Marseille wants to regain its defense
This season, the effectiveness curve of the Marseille rearguard looks like a roller coaster: it first penalized Jorge Sampaoli’s team, too often caught out, before becoming a strong point on which build the successes clearing the road to the podium.
The changeover came after the break in October, when the Argentinian technician reviewed his plans: “He told us: ‘It’s not normal for us to concede goals. When people say we take a lot, it annoys me.’ Since this speech, we take a lot less, ”said William Saliba at the end of January on RMC.
At the time of this confidence, the young player on loan from Arsenal shone in the best defense in the Championship. But since then, the rock has cracked with eight goals conceded in the last three games.
“A Bad Time”
Lyon launched the assault in the league match to be played again on February 1 (2-1 defeat), Angers followed by scoring two goals in the first quarter of an hour before being overthrown (5-2 victory), Nice defeated the highlight on Wednesday (4-1 defeat) by eliminating OM from the Coupe de France.
“These last three games we made mistakes, and they took advantage of the chances that we have their data. It’s not a system issue, it’s just a bad time for us. But I don’t think it’s worrying, ”tried to put Duje Caleta-Car, the Croatian defender of OM, into perspective.
In Nice, Sampaoli had however opted for a composition as new as it is disconcerting, aligning four defenders concerned (Saliba, Caleta-Car, Balerdi, Peres) in front of goalkeeper Pau Lopez, still preferred to Steve Mandanda. A bet that turned out to be a loser.
Regain control of the game
Lacking landmarks, the Marseillais sank in front of the waves of Nice without managing to raise the bar. The coach’s tactical adjustments were not enough and the performances of certain players, such as that of captain Dimitri Payet exiled on the left wing, did not help.
“We changed the system at half-time and we still conceded two goals. It’s not a question of the system, all these goals come from the fact that we played badly”, a Sampaoli coupe.
And the Argentinian ironically: “A week ago we were the best defense in Europe, today we would be the worst. […] All of this is counter analysis at the coffee shop. In fact, it all depends on the game. When you have control, the team imposes itself, and when it doesn’t impose itself, doesn’t put pressure, the result is there. »
In Metz, facing a team that scores little (24 goals in 23 games), the Marseillais will seek to close the gaps to heal their statistics at the same time as their morale.
The return from suspension of Boubacar Kamara, a precious midfielder in the defensive withdrawal, should do good to the quartet behind. “When the ball is lost, it goes down directly, it’s as if we were at five”, said Saliba at the end of January. With the current concerns, it will not be luxury.