Roberto De Zerbi – Olympique Marseille – Tactical Analysis

Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical approach at Olympique Marseille has captivated fans and analysts alike with its blend of high-intensity pressing, fluid attacking play, and smart positional rotations. Known for his progressive style of football, De Zerbi has quickly made his mark on the French club, transforming them into a team that prioritizes possession while exploiting spaces with precision. This tactical analysis breaks down the key components of his system, from the build-up phase to how Marseille defends and transitions, offering insight into how De Zerbi’s methods shape the team’s identity on the pitch.

Build-up

Low Build-up 

In the low build-up, De Zerbi sets his team up in a 4-2-2-3 formation. The goalkeeper moves up into the backline to create a back four, allowing the wingers to push higher. The six building players can work together to beat the initial press and the five attackers can cooperate to create goalscoring opportunities.

De Zerbi mainly wants to beat the press by finding an attacking midfielder in the space between the opposition’s defense and midfield, who can bounce the ball to another midfielder, who then can progress the ball forward.

When Marseille beat the press, the attackers will immediately make runs in behind, looking to quickly exploit the holes in the opposition’s backline.

The Marseille players are also not afraid to be more direct in the low build-up. If the opposition comes up and presses man-to-man, there will be numerical equality up top with Marseille’s attackers against the opposition defenders. The goalkeeper will sometimes find an early longer ball up to the attackers, aiming to win 1v1 or 2v2 situations. The Marseille attackers have good individual quality and will often win these battles to create goalscoring opportunities.

High Build-up

In the high build-up, De Zerbi’s Marseille set up in a 1-3-2-2-3 formation, the same as in the low build-up without the goalkeeper between the center-backs.

De Zerbi usually wants the two holding midfielders to be in different lines during the build-up. This is crucial for creating passing lanes and disrupting the opposition’s defensive structure. 

When the holding midfielders are staggered—one slightly ahead of the other—it forces the opposition’s attackers to make difficult decisions on who to block off, opening up space for the team to advance the ball. This layered positioning also enhances ball circulation by providing multiple angles for passing, reducing the risk of predictable or intercepted passes. The holding midfielders can play between themselves, allowing them to find third-man combinations to beat the opposition’s first line of pressure.

Numerical Superiority in the Midfield

Having only the two wingers out wide and the rest in the middle creates more options in the center and less space between the players. De Zerbi likes this because he prioritizes playing through the middle. He needs one player out wide to pull the opposition apart while the rest create numerical advantages in the midfield areas. When a team outnumbers the opposition in the midfield, it can more easily retain the ball, exploit spaces, and progress the ball through the center. Marseille will often progress the ball through quick central passes between the midfielders, beating the opposition’s press and exploiting gaps in the defense.

This advantage forces the opposing team to chase the game, which can lead to defensive errors and create opportunities for breaking down their defense. At the same time, having many players centrally builds good conditions in defensive transitions since it allows more players to counterpress when they lose the ball.

Another purpose for keeping many players in the middle is to shorten the distance between them. This shortens the length of the passes, which naturally shortens the time between passes. This means the opposition players will have less time to push up and press, giving the Marseille players more time and control.

Rest-Defence

De Zerbi also wants many players close to the center to create a good rest-defence structure. A good rest-defence structure is crucial for maintaining balance and preventing counterattacks when the team is in possession. Having many players in the middle builds good conditions in defensive transitions, allowing more players to counterpress when losing the ball. The three center-backs and the two holding midfielders form the core of the rest-defence, as they are well-positioned to deal with any potential loss of the ball. When losing possession, the four or five Marseille players closest will immediately jump on the opposition player with the ball and close the distance to cut off any passing lanes. This approach disrupts the opponent’s transition from defense to attack, forcing errors and creating opportunities to regain control of the ball.

Counterpressing like this keeps Marseille on the front foot, allowing them to dominate possession and create more scoring opportunities.

Third-man

De Zerbi wants his team to play through the opposition when possible. One vital tool that they often use is the third-man principle. The third-man principle is a tactical concept used to create and exploit space by involving a third player in a passing sequence.

It typically works by having Player A pass the ball to Player B, who then quickly relays it to the free Player C. An opponent will block the pass from Player A to Player C, but the pass from Player B to Player C will be open, which is why he is needed in this passing combination.

