The choices made by Roberto De Zerbi for the OM-Le Havre match on Sunday (5-1 victory) illustrate management focused on meritocracy. Even if the Italian coach took care, against the HAC, to involve as many players as possible.
With Roberto De Zerbi, no status or privileges. The one who deserves to play, through his performance in matches, his attitude and his seriousness in training, reaps the rewards. Sunday, against Le Havre (5-1 victory), one of the most notable choices, following the withdrawal of Pierre-Émile Hojbjerg, will surely have been the tenure of Bilal Nadir. Surprising from the outside, but logical for those who know how “RDZ” works.
>> Relive OM-Le Havre (5-1)
The Italian explained this after the match, recognizing that there could have been a certain logic in starting Ismaël Koné, and that it crossed his mind. The Canadian was recruited this summer for 12 million euros, he is supposed to be an important reinforcement, but De Zerbi expects more from his midfielder and believes… “that he is not 100%”.
The OM coach therefore made a purely sporting and logical choice by giving Nadir the opportunity to start. “RDZ” really likes the profile of the young 21-year-old midfielder, who gives his all to “stick to the expectations” of his coach, with a technical and percussion profile which immediately caught the eye of the Italian technician .
No considerations linked to CV, age, or transfer amount
This is also the philosophy of Roberto De Zerbi. In other positions too, the coach does not bother with considerations linked to CV, age or the amount of a transfer. Lilian Brassier probably understood the message a long time ago and even more so since Sunday. The former Brest player remained on the bench, while Derek Cornelius had just left, and it was Adrien Rabiot who was chosen to help out in defense at the left center position. Earlier in the season, after the famous OM-Auxerre (3-1 defeat), De Zerbi did not hesitate to relegate Quentin Merlin to the bench, in favor of Ulisses Garcia.
The case of the forward attacker is also symptomatic. Initially, the Marseille coach did not think of shaking up the hierarchy so early at the forefront of the offensive sector, even repeating at the start of the season that Elye Wahi was his starter. But regardless of the price of the latter's transfer, it quickly became obvious to him that Neal Maupay's profile fit more with his playing system, with in particular this ability to keep the ball with his back to the goal and to remain very strong. in pivot.
Rongier convinced him “in five minutes”, an example for others
The entries into play of Wahi, Koné and even Jonathan Rowe on Sunday even proved RDZ right. The match was over, so the OM coach had the opportunity to revive them a minimum, give them rhythm, while boosting their confidence with, for example, the goal of Elye Wahi, who celebrated this with a hug for De Zerbi. But their respective performances at the end of the match will probably have confirmed De Zerbi in his initial choices. Asked after the match about his expectations of the players who currently have replacement status, RDZ explained that he asked them something very simple: to perform well and make him doubt when they do. have the opportunity. The Italian also cited the example of Valentin Rongier, who, “in five minutes” during his entry against Nantes (Rongier had appeared on the field… in the 87th minute, Editor's note), did so think and put it in his head that the team would be more balanced with him. His idea of relaunching the midfielder therefore dates from this date, even if, in the meantime, the fiasco against Auxerre probably motivated him to act even more quickly.
Since this defeat at the Vélodrome, OM have been undefeated and the starting lineup has changed very little. The players who are a little less in De Zerbi's little papers therefore know that nothing is definitive, and that their performances in training and during possible entries into play are likely to relaunch the competition. This is how the Italian coach believes he must maintain emulation within the locker room.
Related News :