“Did you appreciate this new 4-4-2 system, with Cédric Bakambu at your entry side, in the middle?
It was our first game of the season with two centre-forwards lined up from the start. It’s not just a question of numbers, for me the big difference is how you attack, how you see free spaces, how you go deep… With two centre-forwards it’s sometimes easier , Cédric looking for depth, for example. He likes to play like this, he opened up a lot more space for me, he stretched the line of defenders, we were more dangerous. With our respective races, each gave scope to the other. It’s not just a question of scorers, either. We created a lot more chances than usual, Sun (Payet) was also closer to me. I felt good on the field. The team played really well, collectively it was a great production. I’m really happy with the result, that’s always the most important thing.
“The past weeks have been mentally complicated for me”
How did you experience this period of shortage in the Championship and the short playing time against Lens, Montpellier or Lyon? Have you also changed things in your game, the coach publicly asking you to adapt to his systems?
The past weeks have been mentally complicated for me. Against Angers, I was happy with the performance of the team, and with my personal performance. Being on the bench and not playing is necessarily difficult for me, when you don’t have playing time, you can also be angry. I took the opportunity to do additional training sessions, double daily sessions to improve myself, to be ready at the right time, at the best of my form.
Is this the first time in your career that you have felt so challenged?
I always knew what I was capable of, I never doubted my abilities. To lose your place in the team is to lose a bit of confidence. When I feel that confidence shaken, what helps me is to train more. Obviously, matches and goals are the most important to consolidate this confidence. I’ve always believed in myself, for a player, it’s fundamental, and that doesn’t take away the need to question yourself. Afterwards, I know the football industry. You can have injuries, we can say of you, like two weeks ago, that you are a bad attacker, then we praise you after a hat-trick… Everything goes very quickly in this environment. You just have to keep your feet on the ground.
Did you think about leaving the club during the winter transfer window, when you received requests from abroad?
It’s a good question. No, I never thought of leaving Marseilles this winter. I’m not the kind of player who thinks about leaving because he doesn’t play anymore, or plays less. I don’t like this mentality. I took it as a challenge. I knew that, sooner or later, I would have the opportunity to prove my worth. I was calm, patient, I worked hard. It’s the only way. Sometimes it’s not easy to stick to it, but I asked myself the right questions. I am happy here, in Marseille, from the beginning, I never wanted to leave the club. It’s a big club for me.
Are you favorite of this Coupe de France after the elimination of Paris-SG in the previous round?
Honestly, I think whoever wins tomorrow’s game (Wednesday), which opposes the second to the third in the standings, will have a great opportunity to win the Cup. Of course, there will be two matches left, the draw will also play its part. We will face a very good team from Nice, outside. We know how they play, with many quality elements in their formation. But we are capable of winning there, it’s a great chance to continue our journey towards this trophy. »