Paulo Fonseca makes the right changes to help Lille beat Marseille

Paulo Fonseca pulled off another minor miracle on Saturday night as he guided Lille to a 2-1 win over Marseille. Lille were an attacking juggernaut earlier this season, playing on the front foot, but lately they have also shown how sharp they are defensively. The improvement at the back is helping them in their bid to play European football next season.

Admittedly, they have also turned in some scarcely believable results, losing to bottom-of-the-table Angers and dropping points against Reims and Auxerre in recent weeks. After these disappointing performances, their hold on fifth place had become weaker given the form of Rennes and Lyon. Indeed, Rennes beat Ajaccio 5-0 at the weekend and would have overtaken Lille in the table but for the win against Marseille.

It was a tough assignment for Lille. Marseille have been one of the league’s best teams on their travels and Fonseca was missing central defenders José Fonte and Alexsandro through suspension – as well as Tiago Djaló, who suffered a season-ending injury in March. Fonseca picked an unlikely team. With Timothy Weah playing as a makeshift full-back, and Bafodé Diakité, usually a right-back, partnering 17-year-old Leny Yoro at the centre of defence, the hosts looked vulnerable, even if they had been on a 14-match unbeaten run at home. To make up for his callow, rejigged defence, Fonseca moved away from his usual 4-2-3-1. He dropped Rémy Cabella and Angel Gomes, his two most creative players, and brought in the little-used Jonas Martin and Carlos Baleba.

Baleba is a bright prospect but he had not started a match since early February. And Martin, despite being a seasoned veteran, had played just four minutes in the last three months. Fonseca’s selections seemed strange, bold and even unwise given the massive implications of the match. And, sure enough, his inexperienced defence – which was weakened further when left-back Ismaily was forced off through injury in the first half – was undone within half an hour, a mix-up between Yoro and Weah allowing Jonathan Clauss to sneak in and open the scoring for Marseille.

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Despite that early wobble, though, the defensive approach in midfield was largely paying off for the hosts. Marseille had the bulk of possession, but they frequently sat deep in their own half, with Lille daring Igor Tudor’s side to come on to them. Lacking the verve that Nuno Tavares – who was left out for disciplinary reasons – brings to the team, Marseille sat back, protecting their lead in the hope they could pick up three points and keep up the pressure on second-placed Lens.

With a narrow, compact midfield trio of André Gomes, Benjamin André and Martin protecting the defence, the Lille centre-backs Diakité and Yoro grew into the game. A rash challenge from Marseille goalkeeper Pau Lopez on Baleba earned the hosts a penalty just after the interval, which Jonathan David converted to equalise.

Lille continued to push forward and nearly conceded against the run of play. Alexis Sánchez thought he had restored Marseille’s lead on the hour mark but Lille were given a lifeline by an offside flag. Knowing his team needed to offer a threat, Fonseca went on the attack, bringing on Cabella and Angel Gomes with 20 minutes to play.

Back in their customary 4-2-3-1, with André and Martin shielding the defence, Lille looked at their incisive best. Cabella’s ball for Jonathan Bamba’s winner was sumptuous. Lille were hungry for more and nearly scored again but David shot wide from a tight angle after a fine ball upfield from Diakité. Marseille had a few chances on the counter and the offside call against Sánchez had been tight, but Lille deserved the 2-1 win. By using Baleba and Martin in such a massive match, switching tactics and adopting a different approach, Fonseca had pulled off a masterstroke.

Lille will likely lose several players this summer – with Fonte potentially retiring, and Djaló and David moving on – but, if they retain the services of Fonseca, they will be every bit as entertaining next season as they have been in this campaign.

Talking points

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Is this the end for Dimitri Payet? He is suspended for Marseille’s last two matches of the season and the bigger question is: will this be the end of his career? Payet’s contract runs to the end of next season, but he has frequently been at odds with Igor Tudor in this campaign. Even though he is still productive, he does not fit into the style of football the Croatian wishes to play and, with a return to the Champions League secured, it’s difficult to see the manager departing. Payet may want a swansong at another club, but he has been more strongly linked to a backroom role with Marseille. At the peak of his powers, at West Ham United and upon his return to Marseille, he was never less than thrilling. A lack of fitness sometimes blighted the later stages of his career, but his key role in helping France reach the final of Euro 2016 also deserves praise. If this is the end for the Réunion-born player, we should count ourselves lucky to have seen his brilliance on display.

And then there were two. A win for Brest and a draw for Strasbourg this weekend means they are safe, making the final relegation spot a straight shootout between Nantes and Auxerre. The Bretons have gained nothing by dismissing manager Antoine Kombouaré, limping to defeat against Montpellier at the weekend. Meanwhile Auxerre, who are currently a point above Nantes, have scarcely done better, the optimism generated six weeks ago having now dissipated. The eastern side appear to have the easier run-in – they play Toulouse and Lens, two sides with little for which to play. Nantes take on Lille next weekend before a Breton derby against Angers on the final day of the season. Auxerre have a much poorer goal difference, though, and this will remain a tense affair.