Marseille left Troyes with three points and a clean sheet, but the 2-0 win on Sunday night did not silence concerns over Angel Gomes’ contribution at the start of the season.
OM ended a run without a victory since their home success against Strasbourg on 21 August by winning the closing fixture of Ligue 1’s sixth round. Yet the display of Gomes, deployed behind striker Amine Gouiri, came under severe scrutiny after the match.
Questions over Gomes’ influence
The 26-year-old England midfielder has appeared in all six league games since the campaign began, recording one goal — against Paris Saint-Germain — and one assist. But his performance at Troyes prompted criticism that he is failing to impose himself in Marseille’s attacking structure.
Gomes joined Marseille from Lille in the summer of 2025 after spending the second half of the previous season on loan at Wolverhampton. There had been hope that he could rediscover the form he showed under Bruno Genesio at Lille, but his recent displays have been judged far below that level.
“Nothing is happening,” was the verdict on Gomes’ start to the season. While his technical quality was acknowledged, he was criticised for offering too little risk or decisive action in possession.
Alternative attacking combinations were also highlighted. Neal Maupay and Gouiri, who operated around each other against PSG, were viewed as a more effective option, while Faris Moumbagna was mentioned as another player capable of giving the side greater movement and purpose.
A busy week ahead for Marseille
Marseille now turn towards Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Olympiakos at the Stade Vélodrome before travelling to Angers for next Sunday’s Ligue 1 fixture.
The coming matches could sharpen the selection debate around Gomes. The view expressed after Troyes was that Marseille may need a solution without him when the level of opposition rises, with other available choices considered more useful to the collective.
