OM and Dimitri Payet end the season very strong. – FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI / AFP
OM are advancing very quickly since Jorge Sampaoli took control of the team. Apart from an accident on the lawn in Nice (3-0), the Argentinian coach performed without fault, with five wins and a draw which put the club back in the race for 5th place. Above all, the behavior of players has changed dramatically compared to the end of the Villas-Boas era.
“We are trying to find the identity of the team, to regain the respect for the OM jersey which is so important, that’s the key to the great change in the team’s behavior since I arrived, Sampaoli said after the convincing victory in Reims (1-3) on Friday night. It was a great game against a great team and now we have to think about continuing like this. It will be difficult to keep the same percentage of points but we work every day to find a collective identity. “
“Payet must live up to what is expected of him”
A work that finds a positive echo among the players. “We have changed a lot since the arrival of the coach,” notes defender Alvaro Gonzalez. We needed time and OM are playing better than before. We have more possession, we touch the ball a lot, the attackers took advantage of the good passes, took risks and scored goals, it’s positive for us. “
The symbol of this metamorphosis is called Dimitri Payet. Out of form a few weeks ago, the Marseille playmaker got back to work and the results are spectacular. Scorer last weekend against Lorient, he scored twice against the Rémois. Tribute from his trainer: “We find a bit of the Payet that we have always known under this jersey. He has a great responsibility and he must live up to what is expected of him. He is happy on the pitch, he plays with more intensity, more speed. He must take advantage of this moment and continue to progress by relying on his qualities. “
With a recovered Payet and a clear schedule, unlike Lens, for example, its competitor for 5th place, OM can reasonably imagine an end to the season in a cannonball.