This movement often bypasses an opponent’s pressing line and opens up space, allowing the team to advance the ball more effectively. The key to the third-man principle is timing and positioning, as the third player must anticipate the play, position themselves advantageously, and receive the ball in a manner that breaks the opposition’s defensive structure. This principle is integral to many modern football strategies, promoting fluidity, quick decision-making, and dynamic attacking play.

Marseille will, for example, use third-man combinations to find an open center-back when the opposition striker presses the goalkeeper.

Follow Pressure

Another tool that the Marseille players use to play past the opposition in the build-up is to follow the pressure. This means running into the space that a pressing player is leaving behind.

When an opposition attacker pushes up to press a Marseille defender, a Marseille midfielder will run into the space behind the opposition attacker. Other opposition players will rarely follow the midfielder into this space, which allows him to receive the ball, turn, and progress the ball up the pitch. Most of the time though, the pass straight from the defender to the midfielder will be blocked by the pressing opposition attacker, meaning a third-man combination with a different Marseille midfielder has to be used to find the open player in this space.

Fluidity

Marseille’s fluidity in the build-up under Roberto De Zerbi has been a key aspect of their tactical evolution. The team often adopts a dynamic approach, shifting between formations to create numerical advantages and exploit spaces. De Zerbi emphasizes versatility, with players interchanging positions seamlessly to maintain possession and disrupt the opposition’s defensive structure. One of the holding midfielders will often move up into a number-ten position, creating a 1-3-1-5-1 formation. This rotation gives Marseille more players higher up the pitch and can help break down teams who defend deep in a low-block.

When playing against three forwards however, one of Marseille’s holding midfielders often drops down into the backline, creating a back four. Having a 4v3 numerical advantage with the backline against the opposition’s forwards, instead of a 3v3, means that one center-back will be free, allowing them to beat the opposition’s forward line.

Finding the Pockets

De Zerbi’s players always try to find the attacking midfielders in the pockets. These “pockets” refer to the spaces between the opposition’s defensive and midfield lines, where the attacking midfielders can receive the ball in more advanced positions.

By positioning themselves intelligently in these pockets, the attacking midfielders can turn quickly and face the opposition’s goal, creating opportunities for through balls, driving runs, or direct shots. This positioning forces the opposition to make difficult decisions. If an opposition defender steps up and closes down the attacking midfielder, he potentially leaves space behind. If he stays back, he allows the midfielder time on the ball. The Marseille defenders and holding midfielders will look for straight passes, breaking the opposition lines and finding the attacking midfielders who can turn and drive at the defense. 

Marseille will also use third-man combinations involving the striker to find players in these spaces. A defender or holding midfielder can play a straight pass to the striker, who can find an attacking midfielder in the pocket with a simple one-touch pass.

Finding these pockets is crucial for maintaining fluidity in attack and ensuring that the team can progress the ball effectively through the middle of the pitch. 

Dropping Outside

When the opposition defends very compactly and does not allow the attacking midfielders to get the ball in the pockets, Marseille’s attacking midfielders can drop outside to receive the ball there instead. They will wait for the opposition’s wide midfielders to come into the middle and drop out into the space outside of him. The opposition center-backs and central midfielders rarely follow these runs, not wanting to open the space in the center. Additionally, the winger, who is positioned high and wide, will be pinning the opposition fullback, not allowing him to jump on the dropping attacking midfielder. This means that the attacking midfielder can receive the ball, turn, and progress the ball unopposed.

Numerical Advantages Against the Opposition’s Defense

A massive aspect of Marseille’s high build-up is their ability to create numerical advantages against the opposition’s defensive line. Playing with a front five means the forward line naturally becomes numerically superior against a back four, which they are great at taking advantage of.

De Zerbi’s players mainly exploit this by creating 2v1 situations against the opposition fullback. When the defending team is positioned on one side, the weak-side fullback becomes vulnerable to the switch of play due to the 1v2 against Marseille’s winger and attacking midfielder. The attacking midfielder will make a run in behind, the fullback will follow that run, and the space for the winger out wide will be opened. De Zerbi’s team often capitalizes on this by getting the ball to the winger and creating many opportunities from 2v1 situations on the wing and in the half-spaces.

If the opposition fullback does not follow the attacking midfielder’s run, a through-ball could be played straight to the attacking midfielder, who could take the ball forward and create a 1v1 against the goalkeeper.

