PLAYER RATINGS | Marseille 2-0 Nantes: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang secures a fifth victory in a row for Jean-Louis Gasset
Olympique de Marseille have been in a rich run of form since replacing Gennaro Gattuso as manager with the wily figure of Jean-Louis Gasset. The seventy-year-old has brought a sense of calm to the pressure cooker environment in La Provence and the results have followed. Four wins in four for the fourth manager of the season, and finally a clean sheet as Marseille demolished Marcelino’s Villarreal during their midweek Europa League tie.
The same cannot be said about Jocelyn Gourvennec’s FC Nantes where results have been inconsistent. Last weekend, a loss to FC Metz was particularly damaging as their opposition hadn’t won since November, leaving La Maison Jaune a place above FC Lorient in the relegation playoff spot. There was no danger of slipping further down the table tonight as their goal difference was far superior to Lorient’s but still the worries have begun to show for one of France’s sporting institutions.
Nantes played a deep block that kept the Marseille front three quiet for a while until Ismaïla Sarr was able to attack Nicolas Cozza. The winger’s feet were a touch too tricky and he could drive a low cross across the goal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the fastest to react and opened the scoring, poking home the cross.
The goal reflected Marseille’s superiority throughout the half as they created clever attacking combinations that saw them sweep through the congested pitch. Nantes rarely threatened their hosts outside of a few driving runs from Moses Simon, and Pau López had a quiet half only springing into action once. All that was missing for Marseille was missing was the finishing touches to put the game out of sight.
The halftime break brought drastic changes for Gourvenne as he shifted his team
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