Ranieri seeking Monaco reaction

After seeing their unbeaten start to the season ended last weekend, AS Monaco FC coach Claudio Ranieri is looking for a positive reaction when the principality club meet Evian-Thonon-Gaillard FC for the first time in a competitive game on today.

Monaco's expensively-assembled attack could not break down a mean Lille defence as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in France's far north last Sunday, their first loss in 12 Ligue 1 games coming hot on the heels of their Coupe de la Ligue exit at Reims and seeing them slip back to third place in the table, three points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

The Ligue 2 champions have won just one of their last four games in all competitions, but remain on course to claim the top-three berth that was their objective at the beginning of the campaign and have been excellent at home so far, winning five of their six matches in front of their own fans and only dropping points in a draw with Toulouse in August that was played behind closed doors.

"I am convinced that the team has learned from what happened (at Lille) and their reaction will be very important," said the veteran Italian Ranieri on Thursday. "My experience has taught me that things will not always go well over the course of a season but I think we will put in a good performance on today evening."

Ranieri admitted that he was proud of the way his team played against Lille but accepts that recent criticism of their performances, including the throwing away of a two-goal lead to draw at Sochaux last month, is valid and knows that recent defensive weaknesses must be improved upon.

"We need to change our mentality. Reims and Lille were more aggressive than us. In France, the football is very aggressive. Everyone must understand that. You need to be concentrated, attentive right from the start of a match. It is also not possible that we should concede so many headed goals (seven out of 11 altogether).

"Against Evian, who have won three games in a row and will look to hit us on the break, it will be difficult. I am positive, I am not thinking about losing. But we need a reaction. My players need to feel the pressure and perform at 100 percent."

Evian may sit in a modest 14th position in the table but they are a healthy seven points clear of the relegation zone and a win will move them level on points with Marseille in fifth. The 2011 Ligue 2 champions are enjoying their best-ever start to a top-flight campaign and travel to the Mediterranean coast fresh from winning back-to-back league games either side of a Coupe de la Ligue victory at Guingamp.

Last weekend, ETG beat Toulouse 2-1 at the Parc des Sports in Annecy with former Monaco defender Cédric Mongongu scoring a stoppage-time winner from the penalty spot. Now coach Pascal Dupraz hopes his team can spring a surprise in the principality. "We are not competing on the same level as them, we know that. Our aim is to build on our good recent performances," said Dupraz. "If we go to Monaco to get a tan and look at the rock, we risk coming away with a hiding. There is never a good time to play them but if we want to climb the table we will need to continue our unbeaten run."

Evian travelled south without six-goal top scorer Kévin Bérigaud, Brice Dja Djédjé and goalkeeper Bertrand Laquait, who are all injured. In addition, Cédric Cambon misses the game as he serves a one-match suspension. There will be no surprises in the Monaco side with long-term injury victim Nabil Dirar the only man on the sidelines.

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