what he asks of us. We pick up the points. We know where we want to be by the end of the season. The coach shows us the way.

The partnership with Kondogbia

I’ve been here for over a year and a half now, and Kondogbia was one of the first to welcome me with open arms. He’s an exceptional bloke, an exceptional player. He’s someone I hold in very high regard. I have a great deal of respect for him.

OM v Lille

It’s an important match. Lille are a good side. Things are moving fast. We were behind Lyon and now we’re two points ahead. We need to stay focused and give it our all so that the result goes our way.

The captain’s armband

I’m very proud to have this role. It doesn’t change much. We try to win matches, to pick up points. Who’s captain? Who isn’t? It doesn’t change things. We’re focused on ensuring OM finish the season as strongly as possible.

The fans

Since I’ve been at OM, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to experience and see extraordinary fans, right behind their club. We have to live up to that; we have to show the same passion they have.

Midfield play

They’re top-quality players. We have many players with great qualities in midfield. Nnadi, Nwaneri and Vermeeren also have great qualities. Everyone is showing their best side every day. The squad is working flat out. We need to show that.

The stakes of this Ligue 1 matchday

It’s a crucial match, I agree. We’ve seen that things can change in the blink of an eye.

Fitness

Some players like playing every three days, others less so. Everyone needs to be committed to keeping up the pace. We’d like to be in every competition. We’d prefer to play every three days because that would mean we’re still in every competition. We have specific fitness sessions. In the future, we’ll see even more clearly how the coach likes to work.

Roberto De Zerbi

In football, you see coaches, teams and players. I really liked Roberto.

Habib Beye: “A turning point, but not a decisive one”

OM v Lille

Things are going very well. We’ve had a week to train. We’ve recovered with a heavy week of work. We’ve worked on certain aspects of our game. The team is feeling good, the momentum is good, and that confidence must show on Sunday.

The break after OM v Lille

I’ve been through this with my former club. We’ll have about fifteen players, including the goalkeepers. We’ll train hard. We might hold an internal selection session. We’ll need to coordinate the international players’ travel arrangements. We know how to handle that. We’ve got a quality squad. We’ve got few injuries, apart from Aguerd. We’ll need to manage Sunday’s match well, and then we’ll train hard. These are interesting times.

Geoffrey Kondogbia

Through the training methodology. He meets the required intensity. We’ve been careful with his recovery. He trains at high intensity every day. He’s shown us this, he handles the workload during the week and in matches. It’s a balance that’s doing us good at the moment.

The full-backs

We ask them to be focused defensively. In Ligue 1, there are wide players capable of making a difference. They must also contribute offensively. Today, they can position themselves as a second No. 6. The evolution of the position requires players to be counter-attackers. They provide numerical superiority to get around dense defensive blocks. The gap today is 20–25 metres; the compactness of the defensive blocks has changed. The role of the full-backs is even more important than before. Our full-backs are very important. They must continue to learn the principles of counter-pressing. The full-backs must take on one-on-one situations.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

He’s fine. He took a knock to his ankle. He stayed on at the end of the session to practise his shooting.

The physical aspect

The match against Lille is a benchmark. We’ve improved in this area. We’re part of an ongoing project. We’ve stepped up the intensity of our training sessions. We’ve won matches in the closing stages. We have no concerns about that. Lille played during the week. The squad is working really well. The squad’s response has been exceptional. Recovery has been very good.

The Gouiri/Aubameyang partnership

It brings strength. They complement each other. Gouiri gets in behind the lines; he’s the first link. Aubameyang tracks back defensively with great energy. We’re a bit short in that position. They’re ready to start together. Having both of them is an extra weapon. They bring a different dimension to our play.

OM v Lille

It’s just as crucial as the others. We’re on a run of three wins. In a season, it feels like a turning point but without being decisive, as there will still be matches to come. We can create some extra breathing space over the teams behind us. The more we win, the more it will make us a different team. Against Auxerre, we saw a different dynamic in the second half. It won’t be decisive, but it can change a lot of things. The opposition will be strong. They’re well organised. They won at Rennes. It’s a great challenge. Our confidence should help us stay calm.

The Africa Cup of Nations

Ironically, they won’t be getting the trophy or the medals. The decision is inappropriate. It doesn’t reflect well on CAF. It’s a tricky situation for me. The title that Senegal won, they went out and earned it on the pitch. The situation is difficult for CAF. I hope we stick to the decision made on the pitch. This doesn’t put our continent in a good light. The decision should have been made at the time. It will be hard for both nations to cope with.

Quinten Timber

He’s a brilliant player. He’s a complete player. He’s very athletic and can carry the ball forward. He loves playing football, training and enjoys himself. He needs to improve in his attacking positions.

He has good acceleration. He can contribute even more with the final pass, in the penalty area. Against Auxerre, in the first half, he was too close to the defensive midfielders. In the second half, he was closer to Aubameyang. He needs to provide an extra attacking threat. He needs to be more daring in his attacking positions. He’s a true professional.

The midfield

Against Auxerre, we wanted more players up front. We need to be able to play on one-on-one situations. Our three-man midfield is important for continuity. It’s important to see consistency for balance and technical link-up play. This midfield is complementary, whether we play with three or four at the back. The players are playing back-to-back matches and some need a breather around the 70th minute. We also have to manage yellow cards; we have players on four bookings. We need to be careful with our choices.

The Habib Beye touch

I struggle with that logic. We all have an identity. The important thing is to prioritise certain areas. We were conceding too many goals. We needed to consolidate, stabilise and build the team’s confidence. We needed a sort of first-choice line-up. We needed more verticality, more direct access to the opposition’s goal. We’ve worked on tactics. I’m keen to give my assistants space to operate. They need to take ownership of training. I intervene verbally on very specific areas. I’m involved, though sometimes with less impact. We need to change our tone to keep the players on their toes. My approach is to let my assistants lead the sessions. We share the coaching duties in this way. It’s a good way for the players to understand what we’re asking of them.

Ange Lago

He’s in the post-academy phase. He’s a 2004-born player making his debut with the first team. We only have two players in that position. He’s a striker but he also plays on the right wing. Young players need to get a feel for several positions. Players need to understand the demands of other positions. Ange Lago is working very well; he’s scored for the Pro 2 side, so we know we can count on him if he needs to come on. We need to value the work done in the youth system. We need to have two or three players in the squad.