After 3 matches and 48 hours away from the clash with Nancy, Albert Emon seems to have found explanations for the OM hesitant start to the season.

Did you think the start to the season would be this difficult?
It’s always a possibility… because we don’t have all our assets in place and thus can’t be at 100% yet, we have to tell ourselves that it will come. We just need to have faith and continue to work.

Could these points lost at the start of the season cost you dearly later on?
It’s impossible to say. Last season, we were 12 points behind with 8 rounds to go. In round 37, OM was acclaimed by all after winning a Champions League place. We had some very lean periods during that season but we made it to the Champions League. So it’s really too early to say, but we can’t afford to drop any more points at home.

So it’s a must-win against Nancy on Sunday…
We hope to score one more goal than the opposition to win the match. We’ll do all we can to that end.

Will you be making some changes?
Not really… I like having a team that goes forward, that is competitive and offensive. Unfortunately, we’ve been lacking in these areas in our first matches. But I don’t want to change everything. We just need to be more competitive and offensive in the other side’s half. You always have individual errors, like a poor cross, a bad pass in midfield, an anticipating run that puts the side in danger… We’re not completely settled yet but against Valenciennes, at 99%, the whole team made an error. Including me. So whom can I accuse? Football at the highest level forces errors; you just have to make fewer than the opposition. But I’ll never accuse a player over an individual error.

Is it possible that the ‘favourite’ tag given to OM in the pre-season has damaged the team?
It’s possible… I can’t get into the players heads to tell them to loosen up and play like they did for their former clubs where there was less pressure. At Marseille, there is pressure: in terms of results, in the squad and in terms of personal initiative. But I’m sure it will only last for a certain period and that afterwards, the players will hit their straps.

Are you disappointed after having seen some strong performances in pre-season matches?
My disappointment is collective,. I’ve tried to keep the same themes in my talks with the lads: enjoyment on the pitch, dribbling, playing, shooting at goal, getting past your man, crossing… But I don’t see it on the pitch, and that’s what really frustrates me and makes me unhappy. Maybe the team can’t, for whatever reason, allow themselves to but my words will remain the same. It’s also possible that a team can be physically incapable of doing these things, it’s possible that our first match, at Strasbourg, put the brakes on us. But we won’t go looking for excuses. We need to do much better.

Do you have any explanations as to why this may be?
Yes, simple ones. Last year, we played very offensive football. This year, we can’t seem to play the way I want. We’re neither one thing nor another. We’re strong at winning the possession but then we don’t use it well enough. If we can unite all the elements of our squad, we will be a much more attacking side. I’m convinced the lads can do it.

What does the team need in order to really get going?
At Valenciennes, we didn’t control the game and the ball just kept coming back into our defensive half. After the goal, it seemed like we were scared of having scored. The team needs spirit. If we go ahead on the scoreboard, we need fighters on the pitch to defend the lead. Against VA, I felt like no-one wanted the ball.

The fans at the Stade Vélodrome could well be very demanding on Sunday. There was some subtle whistling after OM-Rennes…
We’ve had much worse… The fans may be more aggressive if they don’t see their players fighting hard. The players are aware of this.