Marseille Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Pedro Mikey · Carlos Beredin · Jean-Pierre François · Adrian Mendy · Arthur · Luca Merriné · Pierre Bery · Jonathan Lopez · Ruben Millar · Mohamed Musa · Yakubu Varendisi

Marseille wants to play with high intensity and a heavy press. This 4-3-3 formation is built to win the ball high up the pitch and move the ball forward quickly. The goal for Olympique de Marseille is to use a high line to squeeze the space and force mistakes from the opposition. The team looks to win it back high up the pitch to stay on the front foot.

Pedro Mikey plays between the posts to organize the back line. The defense works in a flat back four that steps up to maintain a high line. Adrian Mendy and Jean-Pierre François act as the two central defenders to cover the space behind the midfield. Adrian Mendy is dominant in the air while Jean-Pierre François works to cover his partner. Arthur operates as an attacking full back on the right to provide width, while Carlos Beredin plays as the left back to help the defensive unit. The unit moves together to defend zonally and protect the middle.

The midfield consists of a three-man midfield with one player holding a central role. Pierre Bery plays as the single pivot to shield the defence and recycle possession. Luca Merriné and Jonathan Lopez play in the half-spaces to connect the defensive and attacking lines. Luca Merriné presses aggressively to win the ball high, while Jonathan Lopez carries the ball forward to break the line. This trio helps to win the second ball and move the team from a mid-block into an attacking position.

The attack features three players across the front. Yakubu Varendisi plays as a winger on the left to stretch the defence, while Ruben Millar operates on the right as an inverted winger who cuts inside. Mohamed Musa works as the lone striker to hold up the ball. The forwards press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition. They look to play through the lines, find the feet of the striker, and look for runs in behind to create chances.

One major advantage for Marseille is the ability to create wide overloads when Arthur pushes up to overlap the winger. The team also shows a high level of compactness when defending in a mid-block. The ability to hit in behind on the transition allows the team to counter at pace. This formation is difficult to play against when the players move in coordinated waves.

This 4-3-3 is a high-pressing formation that relies on winning the ball high up the pitch. It is best suited for games against teams that struggle to play out from the back or teams that drop into a low block.