Since his arrival this winter, Algerian international midfielder Himad Abdelli has been in great difficulty, embodying the collective decline of Olympique de Marseille at the end of this season.
For Himad Abdelli, the Marseille dream is gradually turning into a nightmare. Since his arrival from Angers this winter, the Algerian international midfielder still hasn’t had any opportunities with OM. Whether he starts, as in Lorient in an unlikely double pivot alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, or comes on as a substitute, as against Nice (1-1), the 28-year-old player is struggling. Furthermore, it was him who, brought on to calm the game and keep possession, lost the ball on Sunday evening, leading to the penalty obtained and converted by the Aiglons.
Catastrophic statistics
This misjudgment has added to Himad Abdelli’s negative impact. One statistic says it all: Marseille has not won any of the six matches in which the player has participated for more than ten minutes. Other numbers support the idea of a negative influence: during the 178 minutes spent on the field by the recruit, OM conceded nine goals (3 against Paris, 2 against Strasbourg, 1 against Toulouse, 2 against Lorient, 1 against Nice) and scored only three times (1 against Metz, Toulouse, and Lyon).
Beye: ”Not enough for some”
But is Himad Abdelli being unfairly targeted? Can he be seen as the sole symbol of Marseille’s collective decline? Probably not. But it is not unreasonable to think that he was (partly) the focus of Habib Beye‘s post-match analysis on Sunday at the Vélodrome. “As I said, it’s not enough for some,” jabbed the OM coach. We can always claim things, but when you enter a match like this, you need to rise to the level of the match. You need to understand the importance of the match. And that wasn’t the case for us in the end.”
According to Foot Mercato, tensions reportedly rose between the two men in the locker room. “Don’t talk to me like that, you’re not my father,” the player allegedly retorted to his coach. Tense atmosphere.
