At the start of the season, Nuno Tavares was the star of the show at Marseille, free-scoring and terrorising the right-hand side of the opposition.
On loan from Arsenal, who will have been hoping for a similar growth from the Portuguese as the one Saliba undertook last season in the south of France, the defender started off like a rocket.
Scoring three goals in his first four league games, the Gunners man was quickly appreciated by the fans, but things haven’t been the same in recent weeks.
The last two league games have been examples of that, and those at Arsenal watching him will have taken notice, as Marseille first lost to Ajaccio at home before returning from Paris as losers on Sunday night.
Tavares played for 71 minutes before coming off for Issa Kaboré, and La Provence highlight him on Monday morning.
They say the Arsenal man no longer is the ‘intrepid full-back that sent shivers in the backs of opposing defences’, and ‘for some time now, the Portuguese has been fumbling his football and the ball’, using his mistake in the 4th minute that allowed Lionel Messi a chance as an example.
Marseille next face Lens at home in Ligue 1 on Saturday, which will give the 22-year-old a new chance to start impressing again, which is something both Mikel Arteta and Igor Tudor will be wanting.
