Football Manager 2021 Marseille tactic and team guide. Club culture and board requirements, tactics, key and youth players in FM21.
Football Manager 2021 Marseille tactic and team guide. Club culture and
board requirements, tactics, key players, youth prospects and potential
transfers in FM21.
Here is a brief analysis of the Olympique Marseille squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM21 manager can use.
About the club
Olympique Marseille or simply Marseille are a professional football club that ply their trade in Ligue 1. The club was founded in 1899 and have played most of their football in the top tier of the French League. They have won 9 Ligue 1 titles, 10 Coupe de France (French Cup) & 3 Coupe De La Ligue (French League Cup).
Marseille are the first and only French club to win the prestigious UEFA
Champion’s League in 1993. With such a rich history, Marseille are a top club
in France. They play their home games in the 67000 capacity, Stage Velodrome
which happens to be the biggest home stadium for a league team in France.
Marseille had a respectable 2019-2020 season finishing 2nd and as a result have qualified for the Champion’s League. The board requirements once you take over will be,
1. Make the top 4 of Ligue 1 (Automatic Europa League qualification)
2. Be competitive in the Champion’s League
3. Reach the semi-final of the French cup.
You will additionally be required to play attacking football & sign players who are under 23 for the future.
Marseille have excellent training facilities and a very good youth system. However, you will need to work on improving these after you stabilize your position at the club.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Marseille are a team that plays attacking football and prefer to move the ball to its wings quickly. A vertical Tiki-Taka style of football best suits the available squad of players. Alternatively, you can go for fluid counter-attacking football for tough away games where you need to maintain your defensive shape.
A 4-3-3 is probably the best suited formation to the available squad of players. This also helps them maintain the width and releasing the ball quickly to counter opponents.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-3-3 formation is as follows,
Steve Mandanda as a sweeper keeper.
Alvaro Gonzalez & Duje Caleta Car as the 2 centre backs.
Jordan Amavi & Hiroki Sakai as the 2 fullbacks. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Kevin Strootman, Valentin Rongier & Boubacar Kamara as the 3 midfielders with Strootman playing the role of a central midfielder, Rongier playing as a box to box midfielder and Kamara as a deep playmaker in defence duty.
Dimitri Payer & Florian Thauvin as the 2 wingers. They can be played as inside forwards or inverted wingers.
Dario Benedetto in a deep-lying forward’s role as the lone forward.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Tactics
Thauvin is the best player in the team, the young winger is very versatile and can play in multiple positions. He will be a constant source of goals from the wings.
Payet is an experienced attacking midfielder who is also very versatile and can play a number of positions across the midfield. He is also an expert from free-kicks and corners.
The experienced Dutch midfielder is very versatile in the roles he plays and is a natural leader on the pitch.
The veteran French goalkeeper is still one of the best in the league and can act as a leader for the defence.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Best Players Shortlist
1. The quality of backups in the squad may not be up to quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. The transfer budget offered is definitely not in line with the club’s ambitions and goals and you will find it really difficult to get established players from the transfer market.
Marseille are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Michy Batshuyayi
· Julian Draxler
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Yuto Nagatomo
· Valere Germain
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
The young French defender is very versatile and has the potential to become one of the star players in Ligue 1 in the future.
Henrique is the new signing from Botafogo and is already a part of the first team squad despite being just 18. He has the potential to become one of the best players in the club.
The 16-year old who models his game on Payet is an extremely impressive youngster who plays for Marseille u18s. He could be a future superstar at the club.
RELATED: Best Football Manager 2021 Wonderkids
To Summarize, Marseille are a decent club to manage for most FM21 Managers. However, their squad depth, lofty club ambitions and a low transfer budget could be a challenge to manage. Are you up for it?
Board Requirements
Marseille had a respectable 2019-2020 season finishing 2nd and as a result have qualified for the Champion’s League. The board requirements once you take over will be,
1. Make the top 4 of Ligue 1 (Automatic Europa League qualification)
2. Be competitive in the Champion’s League
3. Reach the semi-final of the French cup.
You will additionally be required to play attacking football & sign players who are under 23 for the future.
Marseille have excellent training facilities and a very good youth system. However, you will need to work on improving these after you stabilize your position at the club.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Marseille are a team that plays attacking football and prefer to move the ball to its wings quickly. A vertical Tiki-Taka style of football best suits the available squad of players. Alternatively, you can go for fluid counter-attacking football for tough away games where you need to maintain your defensive shape.
A 4-3-3 is probably the best suited formation to the available squad of players. This also helps them maintain the width and releasing the ball quickly to counter opponents.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-3-3 formation is as follows,
Steve Mandanda as a sweeper keeper.
Alvaro Gonzalez & Duje Caleta Car as the 2 centre backs.
Jordan Amavi & Hiroki Sakai as the 2 fullbacks. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Kevin Strootman, Valentin Rongier & Boubacar Kamara as the 3 midfielders with Strootman playing the role of a central midfielder, Rongier playing as a box to box midfielder and Kamara as a deep playmaker in defence duty.
Dimitri Payer & Florian Thauvin as the 2 wingers. They can be played as inside forwards or inverted wingers.
Dario Benedetto in a deep-lying forward’s role as the lone forward.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Tactics
Key Players
1. Florian Thauvin
Thauvin is the best player in the team, the young winger is very versatile and can play in multiple positions. He will be a constant source of goals from the wings.
2. Dimitri Payet
Payet is an experienced attacking midfielder who is also very versatile and can play a number of positions across the midfield. He is also an expert from free-kicks and corners.
3. Kevin Strootman
The experienced Dutch midfielder is very versatile in the roles he plays and is a natural leader on the pitch.
4. Steve Mandanda
The veteran French goalkeeper is still one of the best in the league and can act as a leader for the defence.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Best Players Shortlist
Weaknesses
1. The quality of backups in the squad may not be up to quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. The transfer budget offered is definitely not in line with the club’s ambitions and goals and you will find it really difficult to get established players from the transfer market.
Potential Transfers (in)
Marseille are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Michy Batshuyayi
· Julian Draxler
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Yuto Nagatomo
· Valere Germain
Youth Prospects
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
1. Boubacar Kamara
The young French defender is very versatile and has the potential to become one of the star players in Ligue 1 in the future.
2. Luis Henrique
Henrique is the new signing from Botafogo and is already a part of the first team squad despite being just 18. He has the potential to become one of the best players in the club.
3. Jonathan Pitou
The 16-year old who models his game on Payet is an extremely impressive youngster who plays for Marseille u18s. He could be a future superstar at the club.
RELATED: Best Football Manager 2021 Wonderkids
Summary
To Summarize, Marseille are a decent club to manage for most FM21 Managers. However, their squad depth, lofty club ambitions and a low transfer budget could be a challenge to manage. Are you up for it?
