Ligue 1: Gattuso Leads OM into Battle in Monaco

AS Monaco vs Olympique Marseille

Fourth plays eighth in the French match-of-the-weekend when Ligue 1: AS Monaco vs Olympique Marseille is the entertainment on offer at the Stade Louis II.

With 11 points from six games the hosts are just two points off the summit of the French top flight where Brest are the surprise leaders. Adi Hutter’s Monaco are smarting after suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to Nice last week, while OM fans watched their team slapped 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain, a result which saw the club’s owners get on the phone to pull in a new manager…none other than Azzurri legend Gennaro Gattuso.

A combative and sometimes ferocious competitor on the pitch, Italian bruiser Gattuso has already managed some big European sides, Napoli and AC Milan in Serie A, and Valencia in the Spanish top flight. So the OM board are hoping he can kick their club into shape but, for this weekend, the AS Monaco vs Olympique Marseille betting odds are edging towards a home win in this blockbuster; and I’m tempted to agree.

Talking Points

Monaco looking to regain momentum    

The defeat to Nice was a shock to OM who failed to score for the first time this season; in fact, Hutters’ team bagged 15 goals in the five previous games. Wissam Ben Yedder with four goals, and Takumi Minamino with three goals and three assists, have started the season well, but the Nice defeat was a nightmare for another Monaco striker. USA star Folarin Balogun has just completed a 26m Euros move from Arsenal after impressing with Stade Reims last season and he made his Monaco debut last week.

But he missed two penalties.

Balogun saw his first spot-kick saved on 12 minutes and, all credit to the 22-year-old, he had the nerve to take a second, ten minutes into the second period; but once again he failed to keep the Nice stopper. With Swiss striker Breel Embolo out injured, Balogun could well start again on Saturday; but if Monaco win another penalty my money is on Ben Yedder to step up.    

Can Gattuso get OM firing?

Marseille started the campaign with a new manager, Marcelino; but six games in they have a new man at the helm after the Spanish coach resigned citing personal reasons. Jacques Abardonado took control for the drubbing in Paris and for a 3-3 draw with Ajax in the Europa League.

One thing Gattuso will bring to the Stade Velodrome is a big heart; and he’ll expect his players to run through walls for him. He needs to show a little patience though as his team will feel battered and bruised after their mauling at the Parc des Princes. Gattuso has plenty of talent and experience in his squad and will call on some of the players who have been around the block to help him lead on the pitch. Former Barcelona star Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang joined from Chelsea and is yet to score in six games, but he was a one-in two games scorer for both Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal and, with well over 200 career goals the Gabon hit man still has plenty to offer. And 30 year old midfielder Jordan Veretout has plenty of Serie A experience with Fiorentina and Roma.  

History

With 25 wins to 19 OM have had the better of the head to heads over the past three decades while there have been 15 draws. Last season the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Marseille and then OM took the points from a five goal thriller on Monaco.   

Monaco are in better shape so far this season with three wins in six games while OM have just one victory over that period.

Betting Tip

Monaco and Marseille are two of the Ligue 1 big guns and are in the small clutch of teams with a chance of stopping PSG. OM are the second favourites for the title at SBOTOP odds of 13.00 while Monaco are the fourth most likely successors at 21.00. PSG fans will be looking closely at the AS Monaco vs Olympique Marseille updates, that’s for sure.

So this is a match in which both will aim to put down a marker. Monaco are the favourites at a price of 2.08, while Marseille are well in the hunt at odds of 2.83 with the draw at 3.40. Marseille are without a win in four and are yet to win on the road and, despite the arrival of Gattuso, I don’t see that sequence ending on Saturday.

 

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