Marseille’s victory at home to Ajaccio last weekend meant that Didier Deschamps’ side finally shook off the unwanted distinction of being the only team who had won more games in European competition than in their domestic league. But still Marseille languish 12th in Ligue 1; a sorry state of affairs for a team who have been unable to rediscover the heights they reached little over a year ago when lifting the league title.
Les Phoceens have already hit rock bottom this year, literally, sitting last in the table following a 2-0 loss at Lyon, but doom still mounts at the Stade Velodrome for a team who have won just twice in the league this season, at home to newly promoted Evian and Ajaccio.
Even though the club’s Champions League form has been more impressive, it is easy to forget that Borussia Dortmund were very unlucky to lose to the French side, let alone by the 3-0 scoreline Marseille inflicted upon the Germans. And though Olympiacos is always a tricky place to travel to, a win there could only paper over the cracks. Defeat at home to Arsenal last week showcased Marseille’s domestic form; a dull and lifeless display, but one in which two men tried to rise above the mediocrity: Mathieu Valbuena and Loic Remy. If it was not for these two, Les Phoceens’ plight would be worse still.
It is true that Deschamps’ men also made a poor start to last season before coming back to run Lille close for the title, but this year promises to be a tougher ask of his squad. Paris Saint-Germain lead the way already, and with their Middle Eastern millions and Lyon revitalised under Remi Garde, not to mention champions Lille looking strong, keeping pace with these three will be an uphill struggle. Last year, none of the top sides got going until the second half of the season. This year all have apart from Marseille.
The situation is such that the south coast giants have been forced to abandon hopes of competing for the league, instead focusing their attention on keeping their hands on the third Champions League spot. Going into this season, it appeared a big name would miss out on the competition with four teams set to compete for the title. If Marseille cannot keep pace with the aforementioned trio, they run the real risk of being that team.
As is so often the case, injuries have compounded a problematic situation. Defensive rock Stephane Mbia has been out since August with a metatarsal injury and this summer saw Taye Taiwo and Gabriel Heinze leave the club.
For a team who were so obdurate last year with a defence that was largely to thank for impressive mid-season form which saw the side climb to the top of the table with Lille, Marseille have been awful at the back this term. In truth, the signs were there before the season started, when Deschamps’ men won an incredible game with Lille 5-4 (it was
3-1 to the champions with five minutes remaining).
Andre Ayew grabbed a hat trick that day, but he has been unable to replicate that form in the league season and Marseille’s attack has badly let them down. The Ghana star has scored twice in nine games, whilst Andre-Pierre Gignac has failed to enter a run of goalscoring form at the club since moving from Toulouse. With no goals to his name, nor that of Ayew’s brother Jordan, Remy has been the man so much relies upon for Marseille, and he has netted four times this year. But the France striker’s goals have been increasingly dependent upon the creativity of Mathieu Valbuena, who has set up each of them. And with 10 goals so far this season, only Nancy and Brest have worse attacking records.
So what has caused Marseille’s problems? It is easy to look at the turbulence of the last transfer window, where many of the clubs players either left or almost departed. In addition to Heinze and Taiwo, Gignac almost moved to Fulham, but was made to stay at the Stade Velodrome when Marseille failed to sign Amauri from Juventus (a player who managed to go through a whole calendar year scoring just one goal).
Andre Ayew, Mbia and key midfielder Lucho Gonzalez were also denied moves elsewhere. For Gonzalez, this looks to be weighing on his mind and the Argentine has yet to set up a goal so far this campaign, looking particularly lacklustre and short of confidence. With a defence depleted by sales and injuries, and others unsettled by summer transfer speculation, it becomes clearer just how Marseille have come to be so reliant on the Valbuena-Remy axis for their attacking thrust this season.
Where the pair’s team-mates have looked stale and uninspired going forward, Remy has been lively and threatening. Valbuena always causes danger when on the ball, but has found himself isolated out wide too often, unable to influence proceedings in the middle of the pitch where he can inflict the most damage, something in evidence during Marseille’s Champions League defeat to Arsenal.
For Les Phoceens to recover, creative midfielder Benoit Cheyrou is needed, while new signing Morgan Amalfatino and Gonzalez must contribute from midfield; yet between them the trio have been involved in setting up or scoring precisely one goal in Ligue 1 this term. Clearly Gignac is not part of Deschamps’ plans and it seems likely that a new striker could arrive in January to bolster the forward line, but until then Marseille have to hope Remy continues his good form and Ayew adds more goals.
All hope is not lost though; last year Marseille suffered a poor start too. And in 2007/08 the south coast side arguably had an even worse opening to the season, sitting 19th after 13 matches; they came back to finish third. Right now, Deschamps would probably give anything for such an outcome.
