Monaco Finding Form in Ligue 1 Once More After Project Failure

Last summer, the project at AS Monaco was described as a sinking ship. Despite finishing second in Ligue 1, few gave them any hope of repeating any success this season.

However, after early teething problems, Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim has helped his side find some impressive form, and Monaco version 2.0 is finally starting to pick up some momentum.

After Claudio Ranieri and the Monegasque side parted on mutual terms, the appointment of Jardim from Sporting Lisbon was a rude awakening. Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez exited stage left, and it was very clear that it was a very new era at La Rocher.

Jardim was brought in with a background of being a defensive coach, with a history of bringing through younger players. Gone was the notion of spending big on star names. The €6 million capture of 20-year-old Tiemoue Bakayoko from Rennes was the statement signing of Monaco’s new future.

The start was far from ideal, though. In the opening five league games, Monaco conceded nine times, only picked up four points and found themselves in 19th position.

Blame was being laid firmly at Jardim’s door.

In the early games, some of the coach’s in-game decisions seemed to lack direction and an understanding of what was ultimately trying to be achieved.

Lionel Cironneau/Associated Press

Starting as underdogs in the Champions League seemed to be where Jardim began to get his team back on track. Expectations in the league were still that Monaco would be one of the top sides, but in a group with Benfica, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Bayer Leverkusen, ASM were expected to finish third or worse.

However, it was in that competition that the plans started to take shape. The opening win over Leverkusen seemed like less of a shock when Monaco came back from Russia with a vital point and a clean sheet. A home draw against Benfica didn’t hit the headlines, but it was effective.

After three games, Monaco had four points and had yet to concede a goal in the group.

Jardim’s team were willing to sit back and defend with organisation and understanding, looking to hit on the break. It worked, and while Monaco may have qualified for the last 16 with only four goals scored, they also only conceded once in six games.

They didn’t need to be flamboyant.

Back in the league, things improved little by little. There was a stretch between October and November when they conceded seven goals in five games, but something seemed to click after the 2-0 away defeat to Rennes.

All of a sudden, the players seemed to find strength in their organisation. Defensively, the impressive performances from the Champions League seeped into their league form.

Before the winter break, Monaco won four games in a row, keeping four clean sheets.

Claude Paris/Associated Press

In the first game, Monaco beat Lens 2-0, but they had Wallace sent off in the first half. They were also dealing with an injury to first-choice left-back Layvin Kurzawa. Jeremy Toulalan dropped back into the centre of defence for the following three games, and Andrea Raggi took over from Nigerian Elderson at left-back.

Toulalan’s experience and discipline had a huge part to play in the clean sheets, but the former French international picked up a muscle injury in January, joining Geoffrey Kondogbia and Bakayoko on the treatment table.

The changes to the line-up didn’t affect the team's defensive stability, though.

In the last six games, Monaco have used four different centre-back pairings and three different left-backs. Every time, they have kept a clean sheet.

This suggests that the players have finally bought in to Jardim’s philosophy. Anyone, if capable, can play in different positions or roles. Everyone in the first-team squad knows their role and the role of their teammates.

It is a true example of a team ethic and impressive organisation.

On Wednesday, Benfica and Monaco revealed that on-loan Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva had signed a permanent deal with the Monegasque club. The 20-year-old has emerged as one of Monaco’s most important players and is another symbol of where this club is heading.

"

OFFICIAL: Bernardo Silva joins @AS_Monaco on a permanent deal till 2019. €15.75 million the fee pic.twitter.com/Wr7vioC6Za #ASM

— FFW (@FrenchFtWeekly) January 21, 2015"

Monaco have won five of their last six games, and upcoming fixtures against Lille and Lyon will test the new philosophy further, but their fifth-placed league position is a great reflection of the hard work the club has put in this season.

In the last 16 of the Champions League, Monaco will face Arsenal for a place in the quarter-finals. They are definitely not in the same league as Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, but Arsene Wenger will need to give his former club full respect.

Monaco have made themselves very hard to beat, and with Silva, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and the wily veteran Dimitar Berbatov, this new-look side from Monte Carlo are going to be a tough prospect for anyone this season.