LOSC-OM: Press conference

replay of the press conference on Twitch
 

Timothy Weah: “My mindset is to be at the top, to win.”

Return to Lille

I'm approaching this match with a lot of energy and desire. I had some great times in Lille with the staff and my teammates. I'm proud to be back at the stadium. I'm happy to be here and I'm sure it will be a great match.

The mindset

After Toulouse, we had regrets, but we're not downhearted. We have to keep going. The next three games before Christmas are very important and we're ready.

His physical condition

I played the last three games in their entirety and it did me good. I haven't really spoken to the coach. I'm a professional, there are injuries, Murillo is important to the team, I gritted my teeth and played. If the coach needs me, I help the team, I'm happy to do so.

Progress

I'm working hard. My time in Italy did me good. At Lille, I was a young player who lacked confidence. I grew up at Lille over four years. I was able to play and develop. It was very good. The move to Juventus helped me mature in terms of my game. I'm here to win. I'm doing everything I can to win, everything I can to raise my level.

Angel Gomes

In soccer, there are good times and not-so-good times. The coach makes decisions, very tactical ones. Angel is very professional. I'm proud of him, it's been hard for him. We're both at OM, I try to bring joy. He's my brother, we're going to fight together. It's hard to come off at halftime.

Ligue 1, the standings

It's the most talented league in the world. It's real soccer, it's tight with impressive games. I love playing soccer. In Lens, it was incredible. I'm lucky to play in this league. We can do great things with OM.

France is where you create stars. Mbappé, Dembélé... You have to go through France. Ligue 1 is the best league in the world.

Goals conceded at the end of the game

We are all responsible for that. We worked hard during the week. That's the way it is, we can't change anything now. We have to improve and stay focused.

OM capable of winning a trophy

When a team says it wants to win, you have to believe in it and put your heart into it. We fight for all the people who follow us, who come to the stadium. That's our goal. I have confidence in myself, I have confidence in everyone here. We have to win, we're going to win. We can fall 100 times, but we have to get back up. My mentality is to be at the top, to win. I'm not going to stop.

The World Cup draw

It's a dream. I've played in the World Cup before, but this is different, it's at home, in front of my family and friends. It's a source of pride. We have to give everything to win. It's going to be an interesting World Cup, it's in L.A., in Miami. I hope it will be a great World Cup. Argentina, France, Spain, they're at the top. There are some great players in the French team. I can't wait to see how they perform.

The next three games

It's early days. It's December, and a lot can happen between now and May. We'll take each game as it comes. We have to take all three points in every game. These are important steps. The team is ready.

Roberto De Zerbi: “I'd like to stay here for a long time.”

The Coupe de France draw

Always play to the maximum. We take this competition seriously. We hope to go all the way. It's a long road, but we hope to play it seriously. We don't enter competitions to lose them. We'll see, the Coupe depends on how we perform. There are always surprises. We'll prepare for it like we did for the matches against Lille or the previous ones.

After Toulouse

We'll see tomorrow, but I think so. The players are smart. We didn't win against TFC with a pretty ugly goal. But that 40-meter throw-in isn't going to change everything. We lost two points against Toulouse. Without that goal, we would have said positive things, so we can't say the opposite just because of one goal. We have to stay positive. We need character and to see things objectively.

The format of the Coupe de France

In England, it's like in France. In Italy, it's different. Everyone has the right to participate. I prefer the French and English approach.

The use of players

Why aren't we talking about rotation when De Lange had a great game in Nice? We have a lot of injuries, we lost energy against TFC, we have to rotate the players. We try to field the best lineup. We had players who played for their national teams, we try to manage the players without taking risks. I try to field the best lineup, like putting Bakola in against Newcastle.

I want to get to May and fight for all the competitions. I want to continue on the path in the Champions League. January will be decisive, we'll have PSG and Lens in Ligue 1, a final in Kuwait, two Champions League games, and hopefully another round in the Coupe de France. I can see that Vermeeren is playing well, but the choices are made beforehand. Against Toulouse, we didn't see the usual Greenwood. Maybe he needed some physical and mental rest. It's complicated. I try to keep all the players in the squad and make the best choices. I was criticized for Bakola. I took the risk, a calculated and measured risk. He's a young player, I know how to manage young players, I've launched a few.

The state of the troops

Murillo trained yesterday and the day before, he's available. Højbjerg has a fever. We'll see tomorrow, but it would be a big loss. Gouiri, Traoré, and Medina are out. Everyone else is available.

Ligue 1, its level

This year, Ligue 1 is very balanced. No team is pulling away and no team is dead last. The team that plays the best soccer is Angers. I really like their coach. Ligue 1 is physically and technically difficult. The stadiums are full. It's a shame that it's not talked about much abroad. Ligue 1 lacks visibility.

Very close matches

Yes, we thought about staying where we were (between Lille and Union Saint-Gilloise). But the best solution is to come back to Marseille.

Tactical risks

Sometimes we misread the game. We have generous players who want to win duels. We suffer a little less from counterattacks. Against TFC, we wanted to turn the game around and we exposed ourselves to counterattacks. On the sidelines, we lacked communication. If we avoid the sideline, we don't concede the goal. We have to take points as we are doing now.

Goals conceded at the end of the game

How can we understand this? There's no single explanation; it's a complex issue. There are thousands of throw-ins in a weekend of soccer, and how many of them lead to a goal? There's bad luck. With better communication, we wouldn't have conceded the goal. It's difficult to understand. It's a subject where everything can be right or everything can be wrong.

The long term at OM

I still see myself here in the long term. I'd like to stay here for more than three years and be among those who have stayed here the longest. I'm not offended by criticism. I'd like to stay here for a long time if the management is happy. It's a privilege to work here. There's pressure, there's passion. We have the team to do everything this season. And “everything” is up to you to define.

Geronimo Rulli

I like his personality, his courage. He's always ready to go the extra mile. Against TFC, he misread the trajectory on the last goal. He's given us a lot and earned us a lot of points this season. He's a fixture, a pillar like Balerdi, Højbjerg... Others have joined him, such as Aguerd, Greenwood... Rulli is a very important player.

He makes me sweat a little sometimes. I want people to try things. We can progress and improve. He needs to work a little harder in training. I'd rather he try things than not try anything at all.