Beye explains reduced role for Emerson Palmieri as system choice bites at OM | OneFootball

Emerson Palmieri, benched since Habib Beye took charge at OM, could return at Lorient on Saturday after Facundo Medina’s suspension.

According to L'Équipe, Beye praised the left-back after the 3-1 win over Metz last week, calling him a model professional and saying he lacks nothing, yet accepting the recent system may not have served him.

Palmieri started against Brest and Lyon in Beye’s first two matches, then dropped out once OM shifted to a hybrid defence, usually a back three and at times a four.

Under Roberto De Zerbi he already alternated roles, defending wide then stepping into midfield to create overloads. Beye values his capacity to move inside, handle pressure and play out cleanly.

At 31 he knows new coaches can reshuffle the deck, with Arthur Vermeeren and Ethan Nwaneri also drifting out of the rotation around the De Zerbi to Beye handover.

His season has included dips, notably a red card in Lisbon in a 1-2 defeat at Sporting on 22 October, during a Champions League campaign that veered off course. He arrived from West Ham with a decorated CV, including Chelsea’s Champions League and Italy’s Euro 2021 triumphs.

Even so, reliability and a strong understanding with Igor Paixao on the left have made him a useful option. That pairing could enable a back four, and he remains comfortable in a back three.

At Lorient at 17:00 he has the chance to back up his manager’s words and reassert his importance in a tight run-in.

Source: L'Équipe