A summer marked by defense: a priority project for our OM

Can we really hope to reach the top without a worthy defense? We all saw it last season: our Olympique de Marseille, so dazzling in attack, too often lost points foolishly at the back. Ninth defense in Ligue 1 for a runner-up to PSG, it's clearly not what you expect from a serious contender, and Roberto De Zerbi has recognized this. Result: the Marseille transfer window started strong with two new defenders, CJ Egan Riley and Facundo Medina, supposed to bring some calm where, let's admit it, there was way too often panic.

Transfer Window: Reinforcement, but still some gray areas

Let's not beat around the bush: even if these two signings look good on paper, the project is far from over. OM is still actively searching for another central defender, with Joel Ordoñez (Club Bruges) top of the list. But as often happens, negotiations are dragging on, and the risk of ending up settling for a plan B exists. Do you believe in Ordoñez arriving quickly? Or are you starting to stress like me as time passes?

And then there's the famous left-back position… Quentin Merlin left for Rennes, Ulisses Garcia really didn't convince… What do we do? For now, nobody has signed, and frankly, letting De Zerbi "improvise" in the meantime looks more like a risky bet than a real strategy. Who do you see coming to stabilize this position? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.

A tough start: Medina suspended, defense under construction

You've surely noted it already: Facundo Medina, the key defensive signing, won't even be there for the first game against Rennes. Suspended, thanks to the LFP! Direct consequence: De Zerbi will have to field a makeshift defense with Murillo on the right, Balerdi and Egan Riley in the center, and… Garcia on the left? Admit it, on paper, it lacks a bit of guarantees, doesn't it?

Medina is a real upgrade compared to what we had last season (we're all thinking of Kondogbia or Brassier…), and without him, the backbone already seems less solid. We're therefore already taking a risk for the start of the championship. What do you think, is it going to work out or are we going to clench our teeth until the last quarter-hour?

The left side puzzle and the Weah enigma

The left-back position is really the hot potato of this transfer window. Ulisses Garcia hasn't managed to establish himself, neither offensively nor defensively, and it's an understatement that we expect better at OM. The recruitment team is working on the matter, but nothing concrete for now. There's urgency, isn't there?

As for the right, the arrival of Timothy Weah is making waves, but beware: the guy is coming off a period without collective training at Juve, he's not ready right away. Can we really count on him in the first few weeks? Let's give him time to integrate, but we shouldn't wait forever.

Conclusion: In your opinion, will the defense finally be reliable?

As we see, the intentions are good but there are still ongoing projects and quite a few uncertainties to clear up. One thing is for sure, without a solid defense, our OM might relive the same struggles as last year. So, are you confident or worried about this new season? We await your analyses and suggestions in the comments, so we can discuss them together like at the counter!