Bielsa key as Marseille throw down gauntlet to stuttering PSG
ByReuters
Updated 24/09/2014 at 09:21 GMT
They lead the Ligue 1 standings, have scored 19 goals in seven games often displaying a free-flowing attacking football and their top striker has already found the back of the net eight times.
New Olympique Marseille's coach Marcelo Bielsa gestures during their French Ligue 1 soccer match against Montpellier at the Velodrome Stadium in Marseille, August 17, 2014 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
Paris St Germain? No, Olympique de Marseille.
The Provence side thrashed Stade de Reims 5-0 away on Tuesday, their fifth straight win after a stuttering start amid a row involving president Vincent Labrune and new coach Marcelo Bielsa.
The Argentinian was true to his 'El Loco' nickname when he lashed out at Labrune for "making promises he knew he could not keep" during the transfer window, also saying "the way the club is run disappoints me".
Bielsa, however, promised he would do his best and he has kept that promise.
"It is said that hard work pays off. The coach is always on our backs. A great part of our confidence comes from that," said midfielder Florian Thauvin.
"If OM (Marseille) continue like this and Paris does not wake up, the French champion will perhaps not be the one we think of," said Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot.
PSG got off to a limping start and trail Marseille, who have 16 points, by six point ahead of their trip to promoted Caen later on Wednesday.
The French champions have been suffering from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's sudden dip in form, the Swede having not scored in his last two league games, which ended in disappointing draws.
Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, instead, has become the first French top flight player to score eight goals in the opening seven rounds of matches since David Trezeguet in the 1999/2000 season.
Gignac, who has never looked that fit, can rely on the collaboration of Thauvin, France international Dimitri Payet and Ghana's Andre Ayew up front.
"Up front, except for PSG, I can't any team with so much potential," Nice forward Eric Bautheac told France Football on Wednesday.
"They fight like dogs. It's the same players than last seasons but with another mentality."
There is a long road ahead and Bielsa warned that they would have to wait until they have played the top guns before assessing their ambitions.
Marseille take on St Etienne at home on Sunday and the clash against arch-rivals PSG at the Parc des Princes is scheduled for Nov. 9.
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