Monaco hosted Angers this past Tuesday in Ligue 1 action. Monaco kicked off Tuesday’s clash sitting behind Angers in the Ligue 1 table by a point. However, they managed to earn a tight 1-0 win in Tuesday’s game which now puts them above Angers and into the top half of the table. 

This game saw Robert Moreno earn his first Ligue 1 win as Monaco head coach. The former Spain manager, and understudy to Luis Enrique, began his Monaco tenure positively, earning a 3-3 draw away to PSG. However, Moreno has found life more difficult in recent weeks. He will undoubtedly be pleased to have finally gotten his first Ligue 1 win under his belt.

This tactical analysis piece will examine the successful tactics deployed by Moreno’s Monaco side in this game. We will analyse Monaco’s effective attacking strategy, as well as the defensive tactics which helped them keep a clean sheet. We will also dissect how Angers’ tactics caused problems for Monaco in Tuesday’s fixture. 

Lineups and formations

Having previously been the long-term assistant coach of Luis Enrique, it is evident that one thing that Moreno has inherited from his former mentor is his famed unpredictability. Enrique often talks about and provides examples of the importance of unpredictability to his squads. It’s early days, but Moreno may already be showing similarities to Enrique in that regard. 

Having previously lined his Monaco side up in a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3, and a 4-4-2, Enrique opted for a 4-3-1-2 shape for Tuesday’s game. The only notable change to Monaco’s defence for Tuesday’s game was the inclusion of Ruben Aguilar at right-back. Aguilar enjoyed his first start under Moreno in this game.