Counter-Movements

Marseille will also use counter-movements between the winger and attacking midfielder to exploit this numerical advantage. When a wide center-back has the ball, the attacking midfielder can make a run in behind while the winger drops to open the passing lane from the wide center-back. This creates a question for the opposition fullback. If he steps out on the winger, the space behind him opens up, allowing the center-back to play a through-ball to the attacking midfielder. However, if he stays inside to cover the run, the ball can be played to the winger, who can turn and attack the defense.

Attacking the Half-Space

De Zerbi’s players usually look to create chances by attacking the space between the opposition center-back and fullback. They primarily do this from the wide areas with underlaps from the attacking midfielders. When the winger receives the ball out wide he will attract the opposition fullback. This opens the space between the fullback and the center-back, which allows Marseille’s attacking midfielder to make the underlapping run into this space. The ball can be played to the underlapping player, who can cross the ball into the box or attack his defender in a 1v1 situation.

The winger does not have to play the ball to the underlapping player. The run from the attacking midfielder will often drag away an opposition defensive midfielder, which opens the space inside. The winger can take the ball inside and shoot or find a pass to a free player in front of the backline.

Defending

Low Press

De Zerbi’s Marseille uses a 1-4-2-3-1 formation in the low press. They look to set up in a mid-block, always trying to close the center and force the opposition out wide. The striker will usually be positioned slightly to the left and the number-ten to the right, aiming to stop any passes from the backline to the midfield. De Zerbi wants his team to stay compact without dropping too low, preferably closing the space between the midfield and backline.

Defending in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation revolves around maintaining a compact and organized structure. The formation features a back four that provides stability, with two holding midfielders shielding the defense. These holding midfielders play a crucial role in breaking up opposition attacks and providing cover for the fullbacks when they advance. The three attacking midfielders work to stop entries for the opposition and cut off passing lanes, while the lone striker applies pressure on the ball. The team aims to stay compact, forcing the opposition to play wide and limiting their ability to penetrate through the center. By maintaining this structure, the 1-4-2-3-1 formation helps to control the middle of the pitch, making it difficult for opponents to create scoring opportunities.

High Backline

One tool that helps to be compact is to play with a high backline, making the space to the midfield line as small as possible. De Zerbi’s players do this and usually try to keep the highest line they can without leaving the space behind them too open. Defending with a high backline involves positioning the defensive line closer to the midfield, rather than near the goalkeeper. This tactic compresses the space available for the opposing team to operate, disrupting their build-up play and increasing the chances of winning the ball back quickly.

A high backline also allows defenders to support the midfield more effectively, creating numerical superiority in central areas and facilitating quicker transitions from defense to attack. However, it requires defenders with good pace and positional awareness to deal with long balls and prevent opposing attackers from exploiting the space behind. This approach demands constant communication and coordination among the backline to maintain a cohesive and effective defensive structure.

Everyone must be in the same line when defending with a high backline to maintain an effective offside trap, ensure cohesive coverage, and reduce gaps that attackers can exploit. A well-aligned defensive line makes it easier to catch opposing forwards offside, preventing them from receiving the ball in dangerous positions. Additionally, this alignment helps defenders support each other, allowing for quick transitions and coordinated movements to tackle, intercept, and clear the ball.

Squeezing the Pitch

Additionally, Roberto De Zerbi always wants his team to squeeze the pitch when defending. This means constantly pushing the team up as much as possible. Every time the opponent plays a slow, sideways pass or a back pass, Marseille’s first line of pressure pushes up, with the rest of the team following to stay compact. When the next pass comes, they push up even more, forcing the opponent back even more. They do this because it pushes the opponent further away from the Marseille goal, making it harder to create chances.

High Press

De Zerbi usually wants to press the opposition high up the pitch. Their pressing structure will depend on the opposition, but they primarily press in their 1-4-2-3-1 formation.

The pressing striker will try to close off one opposition center-back by making angled pressing runs, forcing the opposition to one side. The rest of the players will shift across and try to win the ball by using the touchline as an extra defender.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical approach at Olympique Marseille showcases his distinctive style, blending possession-based football with high-intensity pressing. His use of dynamic formations, fluid positional play, and focus on quick transitions reflects his ability to adapt to the modern game while maintaining a clear philosophy. Marseille’s ability to dominate possession, create overloads in midfield, and exploit spaces behind the opposition’s defense highlights De Zerbi’s tactical understanding.

As De Zerbi continues to refine his system, Olympique Marseille is poised to develop into a tactically sound and competitive side, capable of challenging on multiple fronts. The blend of creativity, structure, and relentless pressing seen under his leadership offers exciting prospects for the future.