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Franck Haise's master stroke
If we have witnessed a high-level encounter, we owe it greatly to the two evening tacticians. Jorge Sampaoli and Franck Haise both advocate attacking football, but in this duel between lovers of the beautiful game, it is the coach of RC Lens who emerged victorious. His team got back into the match perfectly, with constant pressing which perfectly upset the Marseillais, like Fofana who was grandiose. This domination was rewarded with two goals in quick succession, the penalty from Sotoca (9th) and the jewel from Frankowski (27th). Despite a drop in speed at the end of the first period, symbolized by the two goals of Payet (33rd) and (45th +3), his players were able to turn their backs and re-mobilized to snatch the victory. The choice to bring in Kakuta and Clauss (70th) s'paid off as it allowed his team to regain control of the game. The entry of Saïd, saving scorer (71st), was a perfect sign of his winning coaching.
Payet's return
It had been a while since we had seen Dimitri Payet tread the lawns of Ligue 1. The leadership of the French international had been greatly missed by his partners. This Sunday, the captain of Olympique de Marseille treated his return. Thanks to his technique and his brilliant strokes, he capsized the Vélodrome. We knew him to be skillful on set pieces, he once again demonstrated it. First on a free kick (33rd), then on a penalty (45th +3) he was very precise, scoring his 4th and 5th goals of the season. In a role of false nine, the former Stéphanois was brilliant and sounded the Marseille revolt. Less visible in the second half, like his team, he could not do anything to avoid defeat. His return is nonetheless a success,he who is now co-top scorer in the championship.
Flops
The Gerson disappointment
The comparison with his Lensois counterpart, Seko Fofana, hurts Gerson.
Recruited for less than 20 million euros, the Brazilian struggles to justify the large sum that has been invested in him.
This Sunday, it was particularly disappointing.
Much moved by the incessant pressing Lensois, the midfielder of the Olympique de Marseille suffered a lot.
Little risk-taking, no physical impact, he was simply stifled by the Blood and Gold environment. He still got a great opportunity, but missed his face-to-face with Leca (36th) .
He disappeared in the second half and was replaced at the very end of the match (88th).
One more meeting for Gerson to forget.
Sampaoli's choices
In his distant duel with Franck Haise, Jorge Sampaoli had to abdicate. The astonishing excitement of his team at the start of the match is quite incomprehensible. Usually conquering, his team was unable to counter the Lensois pressing and was logically punished by two goals from San and Or (9th and 27th). While his players had yet returned to the match thanks to Payet (3rd and 45th +3), the Argentine coach decided to completely reorganize his team after returning from the locker room. The entries of Lirola and de la Fuente (46th) did not bring enough, and despite some chances in the second half, OM sank. Dominated by Blood and Gold who had more desire, the last straw when it comes to Marseille, the Phocéens ended up losing on a goal from Saïd (71st).The fervent support of the Vélodrome was not enough to bring that extra soul that it lacked, at least in the second half, to the men of Sampaoli to completely reverse the situation.
