Roberto De Zerbi’s carrot-and-stick approach to Mason Greenwood is vital for Marseille’s Champions League hopes

Singling out your most prolific forward for criticism in the buildup to a vital Champions League game is not the most conventional strategy, but then Roberto De Zerbi has rarely been accused of a humdrum approach to management.

Not one to hold his tongue in the face of perceived shortcomings, whether his own or those of his players, the Olympique de Marseille head coach singled out Mason Greenwood in a withering assessment of his side’s 1-0 defeat at Lille on Friday.

“We played badly and we deserved to lose,” said De Zerbi, whose side face Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise at Stade Joseph Marien on Tuesday night. “We didn’t string three passes together. We lost every second ball. Even with dribbling, we couldn’t beat anyone.

Roberto De Zerbi: ‘Mason Greenwood must shoot more’

“Defensively, we were never as aggressive as we usually are. We were passive from the first minute to the last. One shot on target for a player like Greenwood isn’t enough for him. Shooting so infrequently isn’t sufficient.”

It is not the first time De Zerbi has taken aim at the former Manchester United striker, who scored 21 goals in 34 appearances following his move to the Stade Vélodrome in July of last year and has continued in similar vein this term, with 11 goals from 19 games.

Despite Greenwood’s impressive return for the Ligue 1 side, De Zerbi has consistently challenged the attacker to develop his game, particularly when it comes to his work off the ball. At the same time, he has also praised the 24-year-old as “a player of an extraordinary level”.

‘He helps me understand football’

For his part, Greenwood has been grateful for the Italian’s cajoling. “He helps me understand football much better, he helps me improve every day,” Greenwood said recently. 

But while De Zerbi has helped the forward to prosper on the pitch in spite of Greenwood’s well-documented problems away from it, striking a balance between carrot and stick is not a simple task given the player’s importance to the team. 

Opta statistics show that the forward ranks first among his team-mates this season for expected goals (8.03), total shots (48) and expected assists (3.06). Greenwood’s effectiveness is evident in his actual numbers for each of those categories, which are respectively 11, 44 and four, suggesting he is performing above expectations. That much was evident in Greenwood’s outstanding display against Newcastle last month. 

It means De Zerbi must go about his business judiciously as he seeks to keep Marseille’s bid for a knock-out phase playoff place on track. The club currently sits 21st in the league phase standings, four places ahead of Union Saint-Gilloise, who could leapfrog them with victory. 

With all to play for, Marseille will need Greenwood at his best.