‘If I’m to stay next season, I want the players to play a back four’ – Roberto De Zerbi | OneFootball

Roberto De Zerbi was back in Marseille’s pre-match press conference today, ahead of Les Olympiens’ must-win home game against Ligue 1’s bottom side Montpellier. With a defence that will once again look to be a back three on Saturday, De Zerbi suggested that he would want enough reinforcements in the summer to be able to play a back four next season – that is ‘if’ he stays. Speaking at a press conference attended by Get French Football News, Roberto De Zerbi said “If I am to stay next season, and they bring me the right players that can adapt to these positions – I want to play with a back four, wingers, and a number 10. I’ve always set up like that, but you have to adapt to the players that you have.” “It doesn’t bother me to talk about systems, in Italy they ask questions about it even more. It’s part of our work as a manager to explain these things. I’ve almost always played with a four-man defence, with inverted wingers that create a lot of chances. But a good coach has to adapt to his players. Balerdi isn’t here, so it’s difficult to play with four at the back. Murillo has to adapt. And often our goals come from his movements. Kondogbia isn’t a centre-back. Merlin, Garcia and Lirola aren’t full-backs who can play deep, like Dedic.”Whilst Luiz Felipe looks to be returning to the Marseille squad, De Zerbi’s comments suggest he isn’t yet ready to return to back four, and that it looks increasingly likely Murillo will be involved against Montpellier tomorrow. GFFN | George Boxall – Reporting from La Commanderie.