Marseille boss Habib Beye admits Mason Greenwood's presence creates 'defensive deficit'

The former Manchester United man has been in sensational form in front of goal for Marseille again this season, racking up 25 goals and eight assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.

While Greenwood’s clinical finishing remains undisputed, his presence has sparked a polarizing debate at Marseille, with Beye admitting the winger still has to improve the defensive side of his game. It has been suggested that Greenwood is simultaneously the squad's greatest strength and its most glaring weakness.

Beye has been forced to address the growing scrutiny regarding how his side compensates for Greenwood’s positioning. Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, the coach was candid about the limitations of the 24-year-old’s game when Marseille do not have possession of the ball.

“It’s linked to the fact that we see him defending less. Today he won’t make a defensive run over 50 metres,” Beye admitted. “But he can cut passing lines. Sometimes, you have to accept a defensive deficit when there is so much offensive contribution. Mason is very important for our attack, we must not take away his qualities. But yes, he remains improvable on the defensive level.”

Foot Mercato has drawn comparisons to how Paris Saint-Germain formerly structured their team around Kylian Mbappe, or how Real Madrid operate today. The suggestion is that the remaining ten players must effectively work harder to facilitate a single individual who can decide a match in a split second. Beye appears willing to make that sacrifice, viewing Greenwood as a game-changer that Marseille simply cannot afford to leave out.

Marseille are preparing to face Metz at the Velodrome on Friday night, and Beye confirmed that Greenwood is expected to be back in the matchday squad, having missed their last outing against Monaco, despite still feeling the effects of a heavy knock that forced him off early against Lille the previous week.

“He is better but he still has some pain. He took a real contact against Lille,” Beye explained. “He is a quality player. Regarding the void, he is a player who could have brought us something against Monaco. Mason is back in the group, he is a solution and he can unlock situations. It’s good to have him with us for this match.”