Marseilles (AFP)

Friable behind, infinitely clumsy in front and ultimately bad everywhere, OM sank on Saturday at home during the 20th day of Ligue 1 with a 2-1 defeat against the modest team of Nîmes, which greatly darkens its prospects in the standings .

Marseille had returned disappointed but no more overwhelmed than that of its defeat (2-1) against Paris SG on Wednesday during the Champions Trophy.

The Provencals had managed a correct match and then, finally, the most important meeting of the week was undoubtedly that of this Saturday against Nîmes.

Faced with the red lantern of the championship (now 18th), the lowest budget in Ligue 1, OM had to take the three points without a problem, integrate the rookie Lirola and let the leaders calmly manage the last weeks of the transfer window.

But nothing went as planned and this defeat comes on top of the draw last week in Dijon (0-0) for a terrible one-point sequence against two relegation.

The blow is tough because most of the top teams have not yet played and OM, still 6th on Saturday, will see the gaps widen more and more clearly.

His two late matches, Wednesday against Lens and February 17 against Nice, are no longer a passport to first place or the podium, but a fragile thread that connects him from afar to the Top 4.

But how did OM come to this against a team that had won only one of its last 13 matches and taken only one point in the previous eight days?

First by refusing to knock out the "Crocodiles" when he had the chance, and he really did.

First when he got a penalty for a hand from Alakouch.

Payet missed too many this season, so the neo-captain Thauvin took his responsibilities and ... shot next (35th).

- Kamara injured -

With three successes out of seven attempts in all competitions this season, the penalties are a disease of OM.

The clumsiness of the center-forward is another.

Two meters from the Nîmes goal, on a caviar from Payet, Benedetto struck on Reynet, less than two minutes after the failure of Thauvin.

OM sports director Pablo Longoria may then have made another phone call to Milik's agent to speed up negotiations with the Polish striker from Naples.

Finally, it took a huge gift from Cubas for Marseille to finally score, by Benedetto with a curling shot.

But we were playing in the 85th minute and OM were led 2-0 and adrift, despite the four simultaneous changes of André Villas-Boas in the 65th minute.

After resisting, Nîmes indeed tried a few blows and two were winners.

In the 55th minute, Eliasson first scored a happy goal, probably unintentionally picking up a very strong center from Alakouch.

Two minutes later, the same duo were at the conclusion of a cons nicely led by Ferhat and Eliasson scored a brace that sank Marseille, completely harmless in the second period.

In a very dark evening, Villas-Boas also recorded the injury of Kamara, released in the first period.

After having been largely spared during the first months of competition, OM began to pay for the sequence of matches.

The only relative good news, Lirola confirmed that he was probably a good pick.

The Spaniard is not the toughest defender in the world and he leaves spaces, but he is full of attack offensively and his presence in the opposing 30 meters and his quality of center are real novelties for the right side of OM.

But that will not be enough for Marseille, who need points and a lot of work.

© 2021 AFP