After the infuriating draw against Angers (2-2), which cost OM two points and a leading place, Roberto De Zerbi presented himself more calm this Friday at a press conference. Far from the harsh tone displayed directly or internally, the Italian technician recognized his own responsibility in the slight slump in Marseille: “Maybe it was my mistake for not rotating enough. Some players are not used to playing every three days.” A strong sentence, almost unusual for him, which shows a coach lucid about the physical limits of his squad.
Rotation, fatigue, confidence: De Zerbi calms the Marseille locker room
De Zerbi, often demanding and frontal, this time chose the path of kindness. “I don’t think there is any let-up. They are young players, they work hard and I defend them in front of everyone,” he insisted. A way to close the chapter of criticism that appeared after the draw against Angers, where OM had cracked in the last seconds. The Italian coach also recalled that the current context – a series of injuries and a series of matches – required more solidarity than reproaches.
On a tactical level, the Marseille coach suggested that he could innovate at Auxerre. The association between Robinio Vaz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is an option considered: “They can play together, it’s possible. I’ve fielded four strikers in the past.” With a busy schedule, De Zerbi plans to vary the configurations to keep his team competitive while sparing the organisms.
A lucid look at the situation
If he admits certain
“defensive limits” and a period of bad luck, the OM coach refuses to dramatize. “Sometimes you have to stick together and play all the matches like finals”he explained, before praising the state of mind of the group. Far from talking about a crisis, the Italian displays calm optimism: “I’m not worried. Football is also about knowing how to absorb and react.”
Saturday in Auxerre, OM will seek to return to victory after three unsuccessful matches. Faced with a confident opponent, De Zerbi wants to see
“a meaner and more focused team”. If he recognized his share of responsibility, the message is clear: the reaction must come from the collective. And it is in the management of this rebound that the real progress of its Olympique de Marseille will perhaps be played out.
