One could never suggest Olympique de Marseille are ever in a state of calm, but they certainly felt more themselves on Sunday night as they celebrated a period of damaging uncertainty coming to an end. As Marseille and Lyon took the field, a banner displaying the words “El Loco – Haznos soñar” (“El Loco, make us dream”), under an enormous Argentina flag covering most of the Virage Sud’s upper tier, was unfurled.
Marseille are finally able to say they have their man, after Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival as coach on a two-year deal from next season was confirmed. Bielsa had already come to see his future charges in the flesh a couple of times during the protracted contract negotiations, but they have rarely been as impressive in this disappointing campaign as they were against Lyon.
After the malevolent atmospheres of recent weeks, this was the Stade Vélodrome as it should be on match night; intimidating towards opponents, rather than its own players, and enlivened by incisive attacking play. With the win taking Marseille to within two points of Lyon in fifth, the final Europa League spot, there is now the possibility that Bielsa will have the chance to lead his new club into a competition that he lit up so memorably with Athletic Bilbao.
While that might appeal to footballing romantics – including Bielsa himself – the new boss will more likely be occupying his mind with how he can get to shape his new side effectively. He was offered encouragement here. This was a fluent Marseille – interestingly, without Mathieu Valbuena, who was a substitute and only came on in the 73rd minute, with the destiny of the match already decided.
Instead, current coach José Anigo lined up with a front three of Florian Thauvin, Dimitri Payet and André Ayew behind André-Pierre Gignac. It was a sound tactic against a side whose game is possession-based (even in defeat, Lyon had 66% of the ball) but who have every right to be weary. This was a 59th competitive match of the season for Rémi Garde’s side, with hardly the biggest or most experienced squad in Ligue 1.
Not for the first time in this campaign, Lyon’s aesthetically pleasing midfield diamond was exposed by opponents with pace and athleticism. As WhoScored’s average player positions show, Thauvin and Ayew were key in maintaining Marseille’s width. Gignac was the extra ingredient. He kept his direct opponent Milan Bisevac under pressure (Gignac was the top-rated player in the match with 9.2, while Bisevac was the lowest with 4.8), and Payet was positioned close to the centre-forward to pick up the pieces. Bisevac’s difficult night, culminating in a poor clearance for Gignac’s second goal, was brought to an end when Garde substituted him in the 67th minute.
Gignac’s two goals in the first 11 minutes of the second period effectively sealed the game, and “two goals in which (Lyon goalkeeper Anthony) Lopes made three saves”, as L’Equipe’s Vincent Garcia wrote on Monday, accurately conveying the confusion that the locals inflicted on their visitors in that period.
There is every statistical argument for leaving Valbuena out, despite his continuing usefulness to France’s national side. Thauvin, Ayew and Payet have 8 goals and 3 assists, 5 goals and 3 assists and 8 goals and 6 assists respectively this season. Valbuena, meanwhile, has registered a disappointing 3 goals and 5 assists this season, though an average 2.8 key passes per game tells us the latter figure is a little harsh on him. All three make a greater defensive contribution than Valbuena, too.
Their level of physical impact against Lyon is something that one imagines will be a specific area of satisfaction to Bielsa, who requires his teams to be very fit, and to win and turn over the ball quickly. All his best ten performers in Athletic’s 2011/12 season, led by Javi Martínez, made more than 2 tackles per match, while flair players like Iker Muniaín and Markel Susaeta pitched in with 1.6 per match.
In this sense, one feels that André Ayew would be somebody who Bielsa would love to be able to count on. Only two players in the squad, Jeremy Morel and Jacques-Alaixys Romao, manage more than Ayew the elder’s 2.4 tackles per match. On Sunday, he gave Lyon’s game but inexperienced right-back Corentin Tolisso a tough time, being more athletic than the majority of opponents the 19-year-old has faced.
Sadly for the new man, it is expected that Ayew will move on this summer, and he will not be the only big name to exit the Vélodrome. Valbuena, Gignac and Steve Mandanda are among the high-earners also likely to move on as owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus continues to ask for a move towards self-sufficiency.
Bielsa’s remit is to work with and improve the young players in which the club has invested, with Thauvin leading the way but Gianelli Imbula, Benjamin Mendy and Mario Lemina also earmarked as cornerstones. It is hard to imagine the former Chile coach staying for much beyond his initial term of contract – his methods are punishing and have a questionable level of sustainability – but he is about building a platform to flourish, rather than holding players’ hands through every stage.
The continued improvement of Muniaín and Susaeta as Athletic have sealed a Champions League place is a case in point. Both have improved significantly in all areas since that supposed apex of 2011/12 (6 goals, 3 assists and 2.2 tackles per match in Muniaín’s case, 6 goals, 12 assists and 1.7 tackles in Susaeta’s), showing that Bielsa’s work has lasting effects.
Sunday at least showed that there is something to start with for the new coach. It also showed that the Vélodrome is already very excited about it.
How do you think Bielsa can improve Marseille? Let us know in the comments below
