Ligue 1 has been a rather predictable league for quite a while now with Paris Saint-Germain dominating the league since 2012/13 (although Monaco did break their championship streak in 2016/17). Strangely enough, legendary club Marseille, who are known as one of the most powerful clubs in France and the joint-most winners of the top tier of French football alongside Saint-Étienne havent finished in the top three since 2012/13.
This year though, they have a chance to lift the curse and finally finish in the top three and perhaps even win the league if theyre lucky. Thanks to the brilliance of Portuguese tactician André Villas-Boas, Les Phocéens are currently sitting second in Ligue 1 behind none other than PSG.
In this tactical analysis, well take a closer look at the philosophy and tactics behind Marseilles success under the guidance of Villas-Boas.
Preferred formations
At Marseille, Villas-Boas is consistent in terms of tactics and system that he uses throughout the season. The Portuguese manager mainly uses 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-3 formation (those two are essentially the same formation), although at certain games hed adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation and its variations (4-4-1-1, 4-4-2). Most of the times, when playing in a 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1, or 4-4-2 formation, the attacking midfielder or the second striker is given freedom of movement. Often this player would go from one side to the other, helping the team combine and create overloads in parts of the pitch.
Usually, in a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 formation, either Boubacar Kamara or Kevin Strootman (and some other times, Valentin Rongier) plays as the defensive midfielder. The characteristics and attributes of these players are quite different though and this may have an effect on how Marseille play. Kamaras tasks (when playing as a defensive midfielder) is mainly defensive. Hes the one whos tasked to destroy opposition attacks and distribute the ball towards more creative players. Less playmaking, more defending. This is why the two centre-backs tend to play the ball directly to the full-backs rather than giving the ball to Kamara. Either that or one of the two eights will drop so that the centre-back can play the ball to him. If the access to full-back is blocked, then the centre-back will try to either pass the ball to Kamara, play the ball long, or drive forward himself.
Meanwhile, Strootman and Rongier are both quite so
