Left for Marseille after a single mixed season at RC Lens, Elye Wahi will make his return to the Bollaert stadium this Saturday afternoon. With the start of an adventure on the Canebière similar to what he experienced in Artois.
In the continuity of RC Lens
Leaving the artesian cold to return to the South, where he had revealed himself with Montpellier, Elye Wahi hoped to find the flame again. The one that made him one of the best scorers in the history of the French championship before he turned 21. But after four short months of competition and two meager goals, the trend has not (yet) been reversed between his time at RC Lens and his debut at OM.
He is a player who wants to do well, is motivated and wants to succeed in Marseille. This is the positive part of his record.
Aryles, founder of Massilia Zone, about Elye Wahi
« If I had to choose one word to describe his start to the season, it would be “ineffective”, but also “bad luck” and “will”lists Aryles, creator of the media Marseille Zone. He is a player who, statistically, should already be at five goals. In the end, he only had one goal in the game and another from the penalty spot, against affordable opponents. (5-1 in Brest, 5-0 in Montpellier). He also had the misfortune of coming across very good goalkeepers and having a physical problem at the worst times, after his very good match against Toulouse. We also feel that he has a real desire to succeed at OM, contrary to what can be said. He is a player who wants to do well, is motivated and wants to succeed in Marseille. This is the positive part of his balance sheet. »
With Neal Maupay, tricky competition?
A sometimes smug attitude, at least in appearance, which had played tricks on him in Lens. As in Marseille in competition with Neal Maupay – The Best Of Neal Maupay ? « We are at two opposite starts to the seasonnote Aryles. In body language, Maupay gives the impression of giving himself away. Wahi has a form of nonchalance in his attitude which means that some will say that he does not wet the jersey. Then there is efficiency. Almost every time Maupay played, he was decisive. Maupay is a 9 who sacrifices himself for the collective and who will enhance his teammates. What Wahi also does, who does very good shadow work. »
Beyond its glaring lack of effectiveness, with a differential between its expected goals (expected goals) and his goals scored -2.9 (3rd worst record in Ligue 1 this season) and, as a highlight, a nightmarish performance against Reims, Elye Wahi also pays for other factors. “ I think there is also a whole context that weighs on himbelieves the Marseille supporter and specialist. He arrives at the end of prep without having played a pre-season match, if I'm not talking nonsense. He arrives in a team in constant renewal. He must adapt to a new scheme, but so do his teammates. He arrives in a dominant team which plays a completely different football from RC Lens and Montpellier. He has a little less freedom in a positional game. »
Elye Wahi, still having technical-tactical adaptation concerns
« We ask him to show himself a lot in areas where he does not necessarily have great qualities.he continues. Like the game with his back to goal, where he is in enormous demand and where he has progressed. There are the coach's requests and, more generally, the difficulties of Olympique de Marseille. You can't expect a 9 to shine when the team is one of the worst at creating big chances. We can knock him on certain matches like Reims, but there are plenty of others where that is not the case. There are a lot of exogenous causes, which makes me not be harsh about the start of the season. »
Whistled at his premiere at the Vélodrome at the end of August, he who had been extremely affected by the criticism at the Bollaert stadium during the season, Elye Wahi has not necessarily changed since. The fault, too, in matches where OM was either sterile and supplied very little, or was quickly reduced to ten, making his role as number 9 ever more thankless. “ There has been an evolution in the discourse, with initial doubts among supporters of OM, regrets Aryles. There is something that hurts him, it is being the target of criticism for a whole week and not being able to prove in the European Cup, as (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang did. The comparison with Maupay, more decisive, hurts. In addition to the leaks from managers which are, I find, quite harmful with doubts already expressed by management in the media. »
Criticized and even sometimes cornered after certain missed performances, Elye Wahi has not yet adapted to the Marseille context, still much more subject to pressure than that of RC Lens. This Saturday afternoon, the 21-year-old striker could have the good idea, on a personal level and if he is aligned, to restart the machine in a Bollaert stadium that he knows well and which has sometimes been successful for him in major events (Arsenal). Unless you want to pay a tribute to your former club, which would not be an exception for the Sang et Or who will not show emotion for his return.
Enzo PAILOT
Photo credits: Johnny Fidelin/Icon Sport
