AS Monaco are in a shock position to start their season gaining only 15 points in 21 games. Thierry Henry’s men find themselves sitting in 19th place, battling relegation instead of competing for the title. Being Ligue 1 winners two years ago, and runners-up last year, this season’s performance has been astonishing. Their fans and many of the football fans across the world have all been disappointed.
AS Monaco and Thierry Henry in Trouble
Monaco were selling themselves into trouble. Following the summer of 2014/15, they sold James Rodriguez to Real Madrid for £64 million and loaned out Radamel Falcao; superstar players who were arguably their two best at the time. The following year, they sold Layvin Kurzawa to their rivals Paris Saint Germain. Also sold were quality players like Anthony Martial, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Yannick Carrasco. Other notable mentions who departed are Joao Moutinho, Benjamin Mendy and the famous World Cup Golden Boy Kylian Mbappe.
At the same time, they had invested in other talents like Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Tiemoué Bakayoko and Thomas Lemar. However, all of these players have now been sold too. Although Monaco have been gaining monetary value, their club value continues to decrease. Losing players which such quality, it may no longer seem a surprise that Monaco have not been able to maintain their previous form.
Frustration for Henry
Frustration is growing for Thierry Henry and his men, especially after Monaco’s recent 5-1 defeat at home to RC Strasbourg. The French manager later apologized for apparently slandering Strasbourg’s Kenny Lala making offensive remarks about his grandmother. During that game, his top two new signings let him down. Naldo saw red in just the seventh minute on his debut. As for Cesc Fabregas, his error led to a magnificent goal by Strasbourg’s Ibrahima Sissoko, restoring their two-goal cushion.
After scoring 85 goals last season, and 107 the season before, they are on pace for just 35 goals in this campaign, which would be their lowest ever league tally. On the other side, Thierry Henry’s men are on pace to concede a club record-breaking 66 goals. However, these weren’t quite the records Henry had in mind. In the hopes to solidify the midfield and strengthen his defence, Henry has big plans during this January transfer window. Rumours say he is hoping to sign Michy Batshuayi and Marouane Fellaini.
Clearly, Monaco are struggling but they still have hope. With new additions and a manager with a tremendous amount of potential, they have the opportunity to succeed. Probably not this season, however; battling relegation and projecting for a mid-table finish should be the goal this season. With a fresh start and a new team-building mentality, AS Monaco can bring footballing success back to the city. Can Thierry Henry lead his men towards a better future?
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