Ligue 1 – A modern and attacking style: OM take on Igor Tudor

2017. It had been a little over five years since OM had won by at least 5 goals in Ligue 1. And faced with this Marseille in executioner mode for its return after the break, it was Toulouse who was the victim. A 6-1 victory in a boiling Velodrome, which Igor Tudor’s men went for with style and thanks to an ever more pleasing offensive activity. Intensity, sacrifice and projection: the winning cocktail of this 16th day of Ligue 1 is above all the one that Igor Tudor is trying to compose, with success (current 3rd in the championship) but not always (out of the Champions League from the hens).

Moreover, when the Croatian technician arrived this summer in the south of France, it did not take long to understand what he had in mind. No, Igor Tudor didn’t arrive boasting or with a lot of sympathy, but rather with the posture of someone who knows what he wants and who cares about the image. The story between OM and Tudor also began with intense preparation where the foundations of a game based on effort were laid. “I want attacking and intense football, but not at the expense of defence. My main objective when people come to the stadium is for them not to be disappointed… There will be a part of Italy in me“, he let go before the season began.

The style of play desired by the Croatian marked a break with that of Sampaoli before him. Based much more on possession, the Argentinian technician did not come out badly and finished in second place in the championship, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League.

Solid defense and transitions: the keys to modern football?

The Tudor “style” did not take long to be fashionable in Marseille and on the lawns of the championship. An entry victory (4-1) against Reims on the first day was encouraging for the future. Thanks to choice recruits (Clauss, Tavares, Gigot, Mbemba, Sanchez) the game plan quickly took hold.

It is also thanks to the pistons, a real trend in current football, that Olympique de Marseille continues to show the face of exciting attacking football. Nuno Tavares and Jonathan Clauss are among the greatest successes of this first part of the season. In a 3-4-2-1, the French and the Portuguese blast the transition game. Never on the reserve, on the contrary the two pistons project themselves quickly forward to cross or even try their luck and it pays off (5 goals and 7 assists to them from them). And now even a confident Sead Kolasinac is starting off on similar intensity bases.

This quick transition game, used among the biggest European clubs, is also possible thanks to a generous midfielder in effort. Mattéo Guendouzi and Valentin Rongier together embody the arrival of the Tudor style. The two players, present under Sampaoli, now play in the service of the Marseille projection game. The two Frenchmen generally gallop for 90 minutes in one direction or the other. Guendouzi was even used several times in front, almost like a winger, marking this offensive desire but above all never giving the opponent time to recover.

If this clever mix works on the lawns of Ligue 1, it is also because as offensive as it is, the Marseille clan is rarely found naked. Thanks to their three-man defence, generally centered around Samuel Gigot, OM remain solid in the defensive phases. And this is what allows the team to be the second co-top scorer in Ligue 1 (32 goals scored), while having the 3rd best defense (14 goals conceded).

Success depends on efficiency

With 6 goals scored out of 7 attempts against TFC on Thursday, Olympique de Marseille demonstrated flawless efficiency. And it is here that the challenge of the desired modern style lies. This is what allows the men of Igor Tudor to be impressive, but it is undoubtedly also the cause of their setbacks. Sead Kolasinac’s unfortunate header costs qualification for the Champions League finals. But more generally, the Marseillais clearly lacked offensive realism during their European campaign. Finishers sometimes, but also creators and technical accuracy in the last 25 meters.

During the first part of the season, Igor Tudor chose to do without Dimitri Payet. The bet of depriving yourself of a technical player, capable of creating lightning in the opposing part of the field but for the benefit of players capable of repeating efforts and races. Yet against Toulouse, the attacking midfielder showed once again that he had his card to play. In front, Alexis Sanchez is efficient and scores but this false number 9 position is not necessarily where he is most comfortable. Especially since to serve him, Mattéo Guendouzi is often technically limited and in addition, the international midfielder is in the sights of certain clubs for the transfer window.

Luis Suarez, a disappointing centre-forward has already left, as has Gerson. Amine Harit, injured is already forfeited until the end of the season. So what are the solutions ahead? The performances of Cengiz Under remain promising but too irregular, Bamba Dieng needs rhythm. Barring any outbursts during the winter transfer window, OM will have to come to terms with their strengths, hoping that their efficiency will serve the game.