Emerson Palmieri’s tactical deficiencies are causing early issues at Marseille following his move from West Ham United in the summer.
That’s at least according to Le 10 Sport. They report the 31-year-old has some work to do to prove himself at the French side.
The website covers analysis from Rémy Vercoutre. The pundit believes Roberto De Zerbi must be vigilant with Palmieri ‘because he spares no effort’.
The defender joined Marseille in a €700,000 deal on deadline day of the summer transfer window. There have been reports that the deal is actually worth €13m plus €2m in add-ons.
He’s been thrown into the deep end by De Zerbi from the get-go. He picked up 78 minutes in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, and has appearances in wins over FC Lorient and Paris Saint-Germain.
So far, he appears to have made a positive impression. Slotting in well to De Zerbi’s system, Vercoutre believes the Italian coach needs to be careful with the former West Ham man.
“Emerson Palmieri? His greatest strength can sometimes become his weakness. He loves to defend by moving forward,” he said.
“We saw it against Madrid and Paris. He excels at managing his direct opponent; he always wants to move forward, press, and contribute offensively.
“This can create problems, opportunities for players to play in space, and movements to manage behind him, if the opponent’s tactics are more sophisticated.
“We shouldn’t be offended if he sometimes gets trapped by two- or three-man combinations, if he comes out like a bullet and gets caught in the back. At that point, he sometimes lacks reflection and lucidity. He gives so much effort, he sometimes ends up in the red.”
