Marseille – Rennes (Coupe de France, round of 16): At OM, the defense goes straight to the point

Sead Kolasinac carried on a funny tradition. With the Serbian’s equalizing goal last week against Lorient, a Marseille defender once again found the net in an OM game. It has become systematic or almost. Since the defeat suffered against Lens at the end of October (0-1), there has been only one match where the phenomenon has not occurred, in all competitions. It was against Hyères, in the Coupe de France (2-0). Rennes, next opponent of Igor Tudor’s training on Friday at the Vélodrome, has been warned. With Marseille, the danger also comes, perhaps even especially, from the back.

Issa Kaboré had initiated the series against Strasbourg (2-2). Samuel Gigot had followed suit against Lyon (1-0). Kolasinac, already him, had continued the series against Monaco (2-3), then against Toulouse (6-1). Nuno Tavares, also a scorer against TFC, did it again the following day against Montpellier (1-2). And Chancel Mbemba, who had already scored with a goal in the defeat against Tottenham in the Champions League (1-2), scored another in the victory at Troyes (0-2). Kolasinac only confirmed a very marked trend against the Hakes.

Over a third of OM’s goals and assists

It translates into the numbers. By adding up the goals of the central defenders and the pistons, Tavares (5 goals), Mbemba (4 goals), Kolasinac (3 goals), Gigot (2 goals), Balerdi, Kaboré and Clauss (1 goal each), signed 17 of the 45 Marseille achievements so far this season, in all competitions. That is 37.7% of OM’s goals, more than a third, scored by OM backs. In the league, 14 Marseille goals have already been scored by defenders, more than double than any other Ligue 1 team.

In Marseille, the best attack is not far from the defense. And this observation does not only apply to goals. The numbers are just as telling for assists. Clauss (8 assists), Gigot (2 assists), Balerdi, Mbemba and Kolasinac (1 assist each) have signed 13 of Marseille’s 35 assists for the season, in all competitions. Or 37%, and therefore again more than a third of the total in an area where we expect more midfielders and attackers. As for goals.

“Everyone Go Forward”

The trend is too marked not to attract attention. Igor Tudor had thus been questioned on the subject before the match against Lorient. Without really giving an explanation on a phenomenon which he can only rejoice. Because he perfectly embodies the philosophy and principles of play that the Croatian technician has implemented since his arrival last summer. “It’s not the plan to have defenders who score but it’s a little extrarecognized the Marseille coach. The idea is for everyone to move forward.“

Defenders who score is first and foremost the consequence of an attacking state of mind. And which does not only manifest itself in the attack phases. Tudor encourages its pistons and its centrals to reach very high for opposing players. The strategy is not without risk but it has its virtues, beyond a more dense and intense pressing which allows a higher recovery of the ball. Above all, the OM defenders accompany the attacking transition phases more easily and find themselves more regularly in the zone of truth, at the end of the actions.

Defensive solidity retained

This reads beyond the goals and assists stats. The participation of defenders in Marseille’s attacks goes well beyond this framework and Nuno Tavares symbolizes the phenomenon well. He is the Marseillais who has touched the most balls in the opposing offensive zone this season (362), ahead of the other Olympian piston, Jonathan Clauss (308). He is also the defender who takes the most shots per game in Ligue 1 and the OM player who shoots the most on goal, with Alexis Sanchez (1.9 shots/game). Tavares illustrates the offensive impact of the Marseille side, the projections of the centrals, in particular Mbemba, are also to be underlined.

The Marseille defenders have thus provided a solution to the problems of the Marseille attack, which is not always prolific in the first half of the season. But the most remarkable thing is that this did not prevent OM from maintaining a certain defensive solidity. With 16 goals conceded, Marseille is the third least permeable team in Ligue 1, behind Lens (13 goals) and PSG (14 goals). It’s not just about having a straight-to-the-point defense. It must also fulfill its primary function. It is precisely this delicate combination that the formation of Tudor manages to achieve.