Marseille’s Europa League night on the Bosphorus unravelled into another damaging defeat, and Angel Gomes found himself at the centre of the frustration. The English midfielder was withdrawn before the hour in Thursday’s 4-1 loss at Besiktas, having again struggled to give Bruno Genesio’s side control or intensity in midfield.
The result followed defeats to Paris FC, 3-2, and Rennes, 1-0, leaving Marseille searching for answers after three poor outings. Gomes, 26, retained his place as the attacking midfielder against Besiktas despite those displays, but endured another difficult evening.
Gomes loses ground in Marseille midfield
Besiktas took the lead in the 15th minute through Ilhan Fakili after Gomes lost possession in a dangerous area. The midfielder remained on the ground after the sequence, while Marseille were exposed once more by a lack of physical presence and sharpness in the middle of the pitch.
He misplaced five balls during the match and was unable to make the most of promising attacking situations near the Besiktas penalty area in the 21st and 39th minutes. His game was marked by slow circulation, backward passes and a failure to change the tempo when Marseille needed a response.
There was one positive contribution when Gomes made an important block in the 55th minute, but he was substituted three minutes later. His replacement did not solve Marseille’s wider problems, however, as the team collapsed further after he left the field.
Keyliane Abdallah had levelled for Marseille five minutes after the opening goal, but the equaliser did not change the direction of the contest. Besiktas went on to claim a convincing 4-1 victory.
Genesio tried to intervene early
Concern around Gomes was visible well before his substitution. In the 24th minute, Marseille goalkeeper Jeffrey De Lange collided with a post with his back and twisted an ankle, bringing a stoppage in play.
Genesio and three members of his staff used the break to hand out drinks and deliver instructions. Their first messages were directed towards Gomes, with Genesio and assistant Dimitri Farbos making broad gestures as they attempted to reinforce the initial tactical plan.
The midfielder has increasingly become a focus for supporter anger and has at times appeared to generate irritation among team-mates on the pitch. Yet Marseille’s problems extend beyond one player.
A change of shape brings no recovery
After Gomes came off, Marseille switched to a 4-4-2. Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and Abdelli remained together in the double pivot, while Amine Harit was pushed forward as a second striker before later moving to the right wing.
The adjustment made little difference. Genesio has acknowledged that he has limited alternatives available, particularly in midfield, and believes the immediate issue is as much psychological as tactical.
“A different formation is not necessarily the answer,” Genesio said after the match. “There is major work to do mentally because we are always chasing the game. When the energy is not there, the aggression is missing too. It is also about concentration. The players are trying to give everything, but at the moment it is not enough.”
