If Mason Greenwood has been the attacking leader of Olympique de Marseille since his arrival in France, he now has the opportunity to become the leader of a club looking to turn the corner. OM are aiming to establish themselves as Ligue 1's second-placed team this season, and while it will be difficult to match PSG 's pace over the long haul, there is nothing to stop them trying to keep up for as long as possible, given the strength of their squad on paper. In Europe, the club wants to "exist", as De Zerbi pointed out before Ajax, and to do that, they need to qualify for the two-legged ties. That is the next step for the Phocéens, a step which, if they achieve it, will be thanks to the metamorphosis of their number 10.
The former Manchester United prospect is one of those players considered to be 'different'. The way he controls, carries, plays, clears or dribbles - when you look at the boy, you immediately sense that he is a footballer apart. Last season, he contributed a lot of goals to OM, whether through his finishing or his passing. But in a game that is becoming ever more 'all-encompassing', with players needing to be used more and more in different ways, RDZ wants his player to be even more complete.
"I expect him to become a truly all-round player like the greatest players in Europe. I saw a bit of Newcastle-Barça. I saw Raphinha in the last twenty minutes, pressing with speed, malice and determination. I've seen Mbappé at Real, and he's not the same player as in recent years. We all remember Dembélé last year. I'd like him to become a complete player, a team player," said the Italian OM coach before the match against Strasbourg.
From nonchalant crack to all-round player, Greenwood's fabulous destiny
And there can be no doubt that Greenwood is well on his way to becoming one. Strasbourg arrived just after the 1-0 win in the Classique. And if the journalists sent the Italian on this subject, it was because the Englishman's performance against the Parisians had been excellent from the point of view of effort. As well as shining with his football, the Olympic right-winger was crucial to De Zerbi's defensive strategy. Throughout the match, he set an example for his team-mates, both in terms of the repetition of his efforts to press forward and in his defensive retreats. And this trajectory that the player is beginning to take is in stark contrast to what we saw last season.
Yes, we remember that Roberto De Zerbi did not hesitate to put his player on the bench at a time when the dressing room was calling for a united front at the end of the season. We remember Rabiot's post-match statements pointing the finger at some of his former team-mates, in particular with regard to effort, sacrifice and what OM represents, and seeing the Englishman as a substitute the following match. The Italian coach had to make him understand that in his team, if he wanted to play, he had to get up to speed and that goals were not enough.
A few months later, Greenwood seems to have understood. In the midst of a complete metamorphosis, the No10 has shown that he no longer wants to be relegated to the bench, and is ready to become a 'team player'. The example of the match against PSG was blatant, but against Lorient, Strasbourg or Ajax, we were in the same vein. I showed him pictures of Raphinha," RDZ insisted at last Thursday's press conference. He had a great game on Monday (against Paris), and even made a run in the second half when he was fouled. You have to do that in every match, not just one in five. When he runs, everyone follows him."
That last sentence is important and recalls the sequence between Luis Enrique and Kylian Mbappé. Today's football demands that strikers run and make the effort, and that's what the Englishman is aiming for. Now he needs to confirm that over time, while putting up some exceptional numbers: 3 goals and 4 assists in 8 matches in all competitions. If Marseille can turn Mason Greenwood into a 'total player' over the long term, and ultimately into the team's leader, they will be able to dream big.