MHSC – OM: A new coach, around ten recruits, Marseille has changed a lot during the off-season

Roberto De Zerbi, le nouveau coach correspond bien à l’ADN de Marseille. MAXPPP – SPEICH Frederic

Malgré de nombreux changements, les Olympiens sont déjà performants et pointent à la 3e place du classement. Montpellier va avoir fort à faire, dimanche 20 octobre, à 20 h 45. 

Montpellier, Marseille, two rooms, two atmospheres. When on the Grammont side, we count our money with the consequence of a tight transfer window with a loan and a free arrival; on the other side at the Commanderie, we spend without counting with a dozen recruits.

Forced continuity on one side, complete renewal on the other, the strategies were different between the MHSC and the OM. After two months of competition, the Marseille method has proven effective since the Olympians are in third place in the standings (4 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat). The graft with the new Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi has taken hold quickly, the Italian managing to quickly integrate his style into his players.

"He knew the atmosphere, the DNA of this club at the time of our first discussions. In his past, he has already experienced these passionate atmospheres. Psychologically, it is important for me. The second point: he is a young coach (45 years old), who has already led medium-term projects, like at Sassuolo (2018-2021), he has the ability to build a team, an identity. This type of modern coach, in innovation, allows you to see further”, recently explained its president Pablo Longoria in L'Equipe.

The De Zerbi method

With its new coach, Marseille has become accustomed to an offensive-oriented football, based on heavy pressing, risky ball releases from the back and extremely worked passing circuits. “There is a slight discrepancy, in my opinion, between what the supporters had in mind, a team that attacks a lot, that scores a lot of goals but its real playing philosophy is possession of the ball, to rotate to find the gap. He wants, he says, to have control of the match, therefore control of the ball”, explains Bruno Blanzat, journalist at France Bleu Provence.

A style that initially surprised OM's first opponents (4 wins, 1 draw), a little less the last ones (1 draw, 1 defeat). “The supporters thought that the victory in Lyon and with this scenario (2-3 victory in 10 against 11, Editor's note) would boost them mentally and that it would create something. They didn't think it would create the opposite”, explains the Marseille follower.
Who has any explanations to put forward for this bad patch.

MHSC's last victory in 2018

“Marseille was hyper-realistic during the first days, it was one shot, one goal. And De Zerbi repeated during the last two press conferences that we must not forget that it was a team under construction, a new cycle. And then, they didn't spare especially on the defensive side, with suspensions and injuries." Like Montpellier in the end, even if confidence will be on Marseille's side on Sunday evening.

MHSC's last victory against Marseille dates back to 2018 and a 3-0 at La Mosson. Since then, ten Ligue 1 matches have been played and the Olympians have often raised their arms at the end. It must also be said that the Hérault stadium is often blue and white and it's not really an away match…

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