Experience the thrill of the game

By Eduard Banulescu

Roberto de Zerbi is one of the most praised football managers of recent years. He is also a man who inspires devotion or creates conflict wherever he goes. It’s not just his reputation and personality that make his appointment as Olympique de Marseille coach intriguing. It is also his tactics and his skills in dealing with people.

Today, fully aware that De Zerbi’s time in Ligue 1 could very well end tomorrow, I take a look at his Marseille tactics and why this is one of the most exciting, if inconsistent, teams in Europe.

Roberto de Zerbi career before managing Marseille

Roberto de Zerbi’s Brighton tactics, as well as his charisma and passion for the game, made him an undeniable star in the world of football. His innovations on the pitch earned him praise from coaching colleagues such as Pep Guardiola, but his personality also led to his time as manager of the Premier League club being cut short.

However, that is only part of De Zerbi’s story. De Zerbi was a respected midfielder. Known for strong leadership qualities, intelligence and slightly above average skills, he played for numerous clubs, most notably Napoli and Foggia.

De Zerbi expressed interest in becoming a manager when he ended his career. He was the coach of his former club Foggia and designed his park with an extremely dynamic style of play. This led to opportunities to coach Palermo, Benevento and Sassuolo, which De Zerbi was able to transform into one of Serie A’s most exciting teams.

This initially brought him the position of manager at Shakhtar Donetsk, the most successful football club in Ukraine. And it was his Italian success that led to him being asked to move to Brighton in 2022, where he succeeded the equally respected Graham Potter, who had just moved to Chelsea.

Many were surprised when De Zerbi abruptly decided to quit his job at Brighton in 2024. Even more were surprised when, contrary to rumors, he did not sign for one of the top Premier League clubs such as Manchester United or Chelsea, but instead chose the top club Olympique Marseille from the French Ligue 1.

Tactical philosophy

There are two things that always come up when discussing De Zerbi’s leadership qualities: his modern attacking tactics and his approach to managing people.

Yes, De Zerbi works best in a club with a strict structure and a clear scouting strategy. Because his tactics demand a lot from the players. The Italian plays aggressive, attacking football. This approach focuses on ball possession, high pressing and high work speed.

For this reason, De Zerbi also tends to sign players who have something to prove and are therefore willing to put in the enormous effort required for this game.

Established players such as Pierre-Emile Hojberg, Neal Maupay, Adrien Rabiot and Mason Greenwood were signed by OM in 2024, alongside promising young players such as Elye Wahi and Ismael Kone.

Many of the players who have worked with De Zerbi in the past speak of an extremely infectious passion for the game. However, the manager has also earned a reputation as an uncompromising professional. At the start of the 2024/25 season, De Zerbi almost gave up after disappointing results and reports of personal conflicts with some of his players.

Formations and adaptability

Roberto de Zerbi’s tactics are extremely modern. In fact, at the most basic level, there is little that a manager like Guardiola uses that De Zerbi doesn’t also use. This also applies to the formation.

OM has started almost every game in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with experienced defensive midfielders Hojberg and Geoffrey Kondogbia playing important roles. OM also recently started in a 3-5-2 formation with a full-back in midfield.

After trying to use Potter’s 3-4-2-1 formation at Brighton, De Zerbi switched to a 4-2-3-1 for most of his time in England. However, this is a very versatile starting lineup. When in possession it can easily be converted into a 2-4-4 or more commonly a 4-2-2-2.

The remarkable thing about De Zerbi’s Marseille is that the team plays much more directly than Brighton. Central defenders and especially goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli are involved in getting the ball quickly past the opponent’s press and into the final third.

However, Marseille will switch back to a 4-2-3-1 in defense. The pressing is less relentless than it used to be in Brighton. Instead, De Zerbi wants his players to focus on maintaining a compact shape and forcing the opposition into wide areas. However, this is an area where OM needs to improve as their risky approach has often resulted in a lot of scoring action from the opposition.

Olympique Marseille in defense

Normally when defending, De Zerbi wants four defenders to play on a flat line and two midfielders to defend in front of them. One of the full-backs tends to play a more offensive role when in possession of the ball. The team usually plays with a medium-high pressing. One of the main goals is to regain possession of the ball within seconds of losing the ball. The other is to push players into larger areas and force them to cross the ball or attempt a through ball.

OM, as we have seen throughout the season, is vulnerable to counterattacks. One way to combat this is to have the players who are not involved in the build-up play sit on the midfield line and try to create dominance in the middle of the pitch and cut off passing lanes.

Essential to this approach is the creation of a defense structure that is as compact as possiblenot dissimilar to Vitor Bruno’s tactics at FC Porto. This means that the opponent cannot play through the lines and it is difficult for them to use a more skilled player as a substitute False nine.

For this to work, players must coordinate so that the offside trap works properly. The two defensive midfielders play a particularly important role. Both must transition smoothly from offense to defense and help shield the defensive line. Hojberg and Kondogbia lead the team in successful tackles. The former has won the most duels in Ligue 1 this season.

Marseilles in attack

While Marseille plays in a 4-2-3-1 formation, player roles are more important than strict positions. De Zerbi’s main goal in any attacking scenario is to create numerical superiority by moving players according to the team’s needs.

When playing against an opponent that has a flat-four defense, OM ensures that players always enjoy a 5v4 superiority. Most attacks come from the flanks, particularly on the right side.

The full-back, the wide midfielder and one of the central midfielders move to ensure that the player in possession of the ball has passing options. This happened a lot, for example, in OM’s recent away win against Lens. Attacks on the right often created dangerous attacking opportunities for striker Neal Maupay, which he tried to solve by cutting back to a midfielder.

Players are also often encouraged to make mock runs. Central midfielders or attackers often do this, giving the opposing full-back a choice between following them or chasing the winger.

Construction phase

Actually, Players move to form triangular shapes across the pitch and use these to break the opponent’s press. These fluid movements and players’ versatility also allow them to comfortably play between the lines or suffocate, dominating an opponent who chooses to sit deep and defend.

De Zerbi prefers very versatile players. It is no coincidence that a defensive midfielder like Hojberg or Valentin Rongier is so heavily involved in the team’s attacks.

Of course, all of these strategies are part of the high risk/reward potential that De Zerbi is known for. Putting these players in attacking positions can leave the team vulnerable to counterattacks or against highly skilled players. OM currently has one of the worst defensive records of Ligue 1 teams in the first half of the table.

What’s next for De Zerbi and Marseille?

There was incredible excitement when it was announced that Roberto de Zerbi, one of football’s hottest managers, had moved to Olympique Marseille.

His choice of tactics and recruitment found both supporters and critics. OM’s was delightful at times, but at times the players seemed on the verge of collapse.

Marseille is an extremely volatile team. But that also makes them exciting to watch and dangerous to play against. Can De Zerbi bring Marseille a Ligue 1 title despite the team last winning it in 2010? Maybe, but it may have to be done quickly. Some things just aren’t meant to last, no matter how spectacular they may be.