**Marseille's Strategic Defensive Plan for the Europa League Campaign: A Focus on Achieving a Unbroken Away Record**
The Europa League campaign is a pivotal moment for Marseille, as the French club is in pursuit of a undefeated away record, which has been a long-standing goal for them. Marseille’s defensive capabilities, rooted in their strong pressing, possession, and creating chances, have made them a formidable contender. However, their current form is marked by a lack of consistency, particularly in key areas such as pressing and creating chances. To address these issues, Marseille has devised a strategic defensive plan aimed at capitalizing on their strengths and ensuring a consistent away performance.
**Current Form and Defensive Strengths**
Marseille has been a key player in the Europa League campaign, with their pressing ability and ability to create chances at will playing a crucial role. Their strong possession record and ability to convert through crosses and free kicks have positioned them well to challenge for a clean sheet. However, their defensive performance has been inconsistent, particularly in the latter stages of the campaign. Marseille’s current form is marked by a lack of consistency in pressing and creating chances, which has hindered their ability to secure the away record.
**Key Areas for Improvement**
To address these inconsistencies, Marseille has focused on enhancing their pressing, creating chances, and maintaining possession. The club has identified pressing as the most critical area for improvement, with a strong emphasis on developing their pressing style and increasing the frequency of pressing through long balls and through-the-back passes. Additionally, Marseille has focused on increasing their ability to create chances, with a particular emphasis on converting through crosses, free kicks, and counter-attacks. The club has also been working on maintaining their possession record, with a focus on efficient transitions and avoiding possession misses.
**Strategic Plan**
Marseille’s strategic plan for the Europa League campaign is centered around three main areas: enhancing pressing, improving creating chances, and maintaining possession. The club has introduced a series of defensive tactics to address these areas, including:
1. **Enhancing Pressing:** Marseille has focused on developing their pressing style, with a particular emphasis on long balls, through-the-back passes, and long range shots. The club has also introduced the use of pressing blocks to limit opposition’s ability to convert through crosses.
2. **Improving Creating Chances:** The club has worked on increasing their ability to create chances by focusing on converting through crosses, free kicks, and counter-attacks. They have also introduced a more aggressive pressureside approach to ensure maximum pressure on the opposition.
3. **Maintaining Possession:** Marseille has been working on maintaining their possession record by focusing on efficient transitions and avoiding possession misses. They have introduced the use of pressing blocks to limit opposition’s ability to convert through passes.
**Conclusion**
Marseille’s strategic defensive plan for the Europa League campaign is designed to address their current deficit in pressing and creating chances, with the goal of achieving a consistent away record. By focusing on enhancing pressing, improving creating chances, and maintaining possession, Marseille aims to challenge for a clean sheet and secure their place in the Europa League. The club’s focus on these areas will be critical in securing their desired result and ensuring their success in the campaign.