After the convincing victory against OL on Wednesday (3-0), in a new system, Gattuso’s OM seem to have finally found the recipe for success. Confirmation in Lorient?
Has Gennaro Gattuso found the magic formula? Against Lyon on Wednesday (3-0), the Italian technician has just offered, for the first time this season, a second success in a row for Olympique de Marseille in the championship. Above all, his players delivered a successful performance from start to finish, demonstrating a mastery that we no longer knew from them. A reference match which coincides with a change of system, a change to 3-5-2 unprecedented this season, and which had made the success of theOM of Igor Tudor during the previous exercise. In Lorient on Sunday evening (9:00 p.m.), the Marseillais will have the opportunity to show that the spark seen on Wednesday can light more than a flash in the pan.
Exploit your opponent’s weaknesses and rely on your strengths
Against a Lyon team that is certainly weak, but similar to the one that hung Lens against Bollaert last weekend (3-2), OM undoubtedly had their best match of the season. And this Sunday in Lorient, we will have to prove that this performance was not an exception, against a more solid opponent. Because the Merlus, even in poor form and weaned from victory since October 22 (2-1 against Rennes), will certainly be more valiant than a sick Lyon. The weakness of the Rhone hinge, an O’Brien-Lovren association which combines clumsiness and slowness, helped the Marseille attack to shine. The very reliable Montassar Talbi, whether associated with Julien Laporte or Isaak Touré, will not leave as much latitude to the Marseille offensive players.
The fact remains that the 3-5-2 aligned by Gennaro Gattuso highlighted the qualities and erased the faults of most of the Marseille players. They showed exemplary aggressiveness in pressing, a prerequisite for great defensive solidity and sharp projections which tore apart the Lyon defense. Aubameyang, associated in attack with Vitinha, benefited from greater freedom to dezone and bring out the opposing defenders. The Portuguese, for his part, was able to showcase his physical qualities. The Italian coach said it himself after the match: “Vitinha brought a lot of things on the physical level, he attacks the depth. It allows Aubam to roam on the side. It allowed us to vary a little , it’s difficult for the opposing defense to follow them. One goes for the ball, the other dives behind: that helped us a lot.”
A squad built for three-way defense?
Likewise, Harit brought welcome creativity into the midfield, while Renan Lodi delivered one of his best matches in the Olympian jersey, showing that he was more comfortable in this piston role. Murillo also gave satisfaction in the right lane. And Balerdi’s contribution with the ball, to the left of the three-way defense, was valuable: the Argentinian was the one who advanced the ball the most by passing (373 meters gained) and in ball control (145 meters gained). His swings in concentration can more easily be compensated for by Gigot and Mbemba, still strong, in this system. Ismaïla Sarr could fit in by representing an interesting “super-sub” in the role of Vitinha, Iliman Ndiaye also to replace Amine Harit in the midfield, while Kondogbia and Rongier will certainly find their bearings in this system on their return of injury.
However, it is not certain that Gennaro Gattuso will continue this 3-5-2 in Lorient. It was in fact a contextual choice, by a coach who likes to adapt to the opposing scheme, as he explains himself: “We studied Lyon, and without Rongier and Kondogbia, we had to set aside my footballing credo (play with 4 defenders, editor’s note). We decided to play with three central players, including one aggressive to build behind, use the width, and this situation of excess. I thank the players, they were not convinced to 100%. We had a good match.” Let’s hope that this performance has convinced the Marseille staff and players to test this system again, because it was the success of OM last season and could well be the key to relaunching a 2023-2024 financial year that is not really off to a good start. The winter transfer window will also come at the right time to expand a squad that is sorely lacking in depth, in terms of the full-backs and the hinge in particular.