Olympique de Marseille will be glad to see the back of the transfer window, which caused so many rifts in the squad and in the backroom team, and they will now be able to focus on their football, with a home encounter against Monaco their first appointment of September following the international break.
President Jean-Claude Dassier this week revealed that head coach Didier Deschamps and sporting director Jose Anigo had a falling out over the club’s transfer policy in the summer, a schism reflected in the first team squad, which was divided by the issue of players arriving at the club, with the likes of Lucho Gonzalez unhappy at the club’s static approach in the market while others grumbled over the wages offered to new arrivals as an incentive to join the Champions League hopefuls.
These issues were particularly obvious in the early weeks of the campaign, which saw OM crumble to losses against Caen and Valenciennes. Since that dreadful start, les Phoceens have rebounded somewhat by defeating Lorient and tying with Girondins de Bordeaux in a fixture which the Provence club played with only ten men for the best part of an hour.
Monaco won’t offer easy opposition at the weekend, particularly as a new wave of problems have washed over the club. Deschamps’ side is on this occasion hampered by injury and suspension problems, with Loic Remy and Leyti N’Diaye having picked up issues while on international duty. With Andre Ayew and Edouard Cisse to miss out due to bans, there is plenty for ‘DD’ to mull over before a fixture that promises to be yet another banana skin.
Fear Factor
Guy Lacombe, head coach of Monaco, has played down his side’s chances of winning this fixture, though his unbeaten side would seem to stand a strong chance of picking up at least a point in the port city.
“I am afraid,” the moustachioed coach admitted to his side’s official website. “They want to retain their title and I think they can. This team can beat any other large side in European; we know what to expect. I imagine that they have no fear of Monaco. It will take a very, very big game, and if fate wants us to get out with some points, we will be happy.”
On the whole, les Rogue et Blanc have started the campaign in a satisfactory manner, though Lacombe, who has lamented his side’s underperformance last season, will again feel that they might have achieved more in the early weeks of this term. A 2-0 lead away to Lens was needlessly squandered, while a home stalemate against Montpellier should have resulted in a Monegasque victory.
Indeed, the principality outfit had to wait for the final match before the international break, a tussle at home to Auxerre, to pick up their first three point haul of the campaign, with debutant Dieumerci Mbokani a particular influence on that encounter.
With the squad finalised, Monaco will hope to push on, showcasing themselves as potential title contenders should the big guns continue to stumble. Despite Lacombe’s word, they have little to fear going to Stade Velodrome.
TEAM NEWS
Marseille
Didier Deschamps has some pressing questions ahead of this game, most notably in midfield, where he is looking for an anchor and a left-winger as Edouard Cisse and Andre Ayew are hit with suspensions. Hilton has said he is willing to step forward from the defence to play in the centre of the park, but Leyti N’Diaye’s injury issue means that the rearguard would then be left short as Souleymane Diawara is still out.
Stephane Mbia’s return to fitness means that the Brazilian could be pushed on, though the Cameroonian is more used to a central role on the field, even if he doesn’t enjoy it.
New signing Loic Remy will miss two weeks after picking up an injury on international duty. Andre-Pierre Gignac is not 100 per cent fit, so his presence in the starting XI isn’t guaranteed.
Probable Starting XI: Mandanda; Azpilicueta, Mbia, Heinze, Taiwo; Hilton, Kabore; Valbuena, Lucho, Cheyrou; Brandao
Monaco
Guy Lacombe is still sweating over the fitness of Alejandro Alonso, Lukman Haruna and Eduardo Costa. He won’t be making too many changes to his starting squad, despite the arrival of Chris Malonga from Nancy at the end of the transfer window.
Probable Starting XI: Ruffier; Adriano, Puygrenier, Hansson, Muratori; Mangani, Mendy; Aubameyang, Niculae, Mbokani; Park
Prediction
Marseille are significant favourites, but with so many players missing out, Monaco should fancy their chances of going through a fifth Ligue 1 encounter without defeat. Victory at Stade Velodrome should not be considered likely for the guests, but Guy Lacombe’s side are more than capable of picking up at least a point to give their hosts more reason for concern.
Marseille 1-1 AS Monaco FC 
